South Johnstone Mill

South Johnstone Mill
South Johnstone Mill. 2025.
Location
Coordinates	17.60533° S, 145.99218° E
State	Queensland
Region	Northern Region
LGA	Cassowary Coast Regional Council
Details
Established	1914 (112 years ago)
Owner	MSF Sugar
Gauge	610 mm (2 ft)
Annual Crush	1,100,000 tonnes, seasonal average

South Johnstone Sugar Mill is a sugar mill located in South Johnstone, approximately 10 kilometres west of Mourilyan. Established in 1914 following the Sugar Works Act of 1911, it was constructed to encourage settlement in North Queensland and today serves as a key asset for MSF Sugar in the region.

History

Establishment

A Royal Commission selected the site on the South Johnstone River due to the fertile soils of the surrounding district, including the Japoon Valley, Liverpool Creek, and Maria Creek areas.

Construction began in 1914 but faced significant delays due to the outbreak of World War I. A notable incident involved the loss of critical machinery and Fowler steam locomotives, which were aboard a transport ship sunk by a German warship. Management was forced to source replacement materials from within Australia, and the mill was largely built using day labour.

The mill crushed its first cane in October 1916 under government control. In its first season, which lasted until February 1917, the mill produced 4,729 tonnes of raw sugar.

The Cooperative Era (1927–2001)

In 1927, the mill was transferred to grower ownership, and the South Johnstone Co-operative Sugar Milling Association Limited was formed. This transition triggered significant industrial unrest, most notably the bitter South Johnstone Strike of 1927, where the new cooperative management sought to reduce the workforce. The district later became a focal point for the 1935 Weil's disease strike, which led to improved health standards in the industry.

During this era, the mill acted as the economic anchor for the local township. The tramway network was expanded significantly to service soldier settlement farms in the El Arish area. By the 1970s, production had increased substantially, frequently exceeding 100,000 tonnes of sugar per season.

However, the late 1990s brought financial difficulties caused by low global sugar prices, cyclones, and crop disease. In 2000, the mill struggled to remain solvent, and in 2001, the cooperative went into receivership.

Corporate Ownership (2001–Present)

In 2001, Bundaberg Sugar acquired the South Johnstone mill from the receivers, ending 74 years of cooperative ownership. Bundaberg Sugar operated the mill for nearly a decade before entering a joint venture with the Maryborough Sugar Factory (MSF) in 2010.

This joint venture merged the operations of the South Johnstone, Mulgrave Mill, Babinda Mill, and Tableland Mills. In 2011, MSF Sugar acquired 100 per cent ownership of the joint venture assets. Shortly after, in 2012, MSF Sugar was itself acquired by the Thai sugar giant Mitr Phol.

Infrastructure

Tramway

South Johnstone operates an extensive 610 mm (2 ft) gauge tramway network that is vital to its logistics. The network is historically significant as it connects with the Mourilyan Mill tramway system.

Key features of the tramway network include:

• Japoon Line: A major branch servicing the Japoon Valley.
• Township Running: The main line runs directly through the centre of the South Johnstone township, a distinctive feature where cane trains share space with road traffic near the mill entry.
• Mourilyan Connection: Historically, the system connected to the Mourilyan Harbour line, facilitating the transport of raw sugar to the bulk terminals.

Significant Events

• 1918 Cyclone: The mill and surrounding township were heavily damaged just two years after opening, leading to a rebuild that influenced the local architecture.
• World War I: Caused the loss of original rolling stock and machinery at sea.
• Cyclone Larry (2006) and Yasi (2011): Both cyclones caused extensive damage to the mill infrastructure and the cane crop, impacting throughput for subsequent seasons.

Location

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Rollingstock

Name	Builder	Model	Serial	Year	Current Mill	Notes
28 / Daintree	E.M. Baldwin	DH28B	7303-1-7-77	1977	South Johnstone Mill	Purchased when Mossman closed at the end of 2023.
Habana	Clyde	DHI-71	60-215	1960	South Johnstone Mill	Transferred to Mossman in 2003. Sold to South Johnstone once Mossman closed.
1	Commonwealth Engineering	AA	A1821	1957	South Johnstone Mill	Was Josephine at Babinda
10	Commonwealth Engineering	AA	A2027	1958	South Johnstone Mill	Was Russell
6	Commonwealth Engineering	AG	C2234	1959	South Johnstone Mill	Paired with 7. Was Allison
4	Commonwealth Engineering	AD	AD1138	1960	South Johnstone Mill	Was Harvey at Babinda
7	Commonwealth Engineering	AD	AD1239	1960	South Johnstone Mill	Paired with 6. Was Morrison
5	Commonwealth Engineering	AH	AH22460	1962	South Johnstone Mill	Was Bramston at Babinda
9	Commonwealth Engineering	AH	AH3979	1964	South Johnstone Mill	Was Bartle-Frere
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
No. 6	Commonwealth Engineering	AA	AA1543	1960	South Johnstone Mill
11	Clyde	DHI-71	55-64	1955	South Johnstone Mill
12	Clyde	DHI-71	55-60	1955	South Johnstone Mill
13	Clyde	DHI-71	59-203	1959	South Johnstone Mill
14	Clyde	DHI-71	63-288	1963	South Johnstone Mill
15	Clyde	DHI-71	66-491	1966	South Johnstone Mill
16	Clyde	DHI-71	56-93	1956	South Johnstone Mill
17	Clyde	DHI-71	55-57	1955	South Johnstone Mill
18	Clyde	DHI-71	56-83	1956	South Johnstone Mill
26 / Meringa	Commonwealth Engineering	AK	AK3675	1964	Mulgrave Mill	Was South Johnstone #2
12 / Riverstone	Commonwealth Engineering	AD	AD1452	1961	Mulgrave Mill	Was South Johnstone #23
24	E.M. Baldwin	DH24B Mk1	5477-1-8-74	1974	South Johnstone Mill
25	E.M. Baldwin	DH24B Mk7	6470-1-1-76	1976	South Johnstone Mill
26	E.M. Baldwin	DH24B	7244-1-8-77	1977	South Johnstone Mill
27	Commonwealth Engineering	AI	AA1544	1975	South Johnstone Mill	No markings.
28	Commonwealth Engineering	AA	AI57111	1960	Out of service	Stored derelict. 2020.
9	Baguley		2395	1952	Out of service	Preserved - Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways. Renamed Castell Cidwm
10	Baguley	BG8	3390	1954	Out of service	Preserved - Macquarie LR Toronto
31	Commonwealth Engineering	AB	C1125	1957	Out of service	Stored for parts. 2008.
32 / Liverpool	E.M. Baldwin	DH32B	10385-1-8-82	1982	South Johnstone Mill
15	Baguley		2520	1954	Out of service	Locos, Mourilyan (88?)
16	Commonwealth Engineering	AA	A1102	1955	South Johnstone Mill
17	Malcolm Moore		1060	1943	Out of service	Unknown location
39	Commonwealth Engineering	AH	AH4688	1965	South Johnstone Mill	Paired with 38
38	Commonwealth Engineering	AH	AH4695	1965	South Johnstone Mill	Paired with 39
(5)	Baguley		2396	1952	Out of service	Converted to brake van
17 / Deeral	Commonwealth Engineering	AD1453	AD	1961	Mulgrave Mill
9	Perry		9737.45.1	1945	Out of service	Was Millaquin 9
12	Malcolm Moore	4wDM	TBA-12	1943	Out of service
13	Malcolm Moore	4wDM	TBA-14	1943	Out of service