One of the lamb industry’s most highly regarded buyers, Noel Rutley, has retired, aged 70, to end a distinguished 54-year career.
Mr Rutley began as apprentice buyer, aged 16, with RJ Gilbertson where he worked for 27 years, learning on the job “the right way, and very quickly” buying lambs and mutton at Newmarket.
Following the closure of Gilbertson, Mr Rutley spent five years with Gathercole Meat Company before serving 19 years with Coles Supermarkets where he travelled widely throughout the southern states.
For the past two years he has assisted Australian Meat Group bring its Deniliquin plant to life but what he says he will miss the most is the friends - producers, buyers, agents and drover/truckies– he has met along the way.