Babinda Mill

Babinda Mill
Babinda Mill following Cyclone Larry, 2006.
Location
Coordinates	17.34191° S, 145.92387° E
State	Queensland
Region	Northern Region
LGA	Cairns Regional Council
Details
Established	1915 (111 years ago)
Closed	2011 (15 years ago)
Owner	Northern Milling Joint Venture (at closure)
Gauge	610 mm (2 ft)
Annual Crush	630,072 tonnes (2010 final crush)

Babinda Sugar Mill was a sugar mill located at Babinda, approximately 50 kilometres south of Cairns, Queensland. The mill commenced crushing in 1915 and completed its final crushing season in 2010 before closing in February 2011.

For much of its history Babinda was the principal industrial enterprise of the district and played a major role in the development of the surrounding town and sugar-growing area.

History

Establishment

Agitation for a central sugar mill in the Babinda district began during the early years of the twentieth century. Following investigations into the suitability of the district for expanded cane production, the Queensland Government authorised construction under the Sugar Works Act 1911.

Tenders for construction were called following government approval of the scheme. The successful contractor was George Fletcher and Company of Derby, England. Clearing and construction of the mill site commenced during 1914.

Babinda Central Mill commenced operations as a government mill on 15 December 1915.

The arrival of the mill transformed Babinda. The town's population increased from 195 in 1911 to approximately 980 in 1921. The developing district attracted a culturally diverse population including Italian, Danish, Greek, Maltese and Asian migrants as well as Anglo-Irish settlers.

Grower ownership

Babinda was initially managed by the Queensland Government's Bureau of Government Sugar Mills.

In 1924, legislation was passed enabling local cane growers to acquire the mill from the government. Under the Babinda Sugar Works Act 1924, cane credits accumulated by growers were recognised as part of their equity in the new organisation.

The mill subsequently operated under grower control as the Babinda Central Mill Company Ltd and later the Babinda Co-operative Sugar Milling Association Ltd.

Goondi rationalisation

A major expansion of Babinda's supply area occurred following the closure of Goondi Mill in 1987.

Under the Sugar Milling Rationalization (Far Northern Region) Act 1987, cane assignments formerly attached to Goondi were redistributed between Babinda and Mourilyan Mill. Former Goondi growers rezoned to Babinda supplied 249,140 tonnes of cane during the 1987 season, representing approximately one-quarter of Babinda's crop.

Initially, some of this cane required road haulage between separated sections of the railway system. A three-kilometre tramway connection was completed on 24 August 1987, providing a direct rail connection for the transferred cane.

The redistribution substantially increased Babinda's available crop. The mill processed 979,132 tonnes during the 1987 season.

Bundaberg Sugar ownership

The co-operative experienced considerable financial difficulty during the 1980s. In 1988 the association received competing acquisition proposals, including an offer from Bundaberg Sugar and another from a consortium involving Mulgrave, Mossman and South Johnstone mills.

Bundaberg Sugar acquired Babinda Mill in 1989, ending approximately 65 years of direct grower ownership.

During Bundaberg Sugar ownership Babinda formed part of the company's Far North Queensland milling operations, together at various times with Mourilyan, South Johnstone and Tableland mills.

Northern Milling Joint Venture

In April 2010, Bundaberg Sugar and the Maryborough Sugar Factory Limited announced the formation of the Northern Milling Joint Venture.

Under the arrangement, Bundaberg Sugar contributed its Babinda, South Johnstone and Tableland operations, while Maryborough Sugar contributed Mulgrave Mill. The joint venture became effective following completion of the 2010 crushing season.

Cyclones and closure

Cyclone Larry

Severe Tropical Cyclone Larry crossed the Far North Queensland coast on 20 March 2006 and caused extensive damage throughout Babinda and the surrounding sugar district.

Approximately 80 per cent of buildings in Babinda were reported as damaged and regional sugar production was substantially reduced. Babinda Mill nevertheless returned to operation for the 2006 crushing season.

Final years

By the late 2000s the regional cane supply had declined substantially as agricultural land was transferred to other uses including bananas, forestry and cattle production.

Babinda's final crushing season was 2010. The mill processed 630,072 tonnes of cane at an average CCS of 10.33.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi crossed the Queensland coast on 3 February 2011, approximately 100 kilometres south of Babinda. The cyclone caused further crop and infrastructure damage across the wider region.

Five days later, on 8 February, the Northern Milling Joint Venture announced a proposal to close Babinda Mill.

