Australian Abattoirs

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

• sales@rca4882.com.au
• rockycreek@bigpond.com.au

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