CENTRAL VICTORIAN LIVESTOCK EXCHANGE (BALLARAT SALE YARDS)

The Central Victorian Livestock Exchange (Ballarat sale yards), 1020 Latrobe Street, Delacombe, has significance as the longest running and one of the best known and largest Corporation sale yards in Victoria, having opened in 1864. Today, the site is reflective of several redevelopment programs resulting in extensive changes to the sheep and cattle pens and fencing and paving ?] initially between 1882 and 1886, and particularly in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Contained over two large rectangular allotments separated by Gillies Street (and bound by Latrobe, Winter, Learmonth and Brazenor Streets) the site is therefore especially characterised by 20th century redevelopments, although the lineal arrangement of drafting and selling yards and pens appears to be reflective of 19th century practice. Surviving 19th and early 20th century fabric is confined to remnant bluestone pitcher paving in the sheep yards and notably in the single storey, face red brick Administration Building at the southern end of the sheep yard allotment (this allotment being the location of the original cattle yards laid out in 1863 by the Ballarat Council?fs Town Clerk, Mr Baird). Built in 1909, the Administration Building is characterised by a broad hipped roof form that is surmounted by a monitor light. This building is substantially intact externally and internally. The interior has a symmetrical arrangement of offices accessed by central passages that culminate in a central hall lit by the monitor light above. The offices also feature corner fireplaces (now blocked up) with bracketed timber mantels.

The Central Victorian Livestock Exchange (sale yards), 1020 Latrobe Street, Delacombe, is historically and socially significant at a LOCAL level.

The Administration Building at the Central Victorian Livestock Exchange, 1020 Latrobe Street, Delacombe, is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. The selling pavilion building has architectural interest.

The Central Victorian Livestock Exchange (sale yards), 1020 Latrobe Street, Delacombe, is historically significant as the longest running Corporation Sale Yards in Victoria (Criterion A & H). Built in 1863 having been laid out by Mr Baird, Town Clerk of the Ballarat Council, and constructed by Messrs.Flanagan and Brazenor (for the cattle yards) and Mr McKenzie (for the sheep pens), the yards were officially opened in February 1864. Since this time, the sale yards have become a regional and state focus for the buying and selling of cattle, sheep and pigs which has manifested in substantial redevelopment programs between 1882 and 1886, and particularly in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The Administration Building (also known as the Cattle Yards Office) was built in 1909. The sale yards have particular associations with William Brazenor (1832?]1916), cattle yards inspector, architect and publican of the nearby Cattle Yards Hotel. Brazenor was responsible for the earliest construction of the cattle pens in 1863 and from this time he retained a longstanding association with the yards (this is now reflected in an adjacent street being named after him). One of his largest contracts as an architect was the redesign and re-erection of the cattle and sheep yards between 1882 and 1886, a consequence of the considerable demands on the yards and the laying out of a branch railway line for the yards (also to his design). With Samuel Valentine (an early cattle inspector of the Ballarat saleyards), Brazenor invented a sheep and merchandise railway wagon that appears to have been specifically designed for the redeveloped sale yards as well as for sheep and merchandise transportation throughout Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. The sale yards also have associations with a range of 19th and 20th century stock and station agents in Ballarat, including Norman McLeod and Co., Hepburn and Leonard, Powers, Rutherford and Co., Ettorshank Eaglestone and Co., and Dugald Smith and Co. Another longstanding stock and station agency was that of Crawford Dowling Pty Ltd.

The Central Victorian Livestock Exchange (sale yards), 1020 Latrobe Street, Delacombe, is socially significant (Criterion G) as they are valued as a centre for agricultural business between farmers, stock agents and others associated with the livestock industry, a practice that has continued on this site for almost 150 years.

The Administration Building at the Central Victorian Livestock Exchange, 1020 Latrobe Street, Delacombe, is architecturally significant (Criteria D & E) as a substantially intact example of Federation design associated with sale yards operations. The building is also one of the earliest, substantially built and more intact examples of sale yards Administration buildings in Victoria. Other comparable examples include the Federation era brick buildings at the former Newmarket sale yards at Flemington, and the Federation era Market Office building at the Geelong sale yards constructed of corrugated sheet metal (this building has very recently been substantially damaged by fire and it is beyond repair).