Deniliquin. #2123. NSW

Jo Bloomfield

12 years ago

Deniliquin was an export abattoir accredited to process beef, sheep, goat and offal.

Deniliquin temporarily closed in 2007 due to drought with plans to re-open. It was re-opened in 2014 after it changed hands and was refurbished with the assistance of government funding. It closed again in 2017.

Last registered Aus meat export October 2017. Site was visited in March 2020, it was derelict and undergoing demolition.

Current Operation

Currently undergoing upgrades to reopen.⁶
Aus-Meat Registration as at 02/10/2017 #2123

Location

Deniliquin is located South west of NSW about 75km from the NSW/Victoria border and city of Echuca in Victoria.
285km north of Melbourne, 723km south west of Sydney³

Hema Maps – Australia Handy Map. 9th edition

Owner

Klastin (2007) – Managing director – Tony Karuse¹
Famicorp – Owned by Farouk Fami, inherited from the Estate of Nordon Becker³
Global Crown⁹
Tasman Group – Managing director Joe Catalfamo

Source – Steers Auctioneers – Meat Processing Plant Deniliqiun, 28.08.2007

Operation

Halal and HACCP accredited⁵
Small stock abattoir – sheep, small calves,lamb and goats.³
Uses an inverted chain system³
Processing capacity 3500 sheep/lambs per day⁵
8 hanging carcase chillers – 5 carton blast freezers⁵
Export registered – Japan, Egypt, Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa, Mexico⁵
modern Ammonia refrigeration plant⁵

Source – Steers Auctioneers – Meat processing plant – Deniliquin 28.08.2007

Source – Steers Auctioneers. Meat Processing plant. 28.08.2007

Source – Steers Auctioneers – Meat processing plant. Deniliquin 28.08.2007

History

Source History of Frozen Meat. Undated.
Historical picture of the Deniliquin freezing works – known then as the Riverina Freezing works

Authors note. The original freezing works I guess would have been situated near a main water source, in Deniliquin that would have been the Edward river a tributary of the Murray River. I don’t think the original Freezing works owned by the Riverina Freezing Company would have been where the current meat works is.

1990

Halal certified³

2002

Closed – reasons cited due to drought and limited numbers of livestock²
- Employed 120 people on kill days, mainly casuals.²

2003

Meat processors hard pressed meeting their requirements because of major shortage of lambs bought on by the drought⁹
Prices as high as $158 a head, five years ago was $80 a head at Deniliquin⁹
Meat processors forced to pay high prices for good quality lambs to keep thier abattoirs operating and to retain market share⁹

2006

Begun to employ overseas workers to fill vacant meatworker positions¹
- 6 workers through a Vietnamese employment agency¹
- Advertising in Australia failed to fill postions¹
- If had not got Vietnamese workers the plant would not be operating¹
Abattoir is closed at some period during this year¹⁸

2007

Klanstin with drew from the facility – closure⁵
- Was only meant to be a temporary closure
- Operated with Halal accreditation from 1990 to closure in 2007 due to drought
Issues with market and meat industy had forced temporary closure⁴
Closure due to issues of sourcing quality stock¹³

2011

- Deniliquin has faced a gradual but sustained and significant reduction in population over the past 15 years.²
  - Centralisation of policies of both state and commonwealth governments²
    - RTA divisonal headquarters closed⁹
    - Department of education – regional headquarters⁹
    - Murray Health headquarters⁹
  - prolong drought that have prevailed in much of last decade.²
- If MDBP implemented²
  - result in 58% reduction in the amount of water available to irrigated agricultural activities.²
  - Deniliquin is heavily reliant on irrigated agriculture for its ongoing survival.²
  - If MDBP implemented would jeopardise abattoir and rice mill re-opening due to reduction of water available.²
- Current circumstances in Deniliquin²
  - Deniliquin abattoir currently closed²
  - Negotiations currently underway for the abattoir to be sold and re-opened given improved rainfall and forecast availability.²Deniliquin council write a submission to the inquiry into the impact of the Murray Darling basin plan (MDBP) guide in Regional Australia.²
Region has suffered a decade long drought²⁶
Abattoirs in operation in NSW with more than 50 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff – 47⁷
- Includes meat processors, poultry and pigs.
Meat processing facilities closed in NSW since 2000 with more than 50 FTE – 9⁷
- Includes meat processors, poultry and pigs
November. facilities advertised for sale, land, equipment, structures and fittings³
Attorney for the Estate under instructions to liquidate all assets³

