Racecourse Mill: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 16:06, 11 January 2026
| Racecourse Mill | |
|---|---|
|
| |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 21.16447° S, 149.13422° E |
| State | Queensland |
| Region | Mackay |
| LGA | Mackay Regional Council |
| Details | |
| Established | 1886 (140 years ago) |
| Owner | Mackay Sugar |
| Gauge | 610 mm (2 ft) |
| Annual Crush | 1,600,000 tonnes, seasonal average |
The Racecourse Mill is a raw sugar factory located at Racecourse, approximately 6 kilometres south-west of Mackay, Queensland. It is one of three sugar mills operated by Mackay Sugar (majority owned by Nordzucker) in the region, the others being Farleigh Mill and Marian Mill. The site also hosts the Racecourse Refinery (operated by Sugar Australia) and a 38-megawatt cogeneration plant.
History
Establishment
The Racecourse Central Sugar Company Limited was registered on 14 October 1886.[1] It was established as a central mill under the Queensland Government's Central Sugar Mills Act, which provided loans to groups of farmers to erect their own milling infrastructure, breaking the monopoly of plantation-owned mills.
The mill was constructed by A. & W. Smith of Glasgow and commenced its first crushing season in 1888.[2] In its inaugural years, the mill struggled with supply but expanded its cane area by purchasing the nearby Meadowlands Mill in 1914 and extending its tramway network into the Homebush district following the closure of the CSR Homebush Mill.[3]
Cooperative Era
In 1927, the company transitioned to a grower-owned cooperative, becoming the Racecourse Co-operative Sugar Association Limited. Throughout the mid-20th century, the mill underwent significant expansion to accommodate cane from closing mills in the Pioneer Valley. The mill ceased rail transport of sugar to the harbour in favour of road transport, although it maintains an extensive narrow-gauge cane railway network.[4]
Amalgamation
In 1988, to rationalise the industry during a period of low global sugar prices, the Racecourse Co-operative merged with the North Eton, Marian, Cattle Creek and Farleigh cooperatives to form the Mackay Sugar Co-operative Association Limited.[5] Following this merger, Racecourse became a pivotal site for the new entity, receiving significant capital investment.
Modern Operations
In 2019, the German sugar manufacturer Nordzucker acquired a 70 per cent controlling interest in Mackay Sugar, ending the mill's long history as a purely grower-owned cooperative.[6]
Infrastructure
Refinery
In 1994, a white sugar refinery was constructed adjacent to the mill. It is currently operated by Sugar Australia, a joint venture between Wilmar Sugar and Mackay Sugar. The refinery has the capacity to produce approximately 350,000 to 450,000 tonnes of refined sugar annually.[7]
Cogeneration Plant
A 38-megawatt cogeneration plant was commissioned at the mill in 2013 at a cost of $120 million. The plant burns bagasse (cane fibre) to generate steam and electricity. It supplies the energy requirements of the mill and refinery, with excess electricity (approx. 27 megawatts) exported to the National Electricity Market.[8]
Production Statistics
Racecourse Mill typically processes between 1.5 and 1.7 million tonnes of cane per season. It operates with a crushing rate of approximately 450 to 500 tonnes per hour.
| Category | Figure |
|---|---|
| Average Cane Crushed | 1,500,000 to 1,700,000 tonnes |
| Raw Sugar Produced | 213,000 tonnes |
| Molasses Produced | 52,000 tonnes |
| Electricity Exported | 130,000 MWh |
Location
Rollingstock
| Name | Builder | Model | Serial | Year | Current Mill | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tully 7 | Walkers | GH500 | 657 | 1970 | Tully Mill | Converted by Tulk Goninan - 1994 |
| Sunnyside | Clyde | DHI-71 | 57-160 | 1957 | Racecourse Mill | |
| Seaforth | Clyde | HG-3R | 61-233 | 1961 | Racecourse Mill | |
| Victoria Plains | Clyde | HG-3R | 66-490 | 1966 | Racecourse Mill | |
| Broadsound | Clyde | DHI-71HS | 70-710 | 1970 | Racecourse Mill | Fitted with hydrostatic drive. Converted to hydraulic. |
| 22 Pinnacle | Commonwealth Engineering | AN | AN5849 | 1975 | Racecourse Mill | Rebuilt 1975 from ComEng, AA, AA1549 |
| North Eton | E.M. Baldwin | DH24B Mk9 | 6780-2-8-76 | 1976 | Racecourse Mill | |
| Shannon | E.M. Baldwin | DH24B | 7126-1-5-77 | 1977 | Racecourse Mill | |
| Mia Mia | E.M. Baldwin | DH28B | 9815-1-10-81 | 1981 | Racecourse Mill | |
| Melba | E.M. Baldwin | 12512-1-7-1985 | 1985 | Racecourse Mill | Rebuilt by E.M. Baldwin from Clyde HG-3R, 64-377, 1964 | |
| Conningsby | Clyde | HG-3R | 61-232 | 1961 | Racecourse Mill | Stored |
| Bassett | Clyde | HG-3R | 67-596 | 1967 | Racecourse Mill | Stored |
| Munbura | Clyde | DHI-71 | 67-570 | 1967 | Racecourse Mill | |
| Chelona | Clyde | DHI-7 | 59-201 | 1959 | Out of service | Stored at North Eton Depot |
| 52 Racecourse | Clyde | DHI-71 | 65-440 | 1965 | Out of service | Stored at North Eton Depot |
| Homebush | Clyde | DHI-71 | 55-58 | 1955 | Out of service | Unknown location |
| Rosella | Clyde | DHI-71 | 64-317 | 1964 | Out of service | Unknown location |
| (Blank) | Motor Rail | 21622 | 1957 | Out of service | ||
| (Blank) | Ruston Hornsby | 48DLG | 392120 | 1955 | Out of service | |
| (Blank) | E.M. Baldwin | DH8T | 6-2612-1-10-68 | 1968 | Out of service | |
| (Blank) | E.M. Baldwin | DH8T | 6-2612-2-11-68 | 1968 | Out of service |
References
- ↑ Mackay Historical Society. (2018). Racecourse Sugar Mill, 1888-. Mackay History.
- ↑ Centre for the Government of Queensland. (2015). Racecourse. Queensland Places. University of Queensland.
- ↑ Kerr, John. (1988). A Century of Sugar. Mackay Sugar Co-operative Association Limited. p. 45.
- ↑ Rough, B. (2014). 'The Sugar Tramways of Mackay'. Light Railways, 241, 3-12.
- ↑ Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame. (2014). Mackay Sugar. State Library of Queensland.
- ↑ Nordzucker AG. (2019). Nordzucker signs agreement to acquire majority stake in Mackay Sugar. Press Release.
- ↑ Sugar Australia. (2024). Our Operations: Racecourse Refinery. Sugar Australia.
- ↑ Mackay Sugar. (2024). Sustainable Production: Cogeneration. Mackay Sugar.
- ↑ Mackay Sugar. (2024). Our Factories. Mackay Sugar Website.