“We have been able to work with council to find a resolution. Council have offered to put in money for new crush and loading race and help with any machines to help rebuild the yards,” said Gooch’s livestock agent Dave Callaughan, who has been building up the Nabiac livestock sales market since starting with the agency.

Gooch Agencies itself, which has leased the monthly Saturday market day from Council for almost 10 years at the current rental amount of $320 for each sale day, will foot the bill as originally suggested for up to $100,000 worth of work to turn the timber yards into fences of steel as per council’s requirements. 

It appears to be a quick resolution after the increasingly popular cattle sales were cancelled by council just prior to Christmas after an independent audit found the yards and facility to have safety and animal welfare issues. Correct licensing for commercial activities within the facility was also questioned. Gooch then began replacing the yards at its own expense in December but was forced to stop when Council issued the directive to halt all commercial sales until further notice, in light of council’s liability should an accident happen. With Christmas approaching, staff needed to find a way to address all of the issues before any sales – including January’s scheduled date – could take place.

In the shadow of a public outcry as word spread of the yards’ closure, council staff reconvened to discuss the matter with Gooch Agencies last week and a solution was reached, not in time for January’s scheduled sales (now relocated to Gloucester on January 28), but in time for February 25 sales back at Nabiac. 

“We’re replacing the yards, trying to do it in different phases, from phase one up to five,” said Mr Callaughan.

“We’re hoping to be done by June 2017.”

MidCoast Council’s manager of Community Spaces, Recreation and Trades Dan Aldridge said Council would want it done quicker than that because of the “significant health and safety issues.”

“They won’t be using any of the old sections after the February sales, but they will have a significant part of that already completed by then… It it’s not done by June it will be in the paper again for all the wrong reasons,” he said, adding the temporary repairs currently underway will bring it to a compliant state in terms of safety and animal welfare.

“Gooch’s repairs to the yards are addressing our concerns and council is installing a crush and upgrading ramps for generic usage such as for the pony club and rodeo and campdrafts.”

Council’s manager for Property and Building Assets John Dougherty said staff had worked with the Department of Lands and satisfied their concerns, which ranked secondary to public risk. 

“We’re not turning it into a fully functioning livestock facility like Gloucester and Taree, but it will allow them to have sales of limited capacity. There will be a cap on the number, but it will be in the order of what they have been doing… Crown Land is happy to work with us, we’re not developing it, but as long as it’s not excessive.”

Although the audit estimated costs of more than $350,000 to upgrade the facility, these have been cited by some as ‘ridiculous’. Along with Gooch’s $100,000 (not including labor) from Gooch for its contribution, council will help by providing machines to help as well as the crush and ramp estimated to be worth around $35,000. 

According to Mr Aldridge, the Wallamba District Agricultural & Horticultural Show, scheduled for March 18, will not be impacted on.

“Any activities will be entirely unaffected by what’s happening here now. The requirements for commercial activities are different. We will make sure that that stuff remains untouched in between events,” Mr Aldridge said.

Details surrounding the deal between Gooch and council have yet to be finalised, including how much revenue Gooch will be expected to pay to council for leasing the saleyard each month, coinciding with the farmers market.

Mr Aldridge said Council would be seeking commercial rates, estimating the market average to be up to $13 per head sold. This, he added, will allow council to reinvest the income back into the facility into the future.

“Gooch’s current contribution doesn’t cover outgoings on site, there’s been no income there for a very very long time,” he said, adding Gooch’s Nabiac sale attracted up to 500 head each month.

"And the last sale before Christmas it was around 750 head.”

Mr Aldridge said no further funding was required at this point but council would be looking at grants in the future. 

“There is nothing to come externally to fix this issue.”

Local member for Myall Lakes Stephen Bromhead, who called the press meeting on Tuesday to announce the sales would reopen, said he had initially suggested council use some of the money received in a State grant for water and electricity upgrades at the showground towards the yards’ upgrades last year but was told it would not be enough. Council’s Mr Dougherty said a previous attempt by Council to secure State funding to repair the yards had not been successful. Mr Bromhead subsequently attended last week’s meetings, pleased with the result.

“If you have stakeholders willing to pay for the work, why would the state government pay for that?... You have to remember we just gave MidCoast Council $20 million [for the amalgamation].”

In the meantime all parties agreed the resolution is a win for the community. Mr Callaughan said the yards competes in price and numbers wise with other sales in much larger areas.

“I call it the epicentre of sales on the east coast!” he laughingly concluded.