The Dorrigo Saleyards facility began operations on Bielsdown Street with sales then conducted on Saturday afternoons.
In 1956 Bellingen Shire Council constructed the current saleyards at 69 Tyringham Road. The original construction consisted of timber logs and posts which were supplied by Mr Bill Brereton of Bostobrick, cut by Mr D. Stewarts Sawmill, and erected by Mr Walter Pitman. The cost of the yard’s construction was $5,000.00 which was then leased to Dalgety & Co Ltd to repay the loan over a 10 year period.
In 1966 Allan Turner was recruited from a local Dorrigo business and was to become a vital part of the Dorrigo operation, adaptable to all areas of the business. The fees in 1966 were .10c per head for cattle, and .05c per head for pigs and calves.
In 1967 pan toilets were installed at the Saleyards.
In 1968 J.A McMenn was appointed Saleyard Manager at $6 per week. A fuel stove for catering was bought from the Dorrigo Hospital for $15.
In 1977 the Dorrigo Saleyards Management Committee was set up with committee members being William Darley, Peter Gordon, John Collins, Bruce Anderson and Cr Joan Summerhays.
By 1983 the Management Committee members had changed to Nigel Adams, Alan Turner, Brian Darby, Cecil Parker, Jim Kell, and Cr Lionel Schouppe. It was decided at this time that the timber yards were beyond repairing, and the plan became to rebuild the yards with steel and concrete as sale numbers had increased to 4200 head per annum. Live scales and a weighbridge was purchased from Cabonne Shire and installed at the Dorrigo Saleyards. A grant of $2,000.00 was made available to assist with repair works and upgrades on the yard.
By 1984 32 steel calf pens were built undercover with calves being previously sold at the Dorrigo showground.
In 1995 a truck wash bay was installed as well as a mouthing crush and head bale.
In 1999 the saleyard committee had plans drawn up for an acoustic barrier wall to be built around northern end of the saleyards to reduce noise created by cattle to the nearby neighbours.
By 2000 all the holding yards were completed with steel pipe rails and concrete. Allan Ulrick worked with Bellingen Council to draft plans for new yards and loading race to the southern side of the existing yard. These upgrade works were built largely by committee members (Cliff Marriot, Robert Keogh, Steven Frewen and Allan Ulrick). The total cost for the upgrade works was $65,000
By 2002 construction of the controversial acoustic wall was completed.
Following these works there has been ongoing improvement and continual maintenance to the saleyards from the dedicated committee members such as replacing pipe rails to cattle rails, introduction of splitting yards, roofing the headlock crush and scales, upgrading the canteen, installation of rubber matting and installing an overhead pipeline to the truck wash facilities.
Mick Moy (L) and Brian Darby (R)
The below link is to an article about the history of Saleyards in the Mid North Coast area.
A contribution to the cattle industry | The Macleay Argus | Kempsey, NSW