Cloncurry saleyards receive $2.4 million facelift

Progress commenced in November with the foundations of a shed covering the dip and safety panels.

As stage one nears completion, saleyards manager Dustin Keys looks ahead to stage two.

“This includes replacing the rails and posts for the pens,” Mr Keys said.

“This facility is anywhere between 50 to 60 years old and nothing has been done since day dot.

“It is an old yard, the rails are badly rusted and it could result in someone putting their foot on one and going straight through, so most of it needs to be pulled out and replaced.”

Used as the main clearing and export facility in north west Queensland, over 260,000 head moved through the yards last year.

Mr Keys said the yard was a great centre used by many in the region.

“I have see a lot of weaners come through for cattle tick clearance to be transported south of the tick line. And we have a lot of feedlotters come through, weigh there cattle and move south from here also,” he said.

“Export is a large portion of cattle that come here but also meatworks cattle get weighed and sold here,” he said.

“Agents get their six or 12 decks at a time and process them here instead of taking them to a prime sale.

“There use to be the odd store sale or fat sale here when the seasons were good, and we are expecting to host a bull sale here at the end of the year.”

The saleyard improvements are expected to be completed before the bull sale in September/ October.​