History behind Pakenham saleyards' big clock and what VLE plans to do with it now

In the wake of Pakenham saleyards' closure, the Victorian Livestock Exchange has revealed what it plans to do with the iconic four-face clock that was installed at the time of the facility's inception in 1999.

"We're going to reinstall it at Leongatha," VLE director and founding chair Graham Osborne said.

"It was brand new when it was put there at Pakenham so it's effectively operated for 26-and-a-half years."

The iconic timepiece was a recreation of similar clocks which hung overhead at other major Victorian saleyards, serving an important purpose long before mobile phones and smart watches were invented.

"All saleyards endeavoured to have a clock in those days," Mr Osborne said.

"In Dandenong, there was a clock on a substantial tower which you could see from right across the yards."

The clock at Dandenong was sourced and paid for by the now defunct Dandenong Stock Agents' Association, and installed by the local council.

After Dandenong saleyards' closure, the VLE sought to secure the "substantial memento" for Pakenham.

"The Pakenham Stock Agents' Association was the reincarnation of the association at Dandenong, so we thought there was a bit of justice in getting the clock," Mr Osborne said.

"The officers at Dandenong council saw otherwise and we couldn't get the clock at all.

"To this day, the clock survives and is in storage."

Mr Osborne said he had never worn a watch on his wrist to a saleyard because it would "end up broken with the nature of work we do".

With no clock for Pakenham and mobile phones yet to take off, a major shareholder of the VLE, Julie Khalid of Clyde, stepped forward and donated the funds to purchase a clock in 1998.

As a result, it was erected in the honour of Mr Khalid's late father, Allan R Williams, Dandenong, who died in 1995.

The clock is powered electronically, with each face able to be remotely controlled from the VLE office.

The cost to purchase the clock was just shy of $10,000.

The William's family's involvement with the Dandenong saleyards spanned three generations.

"Alan's father (Raymond Williams) was the biggest livestock trader in Gippsland and Allan trained as a shop butcher before going to the Second World War," Mr Osborne said.

"He came home, picked up butchering again and his father had a massive heart attack at the age of 52 when Allan was in his 20s.

"Next thing, Allan had the whole farm and trading operation around his ears."

Mr Osborne started working for Mr Williams in 1972 as a drover and "animal doctor".

The working partnership flourished into a long-lasting friendship.

"The first year I was with him, the next 12 months we traded 5000 cows and we've never looked back," Mr Osborne said.

It was Mr Williams who encouraged Mr Osborne to invest in an undercover, soft-floor saleyard if he was "ever in the position to do something about it".

"I guess the Pakenham yards were almost a legacy to Allan in a way," Mr Osborne said.

A plaque in the foyer of the Pakenham saleyards described Mr Williams as a "true cattleman and thorough gentleman".

Mr Osborne said the Leongatha saleyards were built from 1980 onwards and it was just "by chance" a clock had ever been installed at the South Gippsland site.

Other historic items, including an original timber loading ramp from the Newmarket saleyards, and the Victorian Stock Agents' Association honour board, dating back to 1954, will also be transferred to Leongatha.

"They're a part of history that won't be picked up unless VLE does it, so just how and what we plan to do with it all is yet to be seen," Mr Osborne said.

"I guess you could say we're accidental custodians."