• A Victorian piggery accused of bestiality has applied for council approval to expand. 
• Animal activists have rallied to fight the proposal, citing animal welfare, environmental and public health risks.

Notorious Victorian piggery Midland Bacon is seeking approval from the Campaspe Shire Council to expand their piggery, with the goal of building three new sheds on their Carag Carag property.

This move has animal activists outraged, leading to a storm of objections lead by advocacy group Farm Transparency Project, who have released footage taken at the facility in 2022 and 2024.

Midland Bacon featured in national headlines in 2024, after footage captured during a covert investigation by members of Farm Transparency Project inadvertently captured the piggery manager's own son, Bradley O'Reilly, appearing to rape a female sow, while she was confined to a farrowing crate. This footage was played during the 2024 Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into pig welfare and was featured in a story on ABC's 7.30 the night before. 

Bradley O'Reilly is currently still facing charges from the act, with his next court appearance scheduled for February 5th, 2026.

Executive Director of Farm Transparency Project, Chris Delforce, says that allowing the piggery to expand would be a betrayal and a failure on behalf of the Campaspe Shire. 

"The planning application that has been submitted by Midland Bacon would allow them to become an even larger piggery, breeding and growing pigs from birth until they are sent to the slaughterhouse at 6 months of age. Given this pig farm's history, to allow them to not only remain operating, but to be responsible for the lives of more pigs, is unthinkable. I think the Council needs to sit down and think for a minute about whether encouraging animal cruelty, bestiality and the increasing intensification of animal farming is something they want to be part of."

Farm Transparency Project has launched an online campaign to challenge the planning application, saying that "Midland Bacon has a proven track record of cruelty and abuse to the pigs that they profit from. Additionally, allowing the piggery to expand threatens the habitats of animals and plants who live in the Mansfield Swamp Wildlife Reserve, which borders the piggery. The expansion of an intensive piggery directly opposes Campaspe Shire Council's own environment strategy, which sets goals to conserve and protect water sources and native species."