The facility has been in the pipeline since 2008 when councillors addressedthe need to move equestrian events from the current sporting complex to their own facility to make room for more sport and recreation options in the shire.

Cloncurry Equestrian Centre project manager Karen Elphick said the new facility would give all sporting groups sharing the existing sports complex the chance to operate all year.

"All of events have outgrown the sports grounds and (if they move) we'll have a dedicated facility for sports like football and soccer for the whole year," she said.

"Improvements to that facility will help more programs develop in the community and to have a bit of public parkland in town is nice - we can't do that until the equestrian sports are out of there."

Curry Merry Muster Festival president Jeremy Grimm said he was more than happy to move and was over the moon to see the first stages of the project begin.

"It has been a long time coming and now we can physically see something happening at the site which is a positive thing," he said.

"Where we are now is absolutely packed like sardines every year.

"It was built for a few thousand people and now we're getting more than 5000 to events."

Council has set a completion date for June, 2014 - just in time to help the Curry Merry Muster Festival celebrate 60 years.

The facility is also expected to attract other equestrian events outside the annual rodeo and campraft meets, bringing more activity into the shire already famous for it's equestrian talent.

Cloncurry Shire Council CEO David Neeves said council was seeking tenders to construct the arenas and spectator facilities.

"The prices that were submitted to council originally were too expensive and we worked with the rodeo committee and Curry Merry Muster Festival committee and modified the scope," he said.

"Essentially the layout stays the same, we just changed detail in fixtures and fittings.

"Through the support of the committees council thinks its important to get this right."