The owners stated that the principal causes were the long-term decline in available cane and excess regional crushing capacity rather than cyclone damage alone. Approximately 14,000 hectares of cane-growing land had been lost across the region over preceding decades. The immediate outlook was further affected by the transfer of approximately 300,000 tonnes of cane from the Upper Murray and Kennedy areas to Tully Mill and a reduced forecast crop for the 2011 season.

Cane previously intended for Babinda was subsequently allocated for crushing at Mulgrave Mill and South Johnstone Mill, both of which had available processing capacity.

Babinda Mill was decommissioned during February 2011. JCU records the decommissioning date as 23 February, while the mill's gates closed for the final time on 25 February.

Demolition and legacy

The mill had been identified as historically significant within a character precinct under the Cairns planning scheme from 2005. It was not, however, entered on the Queensland Heritage Register.

Following the closure, the former mill was considered for inclusion on Cairns Regional Council's Local Heritage Register. Council subsequently recommended that it remain recognised through the existing character precinct rather than proceed to local heritage registration.

The mill buildings were progressively demolished during 2013.

Historical records, documents and memorabilia from the mill were preserved through the Babinda Mill Memorabilia Project and the Babinda Mill Archive held by James Cook University.

Infrastructure

Tramway

Babinda Mill operated an extensive 610 mm (2 ft) gauge cane railway system. The network was approximately 142 kilometres in length and used steam, petrol and diesel locomotives during its operating history.

The system expanded southwards following the 1987 closure of Goondi Mill and was interconnected with the former Goondi and Mourilyan networks.

Following Babinda's closure, its railway infrastructure remained important to the regional industry. The former Babinda system was divided operationally between Mulgrave and South Johnstone mills, allowing cane from the former Babinda supply area to be transported north to Mulgrave or south to South Johnstone.

During 2011 most Babinda-area cane was initially expected to travel south to South Johnstone. Further track upgrading was subsequently undertaken so that cane from the northern portion of the former Babinda area could be transported to Mulgrave.

Production statistics

Babinda's throughput varied substantially during its operating life as the mill's assigned area expanded and contracted.

Season	Cane	CCS	Notes
1987	979,132 tonnes	11.91	First season following the redistribution of former Goondi assignments. Ex-Goondi growers supplied 249,140 tonnes.
1988	1,008,364 tonnes crushed at Babinda	11.02	Babinda's assigned crop totalled 1,056,042 tonnes; a further 47,678 tonnes was processed at Mourilyan.
2010	630,072 tonnes	10.33	Final crushing season.

Former Location

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Rollingstock

Name	Builder	Model	Serial	Year	Current Mill	Notes
Fishery	Baguley	BG8	3387	1954	Out of service	Taken out of service and stripped of engine and gearbox by 1998. Acquired by Bernie Baker, Parkes NSW, in late 2006 together with a suitable engine. Later disposition not established.
1 / Josephine	Commonwealth Engineering	AA	A1821	1957	South Johnstone Mill	Ex Babinda. Fitted for multiple operation.
10 / Russell	Commonwealth Engineering	AA	A2027	1958	South Johnstone Mill	Ex Babinda. Fitted for multiple operation.
6 / Allison	Commonwealth Engineering	AB	C2234	1959	South Johnstone Mill	Ex Babinda. Fitted for multiple operation.
4	Commonwealth Engineering	AD	AD1138	1960	South Johnstone Mill	Was Harvey at Babinda. Rebuilt by IBS Engineering Supplies in 2015 and fitted for multiple operation.
7 / Morrison	Commonwealth Engineering	AD	AD1239	1960	South Johnstone Mill	Ex Babinda. Fitted for multiple operation.
5	Commonwealth Engineering	AH	AH2460	1962	South Johnstone Mill	Was Bramston at Babinda. Rebuilt by IBS Engineering Supplies in 2015 and fitted for multiple operation.
9 / Bartle-Frere	Commonwealth Engineering	AH	AH3979	1964	South Johnstone Mill	Ex Babinda. Fitted for multiple operation.
19	Malcolm Moore		1011	1943	Out of service	Preserved; LRRSA recorded with Peter Evans, Newcastle NSW (2011).
20	Malcolm Moore		1057	1943	Out of service	Preserved; LRRSA recorded with Peter Evans, Newcastle NSW (2011).
Elliott	Bundaberg Foundry	SDH650	002	1991	Millaquin Mill	Originally Babinda Mill No.8 BABINDA. Transferred to Millaquin in 1999 and later named ELLIOTT. Listed as available for service in the Millaquin fleet in 2024.