VIDEO: Cane cages scrapped in latest mill closure move

Mossman Mill

Bryan Littlely

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Demolition works are continuing at Mossman Mill. Picture: Bryan Littlely

The next phase of the dismantling of the Mossman Mill operations has been well underway over the past fortnight as dozens of cane cages and railstock are scrapped.

With the work has come a flow of rumours about the future of the site, who might take over and just what it might be used for in the future, as all indicators point to this year’s harvest being the last for the shire.

Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation is one mooted new tenant for the sugar mill when it is stripped of assets.

Member for Cook David Kempton said the mill and all infrastructure will be listed for sale in the near future, giving no support to the rumours.

"Much of the equipment at Mossman Mill has been sold off by the liquidator, including the locomotives,'' he said.

Mr Kempton is working with the Minister for Primary Production, Tony Perrett, to create a specialist group to assist the growers and the community assess and implement alternate crops an industries beneficial to the future of the town and region.

It was stated as part of last week's Advance Cairns event that many of the mill workers had taken work at the Mt Carbine mine site.

In December, Mossman Mill said goodbye to its much-loved locomotives, trucked to South Johnstone by their new owner MSF Sugar.

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Veteran canegrower Peter Verri said he imagined this would be his last harvest.

 “I’m third generation growing sugar cane here. I never thought I’d see this.”

Mr Verri said about half of his sugar cane crop was still in the ground - what the industry calls “standover” cane - which may, or may not, eventually make it to the mill depending on a range of economic and logistical factors.

After Mossman Mill was suddenly placed into voluntary administration two days before the AGM in late 2023, farmers had to quickly find a way to truck their harvests out of the area for milling, meaning some growers wound up having up to 85 per cent of the most recent crop harvested, while others had as little as 40 per cent.

“This is the first time I’ve seen the quantity of standover that we’re seeing for this district,” the 76-year-old said.

“For the Douglas Shire, and for our generation, I thought I’d never see this mill shut.”

Mr Verri’s sobering analysis came as a report by industry group Queensland Cane Agriculture and Renewables estimating that more than 1.27 million tonnes of cane remains unharvested across Australia’s sugarcane regions, resulting in forecast losses to farmers of more than $83m. 

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On Saturday, QCAR staff welcomed multiple politicians to Ingham as they inspected flood damage to sugarcane farms and discussed why it is crucial to declare Category D disaster assistance.

It comes after the state and federal government on Thursday announced the release of Category C grants capped at $25,000 for flood-affected primary producers.

Joining QCAR Chair Christian Lago, Herbert District Manager Lawrence Di Bella, and Herbert District Committee Junior Chair John Board were Queensland Premier David Crisafulli, Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, Senator Susan McDonald, Kennedy MP Bob Katter, and Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto.

“They listened to our concerns as far as eligibility and the grants that are needed to recover from this flood disaster and it was good of them to put their feet on the ground and assess the damage for themselves,” Mr Lago said.

“Hopefully they can put pressure on the federal government and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to come forth with Category D grants and make the money accessible.

“This disaster broke records for the Herbert region with floodwaters surpassing the 15.2m mark recorded in the infamous 1967 flood.

“A lot of farmers were financially stretched even before this flooding. If they now outlay money on recovery efforts and have their grant application denied, many businesses will sink.’’

 

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