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Category: Beef Cattle / Livestock / Regional / Community and Society / Regional Development / Local Government / Government and Politics / Rural / Drought

First cattle train in 23 years arrives in Oakey

Wednesday, 30 Nov 2016 14:23:20 | Lydia Burton

A bullock from Haughton Vale station is unloaded from truck to train. (ABC Rural: Lydia Burton)

A cattle train pulled into an Oakey abattoir today for the first time in 23 years, signalling the start a boom for Queensland's livestock industry.

Oakey Beef Exports secured a deal with the State Government earlier this year to upgrade the underutilised rail track between Quilpie and its meatworks, west of Brisbane.

Almost 1,000 cows and bullocks arrived on Wednesday, destined for Asian markets.

The company will forge ahead with an expansion now it can source more cattle from western Queensland.

It is estimated production will double and hundreds of jobs will be created.

Oakey Beef Exports boss Pat Gleeson said its Japanese parent company would fund the $60-million expansion.

Quilpie based livestock agent Sam Bartlett organised more than one-third of the cattle for the train.

Previously, the train would only go to two other abattoirs in south-east Queensland.

A bullock is unloaded from a truck Photo: A bullock from Haughton Vale station is unloaded from truck to train. (ABC Rural: Lydia Burton)

Mr Bartlett said the new venture to Oakey would give producers more options, furthermore they would be able to access a State-Government-funded rail subsidy.

"To have Oakey in the mix now adds a whole new dimension," Mr Bartlett said.

"It is another competitor that want to buy the cattle ... that will usually end up with a higher return for the vendor [producer] in the end."

One of the features of the train is that it allows multiple producers' livestock on board.

In the past, only one producer was allowed, making it extremely difficult and expensive for producers to use the rail.

Wednesday's train carried five producers' cattle.

"We have the likes of the local Quilpie district pastoralists, to the big companies on the train which is great to see," Mr Bartlett said.

"Everyone has an equal opportunity, and this will happen with other meatworks in the future as well."

Rail line four years in the making

External Link: Cattle leaded onto train at Quilpe

Over the past four years the Quilpie Shire and local stakeholders lobbied for changes to the rail contract, to allow multiple vendors and processors access to the tracks.

Mayor Stuart McKenzie said cattle numbers had dwindled amid the drought, but was confident the local market would increase from here.

He said rail had always been a foundation to Quilpie, as the town was built around the tracks.

"It is a part of our culture but it is a critical part of our future," he said.

"We had a rail line that was continuing to be maintained all these years with no service on it and now we are getting back to how it should be."

A loaded carriage on the Oakey cattle train Photo: A loaded carriage on the cattle train ahead of its departure from Oakey. (ABC Rural: Lydia Burton)

Owner of the Quilpie Livestock Centre, where cattle are unloaded off trucks from properties and then reloaded on the train, said she would like to see the rail service grow.

Carolyn Burnes said rail was vital to the future of the facility and the beef industry in south-west Queensland.

This year 10,000 cattle had been loaded onto trains from Quilpe.

Historically, that number came in at 110,000.

"The country hasn't changed, it is still cattle country," Ms Burnes said.

"There is still going to be cattle that could be going on the train, so I see plenty of room for growth."

Quilpie Mayor Stuart McKenzie (L) and livestock buyer Bill Burton in front of the cattle train. Photo: Quilpie Mayor Stuart McKenzie (L) and livestock buyer Bill Burton. (ABC Rural: Lydia Burton)

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