2012

December. Abattoir sold to Global Crown⁹.
Chief executive of Global Crown – John Wynan
- Facility could reopen 2013⁹
  - Would focus solely on sheep, production runs 1,000 sheep a day⁹
  - Goal to increase production to 3,500 sheep a day⁹
  - Halal certified with full accreditations for export⁹
- create up to 100 jobs⁹

2013

January. Global Crown Pty Ltd – John Wynan negotiation for sale, settlement delayed due to ‘legal issues’⁴
Proposes to open abattoir this year⁴
November. Abattoir has been purchased and is expected to reopen
Tasman Group purchase⁹
- estimate to employ 80 people⁹
- Upgrades to some facilities is required.⁹
- would continue as Halal slaughterhouse – for which it was fully accredited⁹
- would focus solely on sheep, production starting at 1000 head a day to process building up to 3500 head.⁹
Australian Meat Group Pty Ltd (Formerly known as Tasman Group)¹³
- Tasman group previously operated abattoirs at³¹
  - Brooklyn #688 Vic
  - Cobram #397 Vic
  - Yarrawonga #71V Vic

2014

March. Joe Catalfamo is confirmed as purchaser of Deniliquin¹¹.
- Has also purchased Dandenong #3085. Vic¹¹.
  - Dandenong is focused on cattle processing¹¹.
- Plans to create state of the art processing sites at each facility¹¹
Seasonal conditions at the time have decimated livestock numbers in QLD and NSW¹¹
August. Deniliquin abattoir is still not in operation^10.
Plan for the facility to be refurbished¹⁰
- Facility has now been out of operation for 7 years¹⁰
NSW government will provide support to the Australian Meat Group to re-open the plant¹⁰
Facility is anticipated to employ up to 130 full time jobs in the first year¹⁰
- After 5 years expected to increase to 460 full time equivalent positions¹⁰
NSW government pledge to provide $1M to upgrades for the facility¹³
- Upgrades will allow facility to meet best practice standards¹³
- Improve efficiency and provide full range of meat cuts¹³
Total cost of upgrades wasn’t able to be confirmed¹³
Australian Meat Group Pty Ltd (Formerly known as Tasman Group) have purchased the facility¹³
- Managing director Gilbert Cabreal¹³
Detailed Environment Impact Statement is yet to be completed¹³
Preparatory work has begun at the facility¹³
Pending development application for facility improvements¹³
- upgrades to the kill floor, receiving yard and amenities¹³
Plans for a new boning room, rendering plant and cold storage facility¹³
November. Property investment in the Deniliquin area has increased in recent weeks due to the abattoir plans to re-open¹⁵
Facility will be opening Mid December or early January 2015¹⁵.
50 staff have already been appointed¹⁵
Kill trials are expected to start in November¹⁶
Deniliquin plant manager – David Bridge from Gundagai¹⁶
Deniliquin Operations manager – Bernie Cabral¹⁶
Opening is expected to be early February 2015¹⁶.
Audit has been completed but some refurbishment still needs to be continued¹⁶
Submission has been sent for new plant, with construction hoped to begin February¹⁶
- Current facility would be suitable for another 2-3 years²⁰
- Plans to a new state of the art facility in the process of approval²⁰
Deniliquin is in a strong growth phase with the opening of the Rice Mills also occurring¹⁶

