Sugar cane & milling

Sugar has long been the backbone of the region providing employment opportunities through the mills and allied manufacturing and agricultural sectors. Continual efforts are being made to improve local industry productivity benchmarks such as water use efficiency and sustainability improvements including green harvesting, minimum soil tillage, good weed control and soil moisture retention. Since 1985, the trend has been for the strong adoption of green harvesting in a continuing bid to conserve soil moisture for the growing period as well as to minimise the impact of wet weather during the crushing. The majority of these growers also practise green cane trash blanketing or trash incorporation.

The sugar industry is currently undergoing significant changes and as such is adapting itself to take advantage of the evolving marketplace. One way Bundaberg's sugar industry is ensuring it remains a force for the future is to partner with other industries in the development and processing of goods. Some examples where this has been effective include the Bundaberg Rum Distillery, Bundaberg Brewed Drinks Pty Ltd and partnering with various confectionery manufacturers.

The Bundaberg district produces approximately one fifth of Queensland's sugar crop. Milling of cane, known as the crush, continues from June to November. Raw sugar from the three local mills and Maryborough is shipped from the Bundaberg Port. The terminal is the second largest in the State.

Bundaberg Sugar's Millaquin Mill converts a substantial amount of the raw sugar produced from the district into refined sugar and the familiar yellow packs of Bundaberg Sugar and other sugar products are produced here.