Nearly three years on, Morven freight hub construction underway

According to Murweh Shire Council project manager Ken Timms, all necessary development approvals have been signed and three contracts awarded for construction of the $4.2m regional supply chain project.

At work as of a fortnight ago were Roma-based Suffcon, which is undertaking all earthworks, drainage, effluent ponds, and the pad for the yards; locally-based Comac Equipment Ltd, who are undertaking dust suppression work; and Site Welding and Fabrication of Cabarlah, which is doing the yard-building.

Mr Timms said Suffcon had at least eight staff on site while the small yard-building company, which had done work at Chinchilla and Toowoomba, was aiming to employ a local team for its welding work.

Read more: Morven rail hub gets federal funding

He said the timeframe to have the site work done, water connected and yards built was 10 weeks but 200mm of rain had already brought delays.

"They are concentrating on getting the drainage in to manage overland flow, and then the pad done so the yard builder can start," he said. "That work has already started, offsite."

Other contracts, for the weighbridge, scale house and office, and washdown pad, will have to wait until after the local government caretaker period is over to let out, while Queensland Transport is responsible for the turnout from the Warrego Highway.

Mr Timms said the Murweh shire was still negotiating with Queensland Rail on the necessary loading requirements.

The rail freight hub was an initiative of the SW Regional Economic Development group and is backed by the federal government's Building Better Regions fund.

Funding for the livestock infrastructure project was announced in July 2017.