Goondi Mill

Goondi Mill
Goondi Sugar Mill, near Innisfail, 1930
Location
Coordinates	17.50910° S, 146.00369° E
State	Queensland
Region	Northern Region
LGA	Cassowary Regional Council
Details
Established	1885 (141 years ago)
Closed	1987 (39 years ago)
Owner	CSR Sugar
Gauge	610 mm (2 ft)
Annual Crush	900,000 tonnes average crush prior to closure

The Goondi Sugar Mill was a sugar cane processing facility located on the North Johnstone River near Innisfail in Far North Queensland. Established by the Colonial Sugar Refining Company (CSR) in the late 19th century, it played a central role in the development of the Johnstone River district. The mill operated for just over a century before closing in 1987 as part of an industry rationalisation.

Establishment and Early Years (1880 to 1900)

Following the discovery of the rich alluvial soils of the Johnstone River valley, the Colonial Sugar Refining Company (CSR) selected land in the area around 1880 and 1881. The company sought to expand its sugar production capabilities in North Queensland, following the establishment of similar mills such as Homebush and Victoria.

Construction of the mill began in the early 1880s. The site was named Goondi, which is believed to be an Indigenous term, though the exact origin is debated. The mill commenced its first crushing season in 1885. During these early years, the region was heavily reliant on river transport. Sugar was loaded onto lighters and transported down the Johnstone River to coastal steamers for export.

Labour and Social History

The initial workforce at Goondi relied heavily on indentured South Sea Islander labour, historically referred to as Kanakas. These labourers cleared the dense rainforest scrub and cultivated the first cane fields under difficult tropical conditions.

Following the Federation of Australia in 1901 and the subsequent introduction of the Pacific Island Labourers Act, the industry was forced to transition away from indentured labour. This led to a significant influx of European immigrants to the district, particularly from Italy. By the 1920s and 1930s, the Innisfail and Goondi areas had one of the highest concentrations of Italian settlers in Australia, many of whom became prominent cane farmers and cutters.

Infrastructure and Transport

The Goondi Mill utilised an extensive system of cane tramways to transport harvested cane from the fields to the mill. The network was built to a gauge of 610 mm (2 ft). In the initial years, the mill also relied on river transport to bring cane from farms located along the riverbanks, but rail eventually became the dominant mode of transport.

The tramway network linked the mill to the developing township of Geraldton (later renamed Innisfail in 1910). A significant engineering feature was the bridge over the North Johnstone River, which allowed the tramway to access cane from the southern side of the river.

Weather and Challenges

Like all mills in the cyclone prone north, Goondi faced severe weather events. The cyclone of 1918 caused catastrophic damage to the Innisfail district. The mill buildings and workers' accommodation suffered extensive damage, and the surrounding cane crop was largely destroyed. The mill was rebuilt and continued to operate, modernising its equipment throughout the mid 20th century to handle increased crushing rates.

Closure and Ownership Clarification

In the 1980s, the Queensland sugar industry underwent a period of significant restructuring and rationalisation to maintain economic viability. The Goondi Sugar Mill ceased operations in 1987 following the conclusion of the 1986 crushing season.

Contrary to some secondary sources that claim the mill was taken over by Bundaberg Sugar prior to closure, primary records confirm that CSR Limited remained the owner and operator of the mill until the very end. The closure was the result of a direct application by CSR to rationalise their operations in the Innisfail district. The confusion regarding Bundaberg Sugar likely stems from the fact that Bundaberg Sugar had acquired the Babinda Mill in 1972. Since a significant portion of Goondi's cane was diverted to the Bundaberg owned Babinda Mill, this may have led to the historical shorthand that the company took over the Goondi operations.

Upon the mill's closure, the cane supply area was rezoned. The cane was officially redistributed to the Babinda Mill (located to the north) and the Mourilyan Sugar Mill (located to the east). This decision was controversial at the time, as the South Johnstone Mill was excluded from the redistribution plan, despite its proximity to the southern portion of the Goondi cane area.

Upon closure, the mill infrastructure was demolished. The site is located near the present day Goondi Hill and Goondi Bend areas of Innisfail.

Location

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Rollingstock

Name	Builder	Model	Serial	Year	Current Mill	Notes
23	Clyde	DHI-71	55-56	1956	South Johnstone Mill	Was Goondi at Babinda
24	Clyde	DHI-71	56-90	1956	South Johnstone Mill	Was Daradgee at Babinda
12	Clyde	DHI-71	55-60	1955	South Johnstone Mill
16	Clyde	DHI-71	56-93	1956	South Johnstone Mill
17	Clyde	DHI-71	55-57	1955	South Johnstone Mill
1	John Fowler		18260	1929	Out of service	Unknown location
(Blank)	E.M. Baldwin	DH12	TBA-15	1978	Out of service