Record sheep prices can't save saleyard despite $1 lease offer
Despite record sheep prices the Jerilderie saleyard will be decommissioned after Murrumbidgee Council failed to find anyone to take over its 20-year lease offered for just $1 per year.
On the final day of sheep sales at the Jerilderie saleyard, a record price of $524 per head was achieved for merino ewes. Murrumbidgee Council announced it would decommission the saleyards due to declining livestock numbers and increasing maintenance costs. Tom Todd, an 83-year-old veteran of the industry, shared fond memories of his time at the Jerilderie yards, noting the strong sense of community among the workers and buyers.
Despite the closure, a commemorative sale was held on October 2, attracting 10,000 sheep. The closure of Jerilderie's saleyard follows similar closures in Cootamundra, Narrabri, Moree, and Grafton, reflecting a broader trend of reduced livestock numbers and shifting sales methods in the industry.
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