Summary

Digital photograph of Bruce Logan, auctioneer for T. Shaw Logan Pty Ltd. 3rd generation at Newmarket.
One of 360 photographs taken in the last years of the Newmarket Saleyards, culminating with the last auction held in 1987. These photographs were taken by a number of Newmarket employees and were compiled into eight albums held at the Queen Victoria Market archives. Vince Crupi, who was employed by the City of Melbourne, compiled the albums into eight volumes. He also took some of the photographs contained in the albums. The eighth album has not been found. This image is from Newmarket Album 6.

The collection documents the nature of working life, physical environment, operations and built structure of the Saleyards. The photographs provide an important visual record of the following areas: aerial views of the saleyards; night operations; construction and design of the stock yards, laneways and bluestone paving; proximity to housing and Melbourne's CBD; livestock auctions; maintenance; peppercorn trees; stock dogs; buildings on site; workers; sheep and cattle and the logistics of moving stock across the site.

The Newmarket Saleyards were first established in 1861. By the 1930s, the Newmarket Saleyards had become the premier livestock market in Australia and were recognised as a barometer for the livestock industry in Australia, with millions of sheep, cattle, horses and other livestock passing through its red gum gates and along its bluestone laneways each year. Spread over 24 acres, the Saleyards incorporated 1196 sheep pens, 232 bullock pens, 300 calf pens, drafting races, holding yards, lane outlets, transport loading and unloading ramps, and a scale weighing area. The Saleyards were often described as a 'town within a town' - the site included a post and telegraph office, police station, Stock & Land newspaper office, engineering maintenance workshop, carpenters' workshops, cricket club, dog club, Melbourne City Council offices, Stock Agents' offices, and radio broadcast programme.

The Newmarket Saleyards were located in inner city Melbourne and significantly shaped the character and daily realities of its urban neighbours. In 1987 the Newmarket Saleyards were closed, some elements of the saleyards were preserved and reused, but the bulk of the site was redeveloped into a housing estate.

Description of Content

Bruce Logan, an auctioneer for T. Shaw Logan Pty Ltd. He was a third generation employee at the Newmarket Saleyards.

Significance

Statement of Significance
This collection is a rare visual document of the Newmarket Saleyards in the final few years leading up to and including the final stock auctions in 1987. The photographs provide insight into the day to day work, organisation and physical nature of the saleyard site, and its proximity to Melbourne suburbs and CBD. These images also help provide a context for interpreting a number of the artefacts in the Newmarket collection.

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