SCENIC Rim Regional Council says archaeologists are assessing a railway turntable unearthed near the Beaudesert Railway Station during works as part of the Town Centre Revitalisation project.
In a statement released to the media, council said the exact location and condition of the turntable was unknown until project works began.
Division 4 Councillor Michael Enright said council had appointed a cultural heritage team to re-design critical drainage infrastructure for Eaglesfield Street.
"Changes to this component of the overall project will guarantee that the railway turntable remains untouched as works continue to progress, as the turntable is positioned approximately one metre below ground," he said.
"Council is working on a concept design that illustrates the turntable's location within the overall Town Centre Revitalisation once the project has been completed.
"Archaeologists have determined that the railway turntable dates back to between 1880 and 1890, when it was likely used to turn rail locomotives around where there was insufficient space."
Cr Enright said there was evidence that the turntable was covered in more recent years when railway lines were upgraded in 2001 after the Commonwealth government funded a heritage rail service that operated from December 2002 to June 2003.
Beaudesert Historical Society president Mark Plunkett was pleased with the discovery and council's commitment to preserving it in place.
"This is of historical significance to the town," he said.
"Council was excited to have found it and we're excited too.
"It was part of the railway and the railway built this town."
Mr Plunkett said the Historical Society of Beaudesert had been in discussions about how best to preserve the artifact as well as finding some way to acknowledge its existence, given that it was located underground and was too heavy to lift out to put on display.
Another local excited by the news was Rod Andersen, who runs his construction company from the former railway station building.
"Myself and Matthew Creedy searched for the turntable back when I was doing restoration work on the old building," he said.
"That would have been about 10 years ago, we knew it was there and I even had a dig for it. Council let us preserve the two lots of railway tracks but we couldn't find the turntable.
"I must have not dug deep enough."
Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen said the appointment of a special civil contractor and the re-direction of some construction and labour resources meant the revitalisation project could continue.
"Additional resources have been allocated to this important project to reduce delays caused by ongoing weather events that the region has seen in the past six months," he said.
"A large amount of stormwater infrastructure has been installed already, along with bulk excavation and the subgrade preparation for the extension of Selwyn Street and the Town Centre car park which is being constructed.
"Council is working with the project's contractor to manage site conditions to ensure that works can proceed as scheduled despite the continual interruptions of wet weather that the region has experienced."
Council acknowledged there could be some inconvenience to nearby property owners, local residents, visitors and the travelling public during the project.
