Mourilyan Bulk Sugar Terminal
| Mourilyan Bulk Sugar Terminal | |
|---|---|
|
| |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 17.59803° S, 146.12033° E |
| State | Queensland |
| Region | Northern Region |
| LGA | Cassowary Coast Regional Council |
| Details | |
| Established | 1960 (66 years ago) |
| Owner | Sugar Terminals Limited |
| Gauge | Nil. Road receival; formerly served by 610 mm (2 ft) railway. |
| Annual Crush | 178,000 tonnes storage capacity |
Mourilyan Bulk Sugar Terminal is a bulk sugar storage and export facility located at Mourilyan Harbour, approximately 20 kilometres south of Innisfail, Queensland. Opened in 1960, the terminal serves the sugar-growing districts of Innisfail, Babinda, Tully and the Atherton Tableland.[1]
The terminal is owned and operated by Sugar Terminals Limited (STL). It contains one bulk sugar storage shed with a capacity of 178,000 tonnes and currently receives all raw sugar by road.[2]
Raw sugar exported through Mourilyan is principally produced by South Johnstone Mill, Tully Mill and Tableland Mill.[1][3]
History
Bagged sugar and lighterage
Before development of bulk handling facilities, raw sugar from the Johnstone River district was exported in bags.
The shallow bar and navigational limitations at the mouth of the Johnstone River prevented larger ocean-going ships from routinely reaching the Innisfail wharves. Small shallow-draught vessels and lighters were therefore used to carry bagged sugar from the district to larger ships or other ports.[4]
Mourilyan Harbour was progressively developed as an alternative deep-water outlet. In 1921 the wharf was lengthened and widened, sugar storage sheds were constructed and tramway tracks were laid along the wharf.[4]
Following the Second World War, Queensland's sugar industry progressively changed from bagged sugar handling to bulk storage and shipment. During the 1950s a decision was made to develop Mourilyan Harbour as a dedicated overseas bulk sugar port.[4]
Bulk terminal
The Mourilyan bulk sugar facilities opened in October 1960.[4] The development included bulk storage, conveying equipment and shiploading facilities, allowing raw sugar to be handled without the labour-intensive bagging and lighterage system previously used in the region.
The establishment of the terminal changed regional sugar transport arrangements considerably. Babinda sugar began moving to Mourilyan Harbour in 1960, while Tully sugar, which had initially been directed to the Lucinda Bulk Sugar Terminal after its opening in 1958, began being transported by road to Mourilyan in 1961.[4]
Mourilyan and South Johnstone also had direct connections with the 610 mm (2 ft) gauge Innisfail Tramway, allowing raw sugar to be transported by rail to the harbour.
The terminal subsequently handled sugar from a changing group of mills including Mourilyan, South Johnstone, Tully, Babinda and, following development of the Tableland sugar industry, Tableland Mill. A Queensland port report from the early 2000s identified Mourilyan, South Johnstone, Tully and Babinda as supplying mills at that time.[5]
Ownership and operation
Queensland's bulk sugar terminals were originally developed within the regulated Queensland sugar industry.
Sugar Terminals Limited ultimately became the owner of Queensland's six bulk sugar terminal assets at Cairns, Mourilyan, Lucinda, Townsville, Mackay and Bundaberg.
For many years terminal operations were undertaken under contractual arrangements with Queensland Sugar Limited. From 1 July 2026, STL brought operation of all six terminals in-house and became both owner and operator of the Mourilyan facility.[6]
Regional sugar supply
Mourilyan's sugar catchment has changed substantially as mills have opened, closed and consolidated.
- Goondi Mill: Following Goondi's closure in 1987, its cane assignments were divided between Mourilyan and Babinda Mill. Sugar produced from the reassigned cane continued to contribute to regional exports through Mourilyan.
- Mourilyan Mill: Raw sugar was transported directly from the nearby mill to the harbour by 610 mm gauge railway until the mill's final operating years. Mourilyan Mill completed its last crushing season in 2005 and was permanently closed following Cyclone Larry in 2006.
- Babinda Mill: Babinda sugar was transported to Mourilyan Harbour for much of the bulk-handling era. After Babinda closed in 2011, its cane was redistributed principally to Mulgrave and South Johnstone.
- South Johnstone Mill: Remains one of the principal mills whose raw sugar is exported through Mourilyan.
