Major improvements have been officially unveiled at the Mount Gambier and District Saleyards following completion of a new state-of-the-art ramp redevelopment.

The facility will vastly improve safety for operators and the health and wellbeing of animals.

Grant District Mayor Richard Sage said the project was part of the vision council and the saleyards committee have had for several years and thanked the State Government for its funding contribution and commitment to the upgrades.

Mayor Sage said the ramps were side-loading and end-loading, which meant less handling and reduced stress on stock.

“It’s a seamless project,” he said.

“We want to make sure that when the stock is delivered, they’re delivered in really good condition, they’re only here for a short period and they’re on their way to where their destination is going to be in a really pristine condition, so they’re very well looked after.”

Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister David Basham said it was pleasing the government could invest $385,000 from the Regional Growth Fund towards the redevelopment.

“It is all about getting economic growth in the regions and this is another great project that’s doing exactly that,” he said.

“So we’re able to see the continued growth of a saleyard like this with this sort of investment.”

Successful principal contractors were Gambier Earth Movers for the civil works and Proway for the yards and ramps. Local contractors Stuckey Electrical and Wilson Security provided specialised skills in electrical and closed-circuit television components of the project and livestock carriers played an active role ensuring the ramps provided a safe and efficient loading and unloading facility.

The project team involved many experienced people to achieve the outcome, including local stock agents and the Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association (ALRTA).

Saleyards committee chair councillor Barry Kuhl said the modern facilities increased safety and the ease of loading out stock.

Livestock Rural and Transporters Association of Victoria’s Mick Debenham said the redevelopment future-proofed the saleyards from an infrastructure perspective for transporters.

“We always say you cannot improve anything for one without improving it for the other, so if you make it better for the stock it makes it better for the handlers; make it better for the handlers it’s usually because it’s better for the stock,” he said.

An NBN tower will also be constructed at the site which will provide stock agents with modern internet connectivity for online sales.