Racing Queensland has announced an expanded 2016 winter racing carnival.

The carnival will officially start on April 16 with the Toowoomba Weetwood Handicap meeting and finish on July 2 with the Sunshine Coast Cup.

The carnival will feature a return to racing at Eagle Farm after it was closed in August last year for a redevelopment.

RQ Operations manager Ross Gove said Eagle Farm had to be returned to the winter carnival because it had an enormous impact on wagering and crowd attendance.

"It is simply essential that we run our best races at our flagship venue during the carnival," he said.