Premium Content Subscriber only The Rockhampton Railyards have been sitting vacant since June 2018 after Aurizon closed the facility, leaving 181 people out of work - but plans are mounting for the site to reopen. The 31ha site was on the agenda of the council meeting last week and was approved for variations to the planning scheme, which will pave the way for future development. The variations allow for a "mix of uses which will make a valuable addition to the employment and community fabric of the region". The site is now approved to have a range of uses in the precinct.