Tully Mill: Difference between revisions
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| owner = [[Cofco]] | | owner = [[Cofco]] | ||
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| crush = | | crush = 2,400,000 tonnes average | ||
}}The Tully Sugar Mill was the last of the government-built mills in Queensland. Following the ''Sugar Works Act of 1922'', the Theodore State Government approved the construction of a mill on the banks of Banyan Creek. The site was selected by the Bureau of Central Mills, and the township of Tully (originally surveyed as Banyan) was established specifically to support the mill workers and service the facility. | }}The Tully Sugar Mill was the last of the government-built mills in Queensland. Following the ''Sugar Works Act of 1922'', the Theodore State Government approved the construction of a mill on the banks of Banyan Creek. The site was selected by the Bureau of Central Mills, and the township of Tully (originally surveyed as Banyan) was established specifically to support the mill workers and service the facility. | ||
Revision as of 17:35, 7 January 2026
| Tully Mill | |
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| Location | |
| Coordinates | 17.93480° S, 145.92674° E |
| State | Queensland |
| Region | Northern Region |
| LGA | Mulgrave Shire Council |
| Details | |
| Established | 1925 |
| Owner | Cofco |
| Gauge | 610 mm (2 ft) |
| Annual Crush | 2,400,000 tonnes average |
The Tully Sugar Mill was the last of the government-built mills in Queensland. Following the Sugar Works Act of 1922, the Theodore State Government approved the construction of a mill on the banks of Banyan Creek. The site was selected by the Bureau of Central Mills, and the township of Tully (originally surveyed as Banyan) was established specifically to support the mill workers and service the facility.
The tender for construction was awarded to Walkers Ltd of Maryborough in August 1923. The mill conducted a trial crushing starting on 5 November 1925, with its first full season commencing in July 1926. It quickly proved efficient, becoming the first Australian sugar mill to crush over 200,000 tonnes of cane in a single season in 1927.
In 1930, the Tully Sugar Works Act authorised the transfer of the mill from government control to a grower-owned cooperative. The Tully Co-operative Sugar Milling Association was formed in March 1931, and the growers purchased the mill from the government later that year.
Expansion and Modernisation (1960s to 1990s)
The mill underwent its first major technical upgrade in 1963 to handle increased cane supply from the Riversdale expansion area. This expansion saw new assignments granted to soldier settlers and new farmers. By 1983, the mill celebrated its first million-tonne crush season.
In 1990, the structure of the organisation changed significantly. The cooperative was dissolved, and the entity was incorporated as an unlisted public company named Tully Sugar Limited. This change allowed for greater capital investment and modernisation of the milling train and transport infrastructure.
Recent History and Foreign Acquisition (2000s to Present)
The early 21st century brought challenges, including severe weather events. In February 2011, Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi (Category 5) crossed the coast near Mission Beach. The mill suffered significant structural damage, and the surrounding crop was devastated, with losses estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars for the district.
Following the cyclone, the mill became the target of a takeover bid. In July 2011, the Chinese state-owned agribusiness COFCO (via its subsidiary Top Glory) acquired Tully Sugar Limited for approximately AUD 136 million, outbidding competitors such as Bunge and Wilmar. This ended 80 years of local grower ownership.
Under COFCO, the mill has continued to upgrade its infrastructure, including the installation of a new 18MW steam turbine generator in 2023 to export renewable power to the grid.
Tramway Network and Rolling Stock
The Tully Sugar Mill operates an extensive 610 mm gauge tramway network that is of particular interest to rail enthusiasts due to its motive power and engineering standards.
Network Infrastructure The network consists of over 200 kilometres of permanent track. The main lines are predominantly laid with 60 lb/yd (30 kg/m) rail, allowing for higher axle loads and speeds compared to older cane railway standards. The system extends throughout the Tully and Murray Upper valleys, renowned for being some of the wettest operational environments for any railway in Australia.
Locomotive Fleet The mill operates a mixed fleet of diesel-hydraulic locomotives.
- Ex-QR DH Class: The backbone of the heavy haulage fleet consists of 40-tonne ex-Queensland Rail DH class locomotives. These units were regauged from 1067 mm to 610 mm and are highly regarded for their tractive effort in wet conditions.
- Com-Eng 0-6-0DH: The fleet includes several 18-tonne Commonwealth Engineering units. It is standard practice at Tully to run these in permanently coupled "double-header" pairs to handle larger rakes, effectively creating a single articulated locomotive unit.
- Baldwin: Smaller 8-tonne Baldwin locomotives are retained primarily for maintenance of way (navvy) work.