2015

November. Deniliquin abattoir is the 10th abattoir that Joe Catalfamo has remodelled²⁹
- Deniliquin proposal is construct a new plant on vacant land next to the existing facility²⁹
Deniliquin plant is now officially US licensed³⁰.
- This will allow the company to further develop and expand its product range when the new facility is built next door³⁰.
Currently processing 2,200 – 2,500 small stock units per day³⁰
Australian Meat Group Livestock Manager – Ben Davies³⁰
Location of Deniliquin abattoir is very good because it is centre of Australia’s most heavily populated sheep production area³⁰.
- Southern most export plant that has road train access³⁰
Growing global markets that can be harnessed for mutton, lamb, goats and bobby calves³⁰
December. Deniliquin abattoir is recommissioned and is again in operation¹⁷
$5M were spent on refurbishments¹⁷
During the commissioning phase the facility will process 1,000 sheep a day¹⁷
- Working up to 3,000 a day at full capacity¹⁷
70 people are now employed¹⁷
Second stage of production will employ a further 250 people¹⁷
- Accommodation and houses are yet to be available to accommodate some workers¹⁷.
Abattoir production will be both domestic and export¹⁷
Exported meat will go to;¹⁷
- Japan, Middle East, Vietnam¹⁷
- Plans to secure a US export licence soon¹⁷

Source ‘Renovated Riverina abattoir re-opens driving property boom’ ABC Rural 14.01.2015

2017

February. Meat processors are finding conditions very difficult with livestock prices increasing for both beef and lamb⁹⁹
- Prices to consumers expected for meat to increase by at least $1 per kg¹⁹
Lambs at some saleyards are selling for 750c per kg⁹⁹
Also a shortage of lamb supplies¹⁹
Numbers for kills is expected to be less by 1M head across Australia¹⁹
March 17. Deniliquin abattoir operations are temporarily halted²⁰
- due to unsustainable lamb market²⁰
- Complete shutdown is hoped to only last 2-3 weeks²⁰
- Return to operation depending on market conditions²⁰
  - Australian dollar was currently very high²¹
Currently 180 workers were employed at the site²⁰
Have been operating the facility for 2-3 days a week due to stock prices²⁰
Focus on markets is currently into South America²⁰
- Current stock values were at $6 /kg carcase weight²⁰
  - To be competitive the abattoir needs the value to be $5/kg or less²⁰
Company had decided not to pursue further infrastructure developments at the site²⁰.
April. Other abattoir closures are occurring around Australia due to stock availability and prices²⁴
- Cobram #397 Vic.
- Longford #195 Tas
- Cootamundra.1 #87 NSW
- Esperance #1459 WA
Some facilities that have significantly reduced operations²⁴
- Goulburn #217 NSW
- Tamworth.1 #394 NSW
- Gunbower Vic.
Over-capacity in the lamb processing industry relative to supply pool is exasperated by the expansion of formerly only domestic plants now being export accredited and having export market access²⁴
- Export markets are unwilling or unable to pay more for Australian meat²⁴.
Reports equipment from the Deniliquin facility is being removed²⁵
Operations and Managing directors aren’t responding to calls⁹⁵.
Employees under 457 visa’s have been sent home²⁵
Lamb prices have actually risen higher to $6.60 /kg²⁵
- Indications are that the lamb prices will stay relatively strong²⁵
Prices hit 700c /kg proving to be a breaking point for some abattoir operations
- Total setback of 6 closures (not including Esperance) in eastern Australia will result in 50,000 less lambs processed in Victoria and NSW²⁷
September. “With a high currency, low numbers, and high cost of production and processing in Australia, we are a little bit like the Murray Goulburn of the beef industry” – Australia’s red meat processing sector is in crisis. MLA CEO Richard Norton²⁶

2020

March. Author visited this site, property and buildings were derelict and obviously not used for some time.
- scrap metal workers actively removing equipment and items
- All stock yards and infrastructure around the facility was removed.