In its first year of operation, 1969, the Roma Saleyards saw 56,251 cattle sold through the yards.
In more recent years, that figure has hovered around 300,000 to 400,000 annually, making Roma the largest cattle selling centre in the southern hemisphere.
As a direct employer of nearly 30 full-time staff and dozens more indirectly, the saleyards is a major economic driver in the Maranoa region.
It turns over in excess of $300,000 million annually, injecting vital funds into the beef sector and as well as local businesses and drawing tourists and dignitaries from all over the world.
Over the past five decades, infrastructure has been continually upgraded to ensure Roma remains a leader in the Australian saleyards sector.
The most recent project completed was the Saleyards Improvement Plan Stage 1 to improve the efficiency and productivity of processing cattle through the facility and the construction of a 24/7 United truckstop.
Now, as the Roma Saleyards prepares to celebrate its 50th birthday, a new era is on the horizon with the construction of a multi-purpose facility nearing completion.
In the Queensland Country Life special anniversary publication we've taken a look back through the past 50 years at the moments that have helped shape the Roma Saleyards and looked ahead to ask what the future might hold for what is an icon of the Australian beef industry.