Southern Meats Pty Ltd

30/06/25

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN IN THE GOULBURN COMMUNITY – ODOUR EVENT – 27/06/25

This advisory is a post relating to an odour emission incident from the Southern Meats abattoir premises on 27/06/2025.

This post relates to the Southern Meats abattoir rendering activity and does not relate to the past wastewater issues of April/May 2025.

This letter is in response to emails submitted to Southern Meats on 27 June 2025.

We appreciate affected residents of the Run-O-Waters community contacting us in respect of the odour experienced on the evening of 27 June 2025 thereby giving us the opportunity to respond, inform and look at our plant to do a better job. We apologise for the impact the odour had on your family and friends. 

We understand that the cold, very settled conditions on Friday night were preceded by ESE air movement which likely carried air from our premises towards the Run-O-Waters estate at low wind speeds. The other factor to note is that during the month of June the afternoon air flows have largely been from the west and northwest or variants on those directions. (In the afternoon westerlies were recorded in 26 out of 29 days.)

Our investigation has determined that the rendering facility condenser cooling fans were not operating on the Friday evening of the event. This resulted in degradation of the air from the rendering condensers, which is normally effectively scrubbed to acceptable odour levels in the biofilter.  This odorous air was pushed out into the night. 

Control systems have been changed to address the cause of this systems failure to prevent a recurrence. In addition, by early 2026 we anticipate having a new, state-of-the-art, rendering plant and biofilter up and running. 

At the same time all measurements from the CAL wastewater monitoring program indicate that odour emissions from the wastewater source are under control. 

We recognize and appreciated the forbearance of our community over the period of past odour event/s and encourage anyone affected by future odour, suspected of coming from our plant, to lodge a complaint on our website portal to assist us in doing a better job.

Yours sincerely,

Craig Newton

General Manager

Southern Meats

Clean-up Action Southern Meats

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Southern Meats Pty Ltd have strategically located their hi-tech abattoir in Goulburn, NSW, the heart of Australia's finest sheep country.  The region has a heritage steeped in the growth of Australia's famous golden fleece days. In the late 1860's, it was a bustling township serving as a commercial centre for a prosperous wool growing district. Goulburn is today just two hour's drive from Sydney's air and seaports.  It remains an important rural cross-roads providing Southern Meats with prime export product from the surrounding sheep growing areas. Its proximity to Sydney ensures the company's Fine Brand range of processed lamb, sheep and offal are easily accessible to worldwide markets.

The Southern Meats Company has joined with another Australian owned sheepmeat processor, the Western Australian Meat Marketing Co-operative Limited (WAMMCO).  Both companies share enviable reputations and brands in domestic and export markets.  By working together closely, the two companies can supply high volumes of premium quality product throughout the year.

Packed under the well-known Fine Brand label, Southern Meats' discerning customers are assured that our product is of the highest quality. Not only is the meat grown in the clean, healthy environment of Australia's beautiful Southern Highlands region but it is processed in a state-of-the-art operation that meets with the stringent standards of the E.C. and USDA. The plant processes sheep and lambs utilising the latest hi-tech automated equipment-slaughtering, boning, chilling, freezing and rendering by-products. All stock are slaughtered to Halal practices with strict hygiene and quality control applying to all aspects of the production line.

Southern Meats prides itself on the plant's flexibility to provide you with a wide range of primal cuts and retail ready packs. Meat is packed, wrapped and labelled to your requirements.  We export to customers in the Middle East, South-East Asia, Korea, Japan, UK, Europe, Canada, USA, Africa, Mauritius and the Pacific Basin with a full range of chilled and frozen bone in and boneless mutton and lamb cuts, as well as assorted offals.

As one of Australia's leading sheep meat exporters, Southern Meats dedication to quality in all aspects of production assures you buy only Australia's best when you buy Fine Brand sheep and lamb meats.