List of sugar mills in Queensland
Name Location Local government area Notes
Bloomfield River Sugar Mill near Ayton Shire of Cook crushed 1884-1889
Hop Wah Pioneer Sugar Mill Mulgrave Road , Woree Cairns Region First sugar mill in North Queensland , opened in August 1881 , and initially owned and operated by the Hop Wah Company of Chinese investors and managed by Andrew Leon
Hambledon Sugar Mill Mill Road , Edmonton Cairns Region 1883-1991
Babinda Central Sugar Mill Babinda Cairns Region 1915-2011
Goondi Sugar Mill Goondi Cassowary Coast Region Opened in 1883 , probably located at the end of Goondi Mill Road near the Johnstone River . Closed in 1987 after being taken over by Bundaberg Sugar
Mourilyan Sugar Mill Mill Street , Mourilyan Cassowary Coast Region Opened in 1883 , it operated until it was damaged in Cyclone Larry in March 2006 ( see photo ) . After the cyclone it operated intermittently and closed permanently later in 2006
Gairloch Sugar Mill Ingham Shire of Hinchinbrook
Hamleigh Sugar Mill Ingham Shire of Hinchinbrook
Ripple Creek Sugar Mill Macknade Shire of Hinchinbrook
Macknade Sugar Mill Ingham Shire of Hinchinbrook
Habana Sugar Mill Habana Mackay Region The Habana mill operated from 1883 to 1901
Richmond Sugar Mill Richmond Mackay Region 1881-1895
North Eton Sugar Mill Mill Street , North Eton Mackay Region Originally known as the Defiance , the North Eton Central Mill commenced crushing sugarcane in 1888 . It was the first sugar mill sponsored by the Queensland Government . In 1989 , a number of sugar mills in the district merged to Mackay Sugar Limited , resulting in the closure of the North Eton mill
Homebush Sugar Mill Homebush Mackay Region 1883-1922
Te Kowai Sugar Mill Mackay Mackay Region
Palms Sugar Mill Palms Mackay Region Palms was the last of the plantation mills in the Mackay district , closing in 1924
Cassada Sugar Mill Walkerston Mackay Region Operated from 1870 to 1886
Palmyra Sugar Mill Palmyra Mackay Region Operated from 1883 to 1905
Alexandra Sugar Mill Alexandra Mackay Region Operated from 1868 to 1884 . When originally constructed , it was the largest sugar mill in Queensland . It was named after Princess Alexandra of Denmark who married Prince Edward ( later King Edward VII ) of Great Britain on 10 March 1863
River Estate Sugar Mills River Estate ( possibly Foulden ) Mackay Region There were three mills at River Estate : Old Sugar Mill ( 1873-1887 ) , North Sugar Mill ( 1881-1886 ) and New Sugar Mill ( 1887-1891 )
Former sugar mills in Queensland
The sugar industry is an important industry in Australia valued at $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion per annum, much of which is generated through export. Requiring a hot climate and plenty of water, sugarcane is predominantly grown in Queensland with some in northern New South Wales. Over 4000 sugar cane farms produce 32-35 million tonnes of sugar cane each year, from which 4-4.5 million tonnes of raw sugar is extracted at sugarcane mills. At 2011, there were 24 sugar mills in Australia, ranging from Mossman in Queensland to Grafton in New South Wales. Mackay Region is known for its five locally owned mills. Altogether they produce enough sugar to support Central Queensland and Northern Queensland. They range from Racecourse Sugar Mill, Farleigh Mill, Marian Mill, Proserpine Mill and Sarina Sugar Shed.