The Queensland directorate of the Allied Works Council received a requisition for the provision of buildings and services for a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) explosives reserve at Talmoi wool scour west of Richmond in late September 1942. The work was to be supervised by the Main Roads Commission (MRC). At the time, Talmoi wool scour was owned by the firm of Edkins Marsh and Company of Ilfracombe, who owned a number of sheep properties and a string of wool scours throughout central-west Queensland.

The wool scour was located on Molesworth station near Maxwelton, west of Richmond on the Townsville-Mount Isa railway. The area was considered suitable for chemical weapons storage as it provided storage sheds and living facilities with running bore water, on a rail siding a safe distance from the coast and other settlement. The facility was initially designated as RAAF No.4 Central Explosives Reserve, Talmoi.

The work was given top priority with the design and supervision of buildings and services referred to the Department of Works engineers in Townsville. MRC roadworks and earthworks had commenced at the site by December 1942, but it was not until March 1943 that a contract for the erection of 24 buildings and repairs to an existing 11 buildings was awarded to J Hutchison and Sons who were then carrying out work at Cape River meat works, on the Townsville railway.

Today, nine widely-spaced reinforced concrete igloo-shaped explosives stores remain, with several floor slabs of other buildings removed, including a laboratory. The wartime chemical weapons stores now hold cattle fodder. The military camp area, centred around the wool scour site, now comprises concrete floor slabs of the kitchen, mess and ablution blocks and footings of the airmens’ quarters.