ABC News: Rachel McGhee
)Winifred Gurd and Stan Cahill have spent nearly every second Monday morning at the Beaudesert pig and calf saleyard on Queensland's Scenic Rim for more than 40 years.
But the fortnightly sale will no longer be written in the diary, as today saw the end of the century-old event.
Hundreds gathered at the saleyard in the centre of town for the final event, which has served as more than a sale but a place for social connection in the rural community since the early 1900s.
ABC News: Rachel McGhee
)"I've hardly missed a Monday … I'm very sad to see them go," Mr Cahill said.
"There will be nowhere to come meet your friends or anything now."
Ms Gurd said it was "terrible for the people".
ABC News: Rachel McGhee
)The end of the sale is the result of a battle between those who attend the sale and the Scenic Rim Regional Council, which wanted to demolish the site for a car park as the space was included in the council's town redevelopment plans.
Locals fought to save the site and as a last-resort bid successfully petitioned for it to be added to the Queensland Heritage Register.
The heritage listing was a win of sorts for those who wanted to see the historic event honoured, but the council had now ended the operator's lease on the basis the saleyard was unsafe for use.
"Council was made aware of some concerns at the site," a council spokesperson said in a statement.
"It subsequently commissioned an independent engineering report to provide information to allow council to make an informed decision on any potential future use and leasing of the site.
"Findings from the preliminary engineering report … highlighted concerns with compliance issues.
"The scope of the engineering report has been expanded and updated to include an analysis of the implications of the saleyards inclusion in the Queensland Heritage Register."
ABC News: Rachel McGhee
)'Very disappointing'
Many locals said they were devastated to see the end of more than 100 years of history despite their efforts to save the saleyard.
"It's very disappointing," saleyard manager Peter Hayes said.
"When the heritage listing was put on people were very happy and joyful that they'd saved the yards.
ABC News: Rachel McGhee
)Kat Finlay said many felt the council was not listening to what the community wanted and was forgetting the region's rural roots.
"You take this away and what else do we have that represents that? That's the backbone of what Beaudesert was built on," Ms Finlay said.
"That's what represents us and we need that heritage."
ABC News: Rachel McGhee
)Council also fights heritage listing
The Scenic Rim Regional Council was also appealing the saleyard's heritage listing in the Queensland Planning and Environment Court.
"On Friday 5 March 2021, Scenic Rim Regional Council lodged an appeal of the Heritage Council's decision to enter the Beaudesert Pig and Calf Saleyards into the Heritage Register as a State Heritage Place with the Planning and Environment Court," a spokesperson said in a statement.
"The public can keep up to date with the progress of the appeal by viewing the relevant documents on the court website or by attending court when the appeal is being mentioned."
The council said it was still investigating the implications of the heritage listing and discussions about a heritage display would take place with the community as soon as legally possible.
ABC News: Rachel McGhee
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