Saleyards demolition
Council plans to spend up to $1 million to dismantle 150-year-old facility
THE Geelong Saleyards will be gutted piece by piece under a painstaking demolition program that is estimated to cost up to $1 million.
Minimal elements of the 150-year-old facility will be retained as the council moves to a different use for the North Geelong land.
The items that are kept will be used to acknowledge the history of the site.
Chartered professional engineer Nathan McLaren said the works should proceed carefully due to the poor condition of the facility and the potential to disturb contaminated soils.
“It is anticipated the demolition works will need to proceed on a ‘dismantle’ basis rather than wholesale demolition,” he said.
“This is expected to involve stick-by-stick removal of structure.”
The City of Greater Geelong has lodged a planning permit application for the works, which are described as costing between $100,000 and $1 million.
The council shut down the saleyards to sheep and cattle sales in August last year.
Poultry sales survived until last month, with the facility’s truck wash the last operating feature.
However the truck wash is among the items to be dismantled and removed from the site.
All of the sheep yards and most of the cattle yards, including elevated timber and steel walkways, fencing and posts, will be removed.
The poultry auction shed, toilet block, sheds and portables, water tanks and retaining walls will also be demolished.
The few items to be retained are: TWO rows of cattle yards; ONE timber cattle ramp; THE central thoroughfare; ABOUT 100m of bluestone paved drain; and, ALL trees on the site.
Heritage adviser Ivar Nelsen said the incorporation of selected elements into a future plan would sufficiently acknowledge and commemorate the existence of the saleyards.
Work has begun on the future precinct plan and it is expected to be completed by March next year.
The council decided to shut the saleyards after 148 years of operations, following years of falling sales figures, annual losses and worsening infrastructure.
The council’s planning report detailed the depth of the issues on the site. It stated that a complete rebuild of the saleyards — with an estimated cost of $2.89 million — was found to be a better alternative.
“Essentially the saleyards could not feasibly or safely continue to operate without a total rebuild, which would destroy all but a few of the significant heritage elements remaining.”