By Meg Kennedy<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the end of an era for local Ballan Elders stock agent Bernie Shanahan, following the closure of the Ballarat Saleyards in October.
\nMr Shanahan says the feeling was \u201csurreal when it finally happened,\u201d after the long-gestating process of building the new Central Victoria Livestock Exchange complex.
\n\u201cIt was business as usual [on the day], but there were mixed feelings when it was all over,\u201d he said.
\nThe new $30 million saleyards are now based at Miners Rest, which officially opened last month after 16-years of development.
\nThe mammoth, privately owned facility, includes softer floors and extensive parking facilities, make the venue the largest in Victoria for selling multispecies livestock.
\nMr Shanahan says the new facilities have \u201cmore benefits\u201d, but also notes \u201cit definitely has its teething problems\u201d in the following month since its official opening.
\n\u201cThe location is perfect, particularly the drafting and penning facilities, and not only for the animals but it is good for the people to work at too,\u201d he said, noting the uneven cobblestone bricks at the Ballarat facility.
\nThe saleyards will be a prime source for livestock trading, with The Courier reporting an estimated 1.6 million sheep and 70,000 cattle annually, coming from a 250-kilometre radius of the site.
\nAs for the benefits for the Moorabool area, Mr Shanahan says the new venue is \u201cdefinitely great for the Greater Ballarat region, we\u2019re very lucky to have these kinds of facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Meg Kennedy It\u2019s the end of an era for local Ballan Elders stock agent Bernie Shanahan, following the closure of the Ballarat Saleyards in October. Mr Shanahan says the feeling was \u201csurreal when it finally happened,\u201d after the long-gestating process of building the new Central Victoria Livestock Exchange complex. \u201cIt was business as usual […]<\/p>\n