Inkerman Mill
| Inkerman Mill | |
|---|---|
|
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| Location | |
| Coordinates | 16.45786° S, 145.37836° E |
| State | Queensland |
| Region | Northern Region |
| LGA | Douglas Shire Council |
| Details | |
| Established | 1873 (153 years ago) |
| Closed | 2023 (3 years ago) |
| Owner | Far Northern Milling |
| Gauge | 610 mm (2 ft) |
| Annual Crush | 700,000 tonnes (5yr average) |
History Inkerman Sugar Mill is located in Home Hill, Queensland, on the southern bank of the Burdekin River. It is one of the four sugar mills currently operating in the Burdekin district and is unique among them for being the only mill located south of the river.
The mill was established by John Drysdale, a prominent figure in the Burdekin sugar industry who had previously developed the Pioneer and Kalamia estates. Construction began in 1913 under the supervision of Scottish engineer J Pickering, who worked to Drysdale's instructions. The machinery was manufactured by George Fletcher and Company of Derby, England.
Inkerman Mill commenced crushing in 1914. Its establishment was a catalyst for the development of the Home Hill township, attracting workers and cane farmers to the southern side of the Burdekin River. The mill was originally owned and operated by Drysdale Brothers and Company, which later became Pioneer Sugar Mills Limited.
For much of the 20th century, the mill operated under Pioneer Sugar Mills. In the late 1980s, the company was acquired by CSR Limited, bringing Inkerman into the CSR sugar division. In 2010, CSR sold its sugar and renewable energy business, known as Sucrogen, to Wilmar International. Since then, the mill has been owned and operated by Wilmar Sugar Australia.
The mill celebrated its centenary in 2014. In recent years, it has continued to receive significant investment, including the commissioning of a new 26 tonne locomotive named 'The Alma' in 2023.
Operations and Infrastructure Inkerman Mill is a dual milling train factory with an annual crushing capacity of approximately 1.7 to 1.8 million tonnes of sugar cane. It produces around 260,000 tonnes of raw sugar each season.
Unlike the other three Wilmar mills in the Burdekin (Invicta, Pioneer, and Kalamia), which are interconnected by rail on the northern side of the river, the Inkerman railway network is physically isolated on the southern bank.
Railway System The mill operates an extensive 610 mm (2 ft) gauge tramway network that services the cane growing areas of Home Hill, Kirknie, Up River, and Iona.
Notable features of the Inkerman railway operations include:
Network Isolation: Due to the Burdekin River, the rail network does not connect to the north bank mills. Transfer of rolling stock between Inkerman and the other Burdekin mills requires transport by road float.
Locomotives: The fleet consists primarily of diesel hydraulic locomotives. The mill is home to the locomotive 'Iona' (formerly 'Kilrie'), which was the first bogie locomotive introduced to the Australian sugar industry in 1972.
Expansion: The network has expanded significantly since 1914, reaching out to the furthest growers in the Kirknie and Leichhardt areas.
Location
Rollingstock
| Name | Builder | Model | Serial | Year | Current Mill | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iona | Clyde | DHI-71 | DHI.2 | 1954 | Out of service | Stored at Macknade Mill |
| Keebah | Commonwealth Engineering | AF | C2231 | 1958 | Inkerman Mill | |
| Osborne | Commonwealth Engineering | AH | AH2866 | 1963 | Inkerman Mill | |
| Koolkuna | Commonwealth Engineering | AM | AM4993 | 1965 | Inkerman Mill | |
| Carstairs | E.M Baldwin | DH18 | 6-2715-1-9-68 | 1968 | Inkerman Mill | |
| Iona | E.M. Baldwin | DH26B | 4498-1-7-72 | 1972 | Inkerman Mill | Was Kilrie |
| Bojack | E.M. Baldwin | DH26B | 7280-1-9-77 | 1977 | Inkerman Mill | Was Seaforth. Possibly retired. Last seen 2024 |
| Alma | Wilmar | Canefields | TBA-5 | 2024 | Inkerman Mill | No further information |
| Iyah | E.M. Baldwin | DH24B | 6559-1-6-76 | 1976 | Out of service | |
| Alma | Commonwealth Engineering | FE | FE56110 | 1975 | Out of servic | |
| Lil Toot | Baguley | BG6 | 3354 | 1951 | Out of service | Preserved - Puffing Billy |
| Iyah | E.M. Baldwin | DH24B Mk8 | 6558-1-6-76 | 1976 | Inkerman Mill | |
| (Blank) | Malcolm Moore | 4wDM | 1013 | 1943 | Out of service | |
| Inkerman 1 | Hunslet | 0-6-0T | 1119 | 1913 | Out of service | Preserved? |