It is the latest in a case of history repeating itself at the border abattoir. The Wallangarra meatworks has been forced to close its doors during the winter months a number of times in the past, the most recent occasion being almost a year ago to the day on June 20, 2008.

There is hope that plans to extend the operations at the abattoir to include a new beef floor will expand employment at the site and possibly help keep it functioning all year round.

Machinery and equipment for the new floor has already begun to arrive from Lobethal in South Australia and is currently being stored in Tenterfield.

Graham Jackson, Director of Country Fresh Australia, said there were plans to establish a new beef floor at the abattoir in addition to the sheep floor already at the site but that they were still only plans at this stage and would not happen in the immediate future.

“There are plans for an extension, but it is still on the drawing board for the future. It’s not going to happen overnight,” Mr Jackson said.

In the meantime, around 200 workers are being directly affected by Friday’s closure of the Meatworks.

Mr Jackson said some of the workers would continue working at the abattoir in different positions while the floor shuts down and others would take holiday leave over the period. He said Country Fresh would help employees that had neither of those options available to them in finding government assistance for the duration of the closure.