Jobs boom on track
WARWICK’S Watco depot is expected to generate about 30 jobs and an industry-wide boost through a major new cattle transport contract from the state government.
Watco East West has been announced as the operator of Queensland’s Central West and South West rail lines from 2022 to 2028, bringing cattle from far-reaching areas of the state to feedlots and abattoirs on the east coast.
The transport giant will take over the agreements from January 1 next year. Watco East West director Chris Hood said the move would bring an average of 30 jobs to the Warwick base, with the main demand for maintenance workers to help overhaul 12 locomotives with a total of 180 wagons.
He said about 1000 cattle would be transported to feedlots in the Ipswich and Beenleigh areas in each trip, and Warwick would often be used as a refuelling stop for trains coming from the west.
“We’re employing locals, and outsiders are moving to
Warwick to do this stuff,” Mr Hood said. “It’s basically ensured it’s gone from an empty old shed that hasn’t been used in 30 years to a transport hub.”
Agriculture Minister Mark Furner made the trip to Warwick to announce the contract that he hoped would reinvigorate the state’s cattle and wider agricultural industries while taking pressure off the road network.
“We all know that Queensland is the beef capital of the nation employing more than 10,000 jobs, and making sure our largest herd in the nation is provided with those efficiencies in getting cattle to and from those properties into the market,” Mr Furner said.
He could not confirm how much money the contracts would be worth.
Southern Downs Mayor Vic Pennisi said the six-year contract was a win for the region’s economy and job market.
“There’s 4000 businesses on the Southern Downs. If we can get them to hire one more person each, that’s 4000 new jobs for our region,” he said.
Watco first announced plans for its Warwick base in 2018.
Mr Pennisi had previously pushed for the stop to be included in the controversial $10bn Inland Rail project.