- Tully Mill: Tully raw sugar has been transported by road to Mourilyan Harbour since 1961 and continues to be exported through the terminal.[3]
- Tableland Mill: Raw sugar produced at Arriga is transported by road from the Atherton Tableland to Mourilyan for export. Ports North identifies the Atherton Tableland as one of the port's current sugar-producing districts.[1]
Rail to road transition
Innisfail Tramway
The railway history of Mourilyan Harbour predates the bulk sugar terminal by many decades.
The original 610 mm gauge line between Mourilyan Harbour and Mourilyan Mill was constructed in 1883 to carry machinery and construction materials inland and later carried raw sugar back to the harbour.[7]
The Queensland Government acquired this line and the wider district tramway network in 1914. As the Innisfail Tramway, the system carried passengers, general freight, cane and raw sugar.
By the later years of government operation, raw sugar haulage from Mourilyan Mill and South Johnstone Mill to Mourilyan Harbour had become an important part of the railway's traffic.[7]
The Queensland Government sold the Innisfail Tramway to the local sugar mills in 1977. Following the sale, rail transport of South Johnstone raw sugar to the harbour ceased immediately, with its sugar subsequently transported by road.[7]
Mourilyan Mill continued to transport raw sugar to the harbour over the former tramway. The last rail sugar haulage took place during the 1996 season, and the harbour railway connection was subsequently closed in 1997 as road transport replaced it.[7][8]
The terminal has since received raw sugar entirely by road.
Cyclone Larry
Severe Tropical Cyclone Larry crossed the coast near Innisfail on 20 March 2006 and caused widespread damage throughout the district.
The nearby Mourilyan Mill sustained substantial structural damage and did not reopen for the 2006 crushing season. Bundaberg Sugar subsequently decided not to rebuild the mill.
The bulk sugar terminal, however, remained part of the regional export network and continued handling sugar produced by surviving mills.
Infrastructure
Storage and receival
Mourilyan Bulk Sugar Terminal contains one bulk storage shed with a capacity of 178,000 tonnes.[2]
Raw sugar is received entirely by road. Incoming loads are weighed and sampled before the sugar is transferred by enclosed conveyors into bulk storage.[9]
Shiploading
Sugar is conveyed from storage to a dedicated wharf and loaded into vessels using a travelling rail-mounted shiploader.
Maritime Safety Queensland lists the shiploading capacity at approximately 1,900 tonnes per hour.[10]
Current STL shipping restrictions are:[2]
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Storage capacity | 178,000 tonnes |
| Number of sheds | 1 |
| Receival method | Road |
| Maximum vessel length (LOA) | 195 metres |
| Maximum beam | 34 metres |
| Berth depth at LAT | 10.20 metres |
| Channel depth at LAT | 9.60 metres |
| Shiploader capacity | approximately 1,900 tonnes per hour |
Port diversification
The Port of Mourilyan handles commodities in addition to raw sugar and molasses.
Ports North operates a livestock export facility and an adjacent approximately two-hectare open bulk storage area used for mineral exports. Magnetite from the Mount Garnet area was first exported through Mourilyan in May 2016. Other trades have included pine logs, woodchips and minerals.[11]
These facilities form part of the wider Port of Mourilyan and should be distinguished from STL's dedicated bulk sugar storage terminal.
Location
Rollingstock
Mourilyan Bulk Sugar Terminal currently receives raw sugar entirely by road and does not operate a locomotive fleet. Raw sugar was formerly delivered from Mourilyan Mill by the 610 mm gauge former Innisfail Tramway, with the final rail haulage occurring in 1996 and the harbour connection closing in 1997.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ports North. Port of Mourilyan.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Sugar Terminals Limited. Mourilyan Bulk Sugar Terminal.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Tully Sugar Limited. Products.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 James Cook University ResearchOnline. Tropical Queensland Sugar Cane Industry, section on transportation from mill to port.
- ↑ Queensland Government. Port of Mourilyan Environmental Management Plan, port profile.
- ↑ CANEGROWERS. Clear expectations as STL takes over terminal operations. 1 July 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Light Railway Research Society of Australia. Government railways in Australia of less than 1067 mm gauge – Innisfail Tramway.
- ↑ Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland. Mourilyan, Queensland Places.
- ↑ Sugar Terminals Limited. Services.
- ↑ Maritime Safety Queensland. Mourilyan Port Procedures and Information for Shipping.
- ↑ Ports North. Trade Development – Port of Mourilyan.