Eight young local boys aged between nine and 16 from The Bidgee School this week attended the Livestock Marketing Centre (LMC) for a tour of the facility as part of a site visit with Boys to the Bush.
LMC, located at Bomen, is a Wagga Wagga City Council facility and is the premier livestock market in Australia, with around 2 million head of livestock passing through the centre each year.
The Bidgee School provides specialist intervention for students impacted by trauma, abuse, neglect, family violence, autism, and mental health conditions, ensuring that every student can learn in a way that suits their unique needs.
Boys to the Bush is a not-for-profit organisation, with a branch here in Wagga Wagga, that focuses on giving young boys the opportunity to have hands-on learning experiences outside of the classroom.
LMC Assistant Manager Michelle McDonnell said it was great to show the boys around the centre.
"Boys to the Bush is a great initiative and we were happy to show the group around LMC and give them in insight to how livestock sales work," Ms McDonnell said.
"They got to see the sheep pens, bull sales ring, cattle pens and we watched some cattle be loaded into a truck.
"The boys were engaged, asking lots of questions and showed genuine interest in the operations here at the centre."
Boys to the Bush Program Manager Jack McCaig said site visits like this ensure the boys get the chance to see what opportunities are available to them in the future.
"Boys to the Bush focuses on getting boys out into the community through hands-on activities and industry visits," Mr McCaig said.
"We aim to build confidence, improve engagement, expose the boys to different career pathways and help them develop a stronger connection to their local community.
"Our visit to LMC gave the boys an insight into the livestock industry, how the saleyards operate and the important role it plays in the Riverina.
"Prior to today, many of the boys didn't even know an operation like this existed in Wagga, so it was a valuable opportunity to expose them to an important local industry and the wide range of careers involved."
