As the Roma Saleyards gallop towards its 50th anniversary, the Palaszczuk Government has injected more than $1.3 million into upgrades that will support almost 20 jobs and be a major boost for the community.
In Roma for the Local Government Association of Queensland's Bush Council Convention, Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the upgraded saleyards, which included new selling pens, meant more cattle could be accommodated thanks to the 2017-19 Local Government Grants and Subsidies Program.
"This is the largest saleyards in the southern hemisphere and is an incredibly important economic focal point for the Maranoa Region, including as a tourism destination," Mr Hinchliffe said.
"The new pens and drafts on the eastern side and additional works on the western side will ensure that the holding capacity is increased, and cattle flow improved.
"There will be an overall reduction in cattle movements and weighing times, which also means there will be less stress on the stock, which is a very good thing for all.
"I applaud the Maranoa Regional Council for seeing the job done because this is a terrific result for the people of the region, including supporting 17 jobs."
Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Minister Mark Furner said the investment in the Roma Saleyards was a strategic commitment to the industry.
"The cattle industry is growing jobs in Queensland according to the most recent ABS figures," Mr Furner said.
"This kind of infrastructure will make sure the industry has capacity to expand and grow the regional jobs we need today and into the future."
Maranoa Regional Mayor Tyson Golder thanked the Queensland Government for its contribution to the project.
"These improvements through Stage 1 are vitally important for productivity improvements to ensure the saleyards continue to grow and remain a state-of-the-art facility for buyers and sellers," he said.
"The new pens will increase efficiency by reducing unloading/loading times by moving cattle through the facility much quicker which will also reduce the overall time cattle spend in the Saleyards facility.
"It's a wonderful example of what can be achieved when our two levels of government work together for the community.
"The improvements also mean the Saleyards' 50th anniversary celebrations later in the year will be all that more special."
The LGGSP is designed to support councils to meet the needs of their community by providing funding for the delivery of priority capital infrastructure projects.
