Members of Oura Riverine Protection Doug White, Tom Kelsall, Deb Blackwell, John Blackwell, Helen Tullock and Skye Bellamy gathered outside Wagga Wagga City Council last year to oppose the development of the Oura Abattoir. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
More than three years after it was first proposed, the long-running battle over an abattoir at Oura is finally heading to court.
The proposed livestock processing facility near Wagga will face the NSW Land and Environment Court next Tuesday, with a conciliation conference to be held at the site at 2052 Oura Road from 9 am on 8 September.
For opponents, it is the latest chapter in a fight that has seen the development application put on public exhibition five times, hundreds of submissions lodged and Wagga Wagga City Council ultimately give the project the green light.
Oura Riverine Protection (ORP) president Tom Kelsall said the community was now hopeful the court process would provide the independent scrutiny it had been seeking.
“This has been almost four years in the making and the community, and the environment for that matter, is finally hopeful that a proper, independent assessment of this proposal will happen,” Mr Kelsall said.
“The case hasn’t changed: this is an inappropriately located development that puts the wetlands, ecology, river and water supply at unnecessary risk.
“To be clear, we’re not against abattoirs, just this environmentally sensitive location,” he said.
An abattoir is a facility where livestock such as cattle, sheep and pigs are slaughtered and processed into meat.
The Oura proposal, originally lodged by Okeview Pastoral in 2023, would be an on-farm facility processing up to 1903 tonnes of live weight a year – equivalent to as many as 60 cattle, 50 sheep and 20 pigs a week.
The project also includes a wastewater treatment plant, effluent management area, solar array and other infrastructure.
Locals fear the proposed abattoir’s proximity to the river and lagoons could lead to contamination downstream. Photo: Supplied.
Region contacted Okeview for its response to ORP’s latest claims but it said it would not make any public comment while the matter was before the court.
The company had previously argued the facility would support local agriculture by allowing livestock to be processed closer to where they are raised, while creating jobs and producing locally sourced, grass-fed meat.
Okeview has also maintained the development has been subject to extensive environmental assessment, including consultant reports examining groundwater, flooding, bushfire and visual impacts.
But the location has remained the major point of contention.
The proposed site sits on rural land above the Murrumbidgee River floodplain, with opponents raising concerns about its proximity to the river and wetlands and potential impacts from wastewater, groundwater, flooding, odour and dust.
Those concerns have repeatedly surfaced throughout the planning process, which has included five public exhibition periods.
The fifth exhibition followed problems with public access to documents and submissions, adding another layer of frustration to an already lengthy process.
The council approved the development in February 2026, finding the site suitable and determining that potential impacts could be managed through conditions of consent and requirements imposed by the NSW Environment Protection Authority.
ORP subsequently lodged a merits appeal in the Land and Environment Court, which has the power to overturn council decisions.
Its case now focuses on whether the site is suitable for a development of this type.
Among its concerns are the site’s groundwater sensitivity, soil characteristics and major overland flows, as well as potential impacts on threatened aquatic species and ecological communities connected to the Murrumbidgee River and surrounding wetlands.
ORP also argues that aspects of the wastewater treatment design and infrastructure associated with an existing cattle feedlot remain unresolved.
The court conference is not the final hearing. It is intended to bring the parties together to discuss the issues in dispute and see whether they can be resolved.
The conference will be held on-site at 2052 Oura Road from 9 am on Tuesday 8 September. Anyone wishing to speak must register in advance with Tasfia Kabir, Lindsay Taylor Lawyers by email on [email protected]. Members of the public who want to watch proceedings without participating can attend on the day and do not need to register in advance.
