MP Adam Marshall, who last Friday turned the first sod on the rebuild of the Glen Innes saleyards, said the multi-million dollar project will be a "big economic stimulus" for the town.
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The Agriculture Minister said the $1.25 million project should be complete in about six months - perfect timing, he said.
"Being a drought this sort of project will provide another big economic stimulus to the local economy," he said.
"When we come out the other side of drought we'll have a brilliant, first class sheep selling yards which hopefully will attract even more buyers and even more sheep to be sold through these yards rather than being sent out of this region to other parts of the state for sale."
The Member for Northern Tablelands repeated a prediction the upgrade will make the town "the premier sheep selling centre in northern NSW".
"I'm very confident when drought breaks we'll see record numbers of sheep being pushed through these yards, which is going to be great for local farmers, agents but great for the GI community," he said.
The new yards will actually be smaller, with capacity for 5000 head of sheep.
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Stock and station agency partner Barry Newberry has been selling animals through the yards since 1977 personally, with his agency Newberry te velde operating through the yards since 1983.
He said there will be one regret with the upgrade: there may not be a place for the saleyards' famous shade trees.
"The feature of these yards has been our trees.
"In the summertime we can yard lambs here and they're very well protected in the shade with the hot weather.
"Whether some of these trees are going to come to grief or not I don't know; they've reached their expiry date," he said.
"That's one thing that we probably will miss."
On the other hand he said the upgrade after years of dealing with band-aid fixes will mean "going with the times" and adapting to the conditions of modern agriculture.
"I think it will be a big plus for not only us as agents but everyone else involved and especially our growers."
The project will mean the complete revitalisation of the saleyards with need sheep selling pens, loading ramps, upgraded amenities, installation of lighting and water troughs, sealing of carparking areas and associated signage and landscaping.
The objective is to increase throughput through the yards by 20 per cent, which would mean selling 78,000 sheep annually.
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Andrew Messenger
Politics, environment and energy journalist at the Northern Daily Leader. I also write about health, bushfires and occasionally music. I'm a Brisbane boy by way of Charleville and Hobart who now lives in in beautiful New England. Get me at andrew.messenger@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Politics, environment and energy journalist at the Northern Daily Leader. I also write about health, bushfires and occasionally music. I'm a Brisbane boy by way of Charleville and Hobart who now lives in in beautiful New England. Get me at andrew.messenger@austcommunitymedia.com.au
