Tolga is better known as Rocky Creek, a small multi species domestic abattoir located in far north Queensland.
Other Names.
- Rocky Creek abattoir
Current Operation
- Operating as at 20121
Location
- 80km SW Cairns
Owner
- Victor Byrnes
Direct Contact to facility
Operation
- Small local processor1
- Source of most meat is from cattle sales on the tablelands2
- Species Cattle, Goat, Pig, Buffalo, Deer, Horse3
- Domestic prcessor only3
- Certifications – Safe Food QLD, Halal, MSQA3
- Employees – 6-503
- Does service kill3
- Abattoir is operated in conjunction with butcher shops in Cairns and on Atherton tablelands and property located in the cape Holroyd Station also owned by Byrne entities.5
History
1960
- Byrnes family purchased a butcher shop in the Atherton tableland area2
1962
- Purchased a slaughter yard facility at Tolga2
- was ungraded in the following years to a fully accredited abattoir2
1989
- Abattoir Australian Meat accredited 16th March 19892
- all workers have full accreditation through Aus-Meat2
- Facility currently licenced to process 150 cattle per day2
- Quality assurance program is in place at the facility2
- After slaughter carcases are sent to factory at Manunda2
- Combined with other enterprises of farms, abattoir and processing, including retail outlets – whole group employ 110 staff2
1995
- Plans to install a computerized slaughter floor and boning room ticketing system2
2007
- Listing in RIDC3
2012
- Discussion paper – Move towards establishment of a Tropical Grass Fed Beef supply chain and / or brand4
- Within Tablelands regional council4
- 289,293 estimated head of cattle4
- region has potential to turnoff 40,000 high quality MSA cattle per year from 700 beef producers4
- If $750 per head estimated turnoff $30M at gate4
- 62,000 turnoff – 62% fats and stores, 40% breeders and followers4
- 491 beef producers across area – herds range from few head to 250 head4
- Over 80% producers have off farm income4
- Only 3-4 producers actually employ others4
- Dairy deregulation seen many properties converted to beef4
- In April 2000 – 185 Dairy farmers producing 130ML milk4
- Now less than 56 dairy farmers producing less than 56ML4
- Most operations diary fewer than 300 cows and don’t employ external labour4
- Major influences of local beef markets in recent years4
- Closure of Innisfail abattoir (QLD). 2006
- Nearest abattoir of any scale is located in Townsville – Owned by Swift & Co.4
- Authors note – JBS now own this facility
- Tolga abattoir is the nearest small abattoir to Tablelands4
- Live export suspension to Indonesia (2011) made Northern producers look towards other marketing options.4
- Land prices have increased astronically since 2000 (Tablelands Basalts average $5000/ac)4
2014
- Halal slaughter has been conducted at the abattoir for a long period of time.6
- Animals are stunned prior to slaughter.6
Sources
- ‘Northern Australian beef Industry – Assessment of risks and opportunities’ ABARE. 2012.
- Byrnes Quality Meats website. Sourced 19.06.2014
- ‘New Animal Product Abattoirs in Australia’ RIDC 2007
- Discussion Paper – Move towards establishment of a Tropical Grass Fed Beef Supply Chain and/or Brand – Peter Spies 24.10.2012
- ‘Conservation and production go hand-in-hand at Holroyd’ Agforce 06.11.2009
- http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-08/kindness-in-killing-is-the-muslim-way/5439542
Tagged: abattoirs currently operating, domestic abattoir, Small processing abattoir, Tolga abattoir
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