ADVOCATES for Beaudesert Pig and Calf Saleyards are urging the community to speak up when public consultation reopens on December 16.
It is a saga dating back to 2020 when auctioneers Hayes and Co found out Council would not renew their lease. The site has been vacant since the final sale in March 2021.
Locals vehemently opposed Council plans to remove the historic saleyards as part of the Beaudesert Town Centre Revitalisation project.
The saleyards were heritage listed in January 2021, through efforts led by lawyer Cliff Kroesen and grazier Sue Harrison, then the heritage listing was scrapped in October 2022, after Council appealed it in the Planning and Environment Court.
In November 2023 Council sought community feedback on a concept design to turn the saleyards into a rest and BBQ area, but there were only 24 responses.
Mayor Tom Sharp, who has been part of the community-led campaign to save the saleyards since before he was elected this year, pushed for Council to reopen consultation and engage better with the community.
As part of the current consultation, Council engaged independent community engagement specialist Capire Consulting Group to do ‘targeted stakeholder interviews’ to shape ‘wider and more inclusive’ community engagement to consider all ideas for the site.
Council said representatives from local industry, the Queensland Government, community groups and organisations had been included in the targeted interviews, which started on November 4 and were planned to finish by December 13.
At time of print, Mr Kroesen and Mrs Harrison – two of the most vocal advocates and arguably key stakeholders – were yet to receive a call from the consultants.
Auctioneer Peter Hayes told the Bulletin he received a call from the consultants, who interviewed him as a stakeholder. He said while he was still open to leasing the site to run the pig and calf sales again, he was not holding his breath.
Mr Kroesen and Mrs Harrison said they hoped Council would listen to the community this time and urged locals to complete the survey.
“Given Mayor Sharp has always been supportive of the rural character of the town and the saleyards as an operation I would hope it would be different this time,” Mr Kroesen said.
“I think Tom wants to involve people and it’s not just a matter of ‘we’re Council so everything we say goes’,” Mrs Harrison said.
Consultation will run from December 16, 2024, to February 14, 2025, via an online survey at letstalkscenicrim.qld.gov.au which people will also be able to download and send to Council by email, post or in person. Hard copy feedback forms will also be available.
