Rockhampton railyards rejuvenation

The Queensland Government has purchased the historic Rockhampton railyards. Planning for rejuvenation of the railyards has commenced, and remediation activities are now underway.

The Rockhampton railyards have been an important part of the Rockhampton community for more than 100 years.

Detailed planning is now underway to transform the old railyards into a commercial hub with community and recreational spaces.

The site totals 19 hectares and is made up of 2 precincts:

Site map of the Rockhampton Railyards on the corner of Bolsover and South streets. The map is showing two precincts – the larger precinct is shown as the Industrial Precinct and the smaller precinct which includes the Roundhouse is shown as the Heritage Precinct.

Site map of the Rockhampton Railyards on the corner of Bolsover and South streets.
The map is showing 2 precincts – the larger precinct is shown as the Industrial Precinct and the smaller precinct which includes the Roundhouse is shown as the Heritage Precinct.

Benefits

  • Contributes to economy
  • Contributes to regional growth
  • Restores damaged infrastructure

Key features

The rejuvenation of the railyards will:

  • support Queensland's rollingstock supply chain capabilities and commercial growth in the manufacturing and maintenance industries
  • provide a commercial hub for long-term tenancy opportunities
  • establish a research centre into hydrogen-powered rollingstock
  • invite community use and recreational activities
  • celebrate the rich rail history and heritage value of the roundhouse.

Heritage Precinct

We are fast-tracking planning activities to create safe and accessible community space within the Heritage Precinct.

As part of this process, a Heritage Precinct Draft Master Plan has been developed. The Draft Master Plan outlines proposed community and light commercial use, and opportunities to celebrate and preserve the rich rail history of the site, including the Roundhouse.

The Draft Master Plan will be progressed in accordance with a Conservation Management Plan. The Conservation Management Plan provides the framework for managing any works on the heritage listed buildings or structures within the precinct.

Key stakeholder and community consultation on the Draft Master Plan closed on 23 February 2024.  Further information will be provided to the community regarding consultation outcomes and the finalisation of the Master Plan in the months ahead.

Industrial Precinct

The Industrial Precinct will focus on commercial use and will provide supply chain opportunities for a broad range of industries including rail, manufacturing and maintenance. The site will also offer a hub for research into hydrogen-powered rollingstock—partnering with local education and rail industry stakeholders.

New tenants within the Industrial Precinct are being introduced through a staged approach. Technical specialists have been engaged to undertake comprehensive assessments of the sheds and grounds, with a range remediation works underway to bring the site back to life.

A site manager has also been engaged to manage the railyards and its tenants.

Remediation works

Remediation works at the site are ongoing. These include:

  • clearing of debris
  • removal of broken-down demountable buildings and other structures (no historical significance)
  • re-establishing:
    • pedestrian/road access points
    • existing gate infrastructure
    • traffic management treatments (e.g. line marking and dedicated parking areas)
  • installation of building security and fire systems.

Nearby residences and businesses may experience noise and increased traffic (including heavy vehicles) during business hours.

We are committed to working with our contractors to minimise any potential impacts, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.

First tenants announced

We have secured 3 new tenants for the site:

  • CQ Fibreglass Direct: a leading fibreglass manufacturer in Queensland, supplying industries including mining, construction and the marine sector.
  • Queensland Rail: delivering research into hydrogen-powered locomotives. The research will be led by the Central Queensland University Centre for Railway Engineering.
  • Occupational Skills Centre Australia: a local accredited training provider delivering service qualifications across industries including rail, construction, resources infrastructure and first aid. They will be located in the historic Roundhouse.

Further tenancies will be progressed through a staged approach. We will provide updates as more lease agreements are finalised.

Expression of interest process

Following the purchase of the Rockhampton railyards, an expression of interest was launched at an industry briefing to shortlist potential future tenants. The process ran from 20 July to 12 August 2022, with 17 proposals received.

All proposals have been evaluated, and further commercial negotiations are ongoing with other potential tenants for both precincts.

Key stakeholders and the community will be kept informed as the tenancies and railyard plans progress. 

For enquiries relating to leasing or tenancy opportunities, contact the project team.