A significant chapter in Queensland's road-building history is set to close with the auction of original machinery from one of the state's most successful privately owned contracting businesses.
Dalby-based business Queensland Road Builders was one of the dominant forces in regional road construction throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.
The company was founded by brothers Douglas and Glen McDonald, who moved to Queensland in 1942 seeking contract work from the American military during World War II.
The brothers played a pivotal role in shaping the road networks of regional Queensland. Their company was involved in the construction of several key highways, including early sections of Wacol Road, parts of the Dawson Highway, Leichhardt Highway, and Warrego Highway, as well as numerous other civil works projects.
The company was founded by brothers Douglas and Glen McDonald, who moved to Queensland in 1942. Pic: Supplied
Selling agent Andrew Fitzsimmons from Fitzsimmons Real Estate described Queensland Road Builders as one of the biggest privately owned regional contracting teams of its time.
"Dalby business Queensland Road Builders were one of the main privately owned companies in the road building industry in the 1960s, 70s and 80s in regional Queensland," Mr Fitzsimmons said.
Their work was widely recognised, with a Dalby Herald article in 1968 detailing their involvement in the original sealing of the Moonie Highway at Kumbarilla in 1950, as well as the final sealing of the Dalby-St George road in 1968.
Queensland Road Builders captured in the Dalby Herald on December 24, 1968. Pic: Supplied
Tragedy struck in 1952, when Douglas McDonald passed away while grading the Western Bore Road for the Dalby Town Council.
Following his passing, Glen took full control of the company, steering it through decades of expansion and innovation until his own passing in the mid-1980s.
The business then continued under the management of young Dougie McDonald, supported by his sisters Joyce and Jean.
Many of the auction items were purchased new by the Queensland Road Builders. Pic: Supplied
As the company grew, so did its fleet and capabilities. Early International tippers were eventually replaced by Mack prime movers, and the company was among the first in Queensland to utilise side tippers built by O’Phee Trailers in Pittsworth.
"Later on, Queensland Road Builders took on contracts as far away as Alice Springs and Burketown," Mr Fitzsimmons said.
The company also secured a long-term contract at Beef City Feedlot, where work continued even after Dougie McDonald's passing in 2015.
JBS Australia's Beef City—a 25,000-head feedlot near Toowoomba—has remained an industry powerhouse, weathering the challenges of beef slumps, grain shortages, and economic downturns while delivering more than 1.3 million tonnes of grain-fed beef since its establishment in 1974.
The company was among the first in Queensland to utilise side tippers built by O’Phee Trailers in Pittsworth. Pic: Supplied
Now, a decade after its last operation, the original fleet of machinery from Queensland Road Builders will be auctioned for the first time since the McDonald brothers originally acquired it.
The Queensland Road Builders Dalby Clearing Sale marks the complete dispersal of the company's assets after 75 years of operation.
The auction will feature a range of trucks, earthmoving, and road-building equipment, including a prized Mack Superliner, Caterpillar and Komatsu dozers.
The auction will commence on Sunday, March 16. View the full catalogue here.