Gippsland Regional Livestock Exchange recorded a remarkable 122 per cent increase in cattle throughput last financial year, making it the highest percentage increase of any saleyard in Australia.
One in every 43 cattle sold through a Victorian saleyard now passes through the council-operated facility, according to the recently released 2024–25 National Saleyard Survey by Meat and Livestock Australia.
Council credits a strategic investment in GRLE, including infrastructure upgrades, operational efficiencies, and a 2023 strategic review in playing a pivotal role in this turnaround. The saleyard is now operating at a surplus, ensuring long-term financial sustainability for council.
GRLE’s success also supports local employment, with recruitment now underway for a new supervisor role to meet growing operational demands.
Wellington Shire Council mayor Scott Rossetti said the result was a testament to the hard work of the GRLE team and the trust placed in the facility by producers and agents across the region.
“This growth reflects the confidence our community has in GRLE,” Cr Rossetti said.
“It’s not just about numbers for us, it’s about the relationships, the reliability and the role we play in supporting the agricultural sector and the broader Wellington economy.”
Alex Scott and Staff’s Aaron Ralph said agents had seen many local producers returning to the GRLE since council had started managing the saleyards again.
“As a result of better management from the team leader and on the ground team, council’s investment into bettering the facility, and the changes agents have made to sale days and selling schedules, GRLE has seen significantly greater attendance of abattoir buyers frequenting weekly sales, a bolstering of local producers looking to purchase restocker cattle and feedlot orders present,” he said.
Nutrien Greenwood’s Ben Greenwood said the agents were really pleased with the momentum at the saleyards.
“Each week we’re seeing a strong following of genuine buyers represented at the market, which is a credit to the livestock being presented. Importantly, the local community is recognising the real value of selling stock locally — and vendors are being rewarded for their efforts with consistently strong results,” he said.
The MLA survey highlights strong national growth in livestock transactions with cattle numbers rising to 4.84 million head across Australia. GRLE’s performance stands out not only in Victoria but nationally,
reinforcing its importance in the livestock supply chain.
