Roma Saleyards celebrate 50 years

Published Tuesday, 08 October, 2019 at 10:36 AM

JOINT STATEMENT

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries
The Honourable Mark Furner

Minister for Local Government, Minister for Racing and Minister for Multicultural Affairs
The Honourable Stirling Hinchliffe

The Maranoa community is today celebrating 50 years of livestock trading at the Roma Saleyards – the largest in Australia and the southern hemisphere.

More than 400,000 cattle a year pass through the Roma Saleyards, with buyers and sellers attending the facility from all over Queensland and Australia.

Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe and Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner were in Roma to help celebrate the significant milestone.

Minister Hinchliffe said the saleyards were not only an important economic focal point for the Maranoa Region, but a popular regional tourism destination.

“Fifty years is a significant milestone, and the history that comes with that is part of the rich cultural heritage of this region,” he said.

“We want to ensure the saleyards continue to grow and prosper and remain a state-of-the-art facility for buyers and sellers for the next 50 years.

“That’s why we recently announced funding of $1.3 million for stage one of the saleyards’ improvement plan, jointly funded with the Maranoa Regional Council, increasing the holding capacity and overall productivity.

“The 156 new selling pens and two new drafting yards will ensure the largest saleyards in the Southern Hemisphere remain an important economic focal point for the region.

“More importantly, this project created or supported almost 20 jobs – that equates to security for families in the Roma area and encourages young people to come here or stay here to continue to contribute economically to this community.”

Minister Furner said Queensland was an agricultural powerhouse.

“The cattle industry is growing jobs in Queensland according to the most recent ABS figures, and beef exports hit $5.8 billion in the last year,” Mr Furner said.

“That sort of success needs to be backed by infrastructure and this kind of investment will make sure the industry can expand and grow the regional jobs we need today and into the future.”

Minister Furner said all levels of government were also contributing to a new $7.6 million Multi-purpose Facility at the Saleyards, with the Queensland Government committing $3.69 million through the Building Our Regions program.

“By early next year, visitors will be able to enjoy this new facility with canteen and Interpretative Centre, and a new state-of-the-art stud stock selling arena.

“Having a saleyard transformed into a tourist attraction in its own right is surely an iconic measure of the appeal of country Queensland.

“And as the saying goes, if you build it, they will come.

“Tourism is a long-term sustainable industry for regional Queensland and through times of drought can carry these communities through tough times.

“That’s why we’re committed to not only supporting the agricultural industry, investing in infrastructure but also boosting tourism in regional Queensland.

 “I commend Maranoa Mayor Tyson Golder and his council for their 21st century vision for the saleyards, which will now draw more buyers and sellers and more tourists to the region.”

The Maranoa Regional Council, which operates the Roma Saleyards, reduced selling fees by 50 per cent today to celebrate the facility’s 50th anniversary.

ENDS

Media contacts: 

Minister Hinchliffe: Bernadette Condren 0413 881 597

Minister Furner:      Ron Goodman 0427 781 920