Category Archives: Kilcoy

Queensland abattoirs listed – regions

North Queensland

Ayr abattoir (QLD)

Small processor located 90km south of Townsville, currently in operation

Biboohra abattoir (QLD)

Historical abattoir closed in 1927, Also known as Baron works, located near Mareeba.

Owned by MJ Munro, operated as a slaughterhouse in the early days and then a cannery.

Bowen abattoir (QLD)

Located 230km south of Townsville on the QLD coast.Was in operation at 1919, went through fires, labour disputes and temporary closures. Purchased by AMH, the final owners and permanently closed in 1997.

Cairns abattoir (QLD)

Cairns (more commonly known as Queerah meatworks) was located in far north QLD received cattle from mainly north Australia, often by Barge from the NT and Normanton that had travelled from the gulf of Carpentaria in the 1960’s to 1975. Began to export in 1950’s closed in 1989 as part of the AMH rationalisation strategy of its abattoir capacity through the 1980’s.

Camooweal abattoir (QLD)

Located 190km northwest of Mt Isa, small processor currently operating that supplies own butchery for retail.

Canon Vale (QLD)

A small local processor currently in operation, located 70 km south of Bowen between Townsville and Mackay.

Cape River abattoir (QLD)

Located  south west of Townsville. Closed in 1986 due to the AMH  rationalisation strategy of its abattoirs capacity through the 1980’s.

Pentland abattoir (QLD)

Built prior to WWII, At one stage was the 2nd largest meatworks in Queensland. Last owned by AMH consortium, closed in 1989

Ross River abattoir (QLD)

Built in 1882, QLD meat export agency formed supplied contracts for supply of product to England. Plagued by industrial action its whole operating life most notably in 19919 when a violent clash between the unions and police occurred. Been through ownership receiver, beef price crash, strikes, droughts and market changes. Smorgons meat processors, last owner collapses in 1994, facility closed in 1995. Site now developed as a residential site with only the chimney still remaining as a historic site.

Tolga abattoir (QLD)

Small processor currently operating near Cairns

Townsville – Stuart

Owned by JBS. Large beef processor located in far north QLD

Tully abattoir (QLD)

Small processor currently operating between Cairns and Townsville

Weipa abattoir (QLD)

Small local processor

Central Queensland

Charleville abattoir – goat processor (Central QLD)

A goat processing facility that is currently operating located in central QLD. This facility exports all its production. Has had past problems of securing visa workers to ensure ability to process production. Floods have affected operations and government costs while plant has been closed at different periods.

Clermont abattoir (QLD)

Small local processor

Cloncurry #1 abattoir (QLD)

Small local processor currently operating

Cloncurry #2, proposed abattoir (QLD)

Proposal sponsored by DAFF 2012. Consider establishment of an abattoir at Cloncurry to process cattle from north west QLD and NT. Based on processing 100,000 heavy cattle per year, costing $49M to build not including land or government services. Marginal return expected on investment.

El Arish abattoir (QLD)

Located near Innisfail, a small processor that is currently operating.

Giru abattoir (QLD)

Domestic abattoir currently operating south of Townsville

Innisfail abattoir (QLD)

Owned by CMG then Teys, Hit by cyclone Larry in 2006, never to be reopened, equipment scrapped and auctioned off in 2011.

Mt Isa abattoir (QLD)

Built in the war years and closed in 1986

Southern Queensland

Beenleigh abattoir (QLD)

Large facility owned by Teys, currently in operation located south of Brisbane.Recently had a number of wage disputes. Invests heavily in new technology to optimise labour efficencies, currently operating 2 shifts processing 1,300 cattle per day

Caboolture abattoir (QLD)

Located in Queensland, one of only 2 abattoirs in Australia accredited for export of horse meat.

Dinmore abattoir (QLD)

The largest meat processing plant in Australia, currently operating and owned by JBS Australia. Located near Brisbane QLD.

Kilcoy abattoir (QLD)

Located northwest of Brisbane and primarily processes grainfed cattle. 4th largest abattoir in Australia, currently operating.

Oakey abattoir (QLD)

Located near Toowoomba, a large processing facility of mainly grain-fed beef, owned by Nippon. Currently processing up to 1300 animals per day. Has undergone significant upgrades to enable traceability for organic certification and assurances, with current work being carried out on methane gas collection. Problems in the past have been market fluctuations, unions and costs of production

Surat abattoir – Kangaroo processor (QLD)

Games meat abattoir located south of Roma. Processes Kangaroo. Started in mid 1980’s, possibly now closed due to floods, debt and costs of services to operate.

Queensland abattoirs listed – A-Z

These are the abattoirs currently listed on this blog, it is not complete of all actual operations at this point in time

Ayr abattoir (Nth QLD)

Beenleigh abattoir (Sth QLD).

Biboohra abattoir (Nth QLD)

Bowen abattoir (Nth QLD)

Caboolture Abattoir (QLD). Owned by Meramist Pty Ltd. A beef and horse processing facility.

Cairns abattoir ( Nth QLD)

Camooweal abattoir (Nth QLD)

Canon Vale (Nth QLD)

Cape River abattoir (Nth QLD)

Charleville abattoir – goat processor (Central QLD)

Clermont abattoir (Central QLD)

Cloncurry abattoir #1 (Central QLD)

Cloncurry #2. proposed abattoir (Central QLD)

Dinmore abattoir (Sth QLD)

El Arish (Nth QLD)

Giru abattoir (Nth QLD)

Innisfail abattoir (Nth QLD)

Kilcoy currently in operation

Mt Isa Owned by AMH, closed in 1986

Oakey abattoir (Sth QLD). Owned by Nippon. Currently operating.

