Newlyn beef farmer Scott McKay said losing access to a livestock exchange in or around Ballarat would be a major setback for producers, while sheep farmer Lachie Thomas from Ascot said it could not happen.

A panel hearing to discuss the proposed Central Victorian Livestock Exchange development for Miners Rest will be held in Ballarat on Wednesday.

With the City of Ballarat’s lukewarm commitment to the process, other municipalities including the Moorabool Shire and Central Goldfields have indicated interest in having saleyard facilities within their boundaries.

As the process to find a new location drags through its sixth year Mr McKay, who has about 650 shorthorn cows and calves, said it was vital Ballarat retained its own saleyards.

“It would be a huge disaster for the area (if there were no Ballarat saleyards),” he said. “I don’t care which shire it is in but it has to have easy access and be no more than about 15km from Ballarat.”

Mr Thomas said he had sold first cross ewes in Bendigo but it was not as cost effective as selling locally. He said, if the saleyards were unable to remain at the existing Latrobe Street site then Miners Rest was an ideal location. 

“Losing the saleyards would be devastating. It wouldn’t happen. It couldn’t happen,” he said. “I don’t think the Council could afford to lose the saleyards and it would be great for the area as well. The people who come to the saleyards would spend money in the region which would only be good for the economy.”

Member for Ripon Louise Staley, whose electorate includes Miners Rest, said the process had drawn on too long. She challenged the City of Ballarat to “get on with it”.

“It would be a very poor outcome (if Ballarat did not have saleyards),” Mrs Staley said. “It would be terrible.

“The region needs a saleyard because the economic benefit is significant. This has gone on for too long. We can’t get to a situation where produces are moving livestock hundreds of kilometres away.

“I’m not supporting the Miners Rest option as the only option. It has some clear failings.

“But it if is not going to get up and the current location is not an option we must still have a regional option. I want a solution which suits the region’s producers. If it’s in the Central Goldfields or the Pyrenees or Ballarat, I’m all for it.”

The Courier was unable to contact Regional Development Minister Jaala Pulford for comment.