Pentland (Cape River). Built originally prior to WWII, Eventually owned by AMH, closed 1989

Rockhampton – Lakes Creek Owned by Teys Australia, currently in operation.

Roma #2 (Proposed) Maronoa council seeking funding to conduct a feasibility study in 2014

Ross River Built in 1882, transformed from boiling down works to cannery to abattoir and meat processor. Finally owned by Smorgons closed 1995, Now demolished.

Surat (Wild game – kangaroo) Kangaroo processing facility, was in operation as at 2013

Tolga abattoir (QLD) 

Townsville Stuart  Owned by JBS, Currently in operation

Tully abattoir (Nth QLD)

Weipa Was in operation as at 2012

 

 

 

 

 

Kilcoy

Other Names

Current Operation

  • Currently operating as at December 2013.

Location   

  • 120 km NW of Brisbane in Brisbane valley

Australia. Kilcoy

Kilcoy  001

Hema Maps – Australia Handy Map. 9th Edition

Owners

  • Kilcoy Pastoral company1
    • CEO – Tony Munns appointed 1999, succeeded by David Foote.1
  • Harmony Investment fund – Singapore based – Harmony Capital management3
    • Harmony purchased in 20074
  • Pacific Alliance Group (2012)3
  • New Hope Investment Fund – Chinese4

Operation   

  • Marketing strategy – Naturally Identified, Safe environment (NISE) Beef export program1
  • Dedicated grainfed, export focussed plant.3
  • Capacity to process 285,000 head per year3
  • Employed 750 staff (as at 2012)3

History

Year

1950’s

  • First established by Kennedy Family4

1999

  • Appointed new CEO – Tony Munns1

2002

  • Major improvements epected to provide 10% production boost and 50 full time jobs.2
  • Currently employing 340 people (plus the extra 50 to add)2

2003

  • Volume had increased through the plant by 35% to same period in previous year.2
  • Further Funding provided by Federal Government – Dairy Regional Assistance Program $880,0002
    • Further enhance production capacity and improve efficiency2
    • Improve primary freezer capacity, improve ability to process by products and improve the standard and quality of effluent disposal2
  • Previous 12 months had been difficult in world markets2
  • Target Pacific Rim countries in particular Japan and Korea2

2007

  • Harmony Capital Management’s Harmony Investment Fund4
  • Throughput for 2007 was 54,000t carcase weight, 160,000 cattle.5
    Note by author (Jo Bloomfield) if average yield is 337.5kg, estimate live weight processing 52% dressed Is approximately processing animals live weight 650kg.

2009

  • Australian Agriculture Co’s largest shareholder – IFFCo flag interest in purchasing abattoir5
    • Would be acquired by IFFCo under assigned put-and-call option – allows later transfer of ownership to AA Co5
    • IFFCo is large international red meat processor – killing 10,000 buffalo daily in India5
    • AA Co considering cost-benefit studies of owning meatworks as adjunct to branded beef business5
      • Currently utilises service kill at Grantham and occasionally at Casino5
  • Kilcoy provides strong marketplace competition against larger players Swift and Teys grainfed cattle processing5
  • Kilcoy is has current kill capacity 570 head a day, single shift, seven day operation5

2011

  • Processed 250,000 head, emplyed 750 staff.3

2012

  • Harmony Investment Fund – had owned a majority share of 80% sold to Pacific Alliance Group3

2013

  • Chinese investment fund – New Hope Investment fund purchase facility4
    • Purchase price about $80M6
    • one of the biggest operators of feedlots in China4
  • Kilcoy Abattoir is currently fourth largest abattoir in Australia4
  • Is currently processing 265,000 grain fed cattle a year4

2015

  • July. The following charts are from a submission by the Australian government Department of Agriculture to the Senate rural and regional affairs and transport references committee inquiry into Market consolidation and the red meat processing sector.
  • abattoir capacities dept ag sub consolidation_edited-1

    Capacity of major beef abattoirs in QLD. Pg 15

    T2 Throughput state beef_edited-1

    Share of throughput by state for beef in 2014. Pg 16

    M4 direct cattle movements NLIS QLD_edited-1

    Cattle Movements to abattoirs. Pg 25

    F12 hourly labour costs food manufacturing_edited-1

    Hourly labour costs for food manufacturing industry Pg 30

 

Sources

  1. ‘New Heads for Kilcoy, ACC abattoirs’ QLD Countrylife 13.10.1999
  2. ‘Kilcoy abattoir upgrade’ QLD Countrylife 29.05.2003
  3. ‘Harmony sells stake in Kilcoy, Harvey Beef’ Beef Central 06.12.2012
  4. ‘Kilcoy abattoir sold to Chinese Investment Fund’ The Australian 06.12.2013
  5. ‘IFFCo eyes Kilcoy abattoir in AAco deal’ Stockjournal 18.06.2009
  6. ‘Stations now in hot demand’ Nth QLD Register 10.07.2014
  7. Dept Ag. Submission to Market consolidation and the red meat processing sector July 2015
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