The sight and sounds of the sugar cane locomotives on the tracks will soon be a regular feature as a new season begins. It’s a time where there is everything and more: economic benefits for the region, jobs for the seasonal workers and a renewed energy.

Starting on Monday, June 6 the 2016 crushing season begins and 135 personnel – seasonal and full-time – will assemble and prepare for 22 weeks of cutting, loading and crushing sugar cane with the ultimate target of 850,000 tonnes which will be converted into raw sugar, Mossman Mill’s primary product.

Because of the recent rains, the 2016 crushing season has been delayed by a week, but this should not overly affect the crop. It was originally scheduled to start on May 30.

For many, who return regularly, the season could not come quickly enough. It’s a way of life for many. Mossman Mill recently bid farewell to a 70-year-old who was a regular seasonal worker for 25 years.

Such is the love and passion for this kind of work, many train drivers and assistants, who cart harvested cane from the farms to the mills, and are among those who go flat out during the crushing season; consider this one of the greatest jobs around.

One driver's assistant said working on the cane trains was a dream job.

“You get to work outdoors, you get to drive around in a train, you get the sunsets and sunrises ... it’s awesome.”

For Haydn Slattery, General Manager of the Mossman Mill, it is also an exciting time as it allows him to welcome back many of the regular seasonal workers, and those for the first time.

“We are extremely fortunate in that we have enjoyed incredible loyalty over the years. And during this period I have made a point of meeting every employee. I firmly believe in the ‘managing by walking around’ philosophy,” says Slattery, who regularly attends operational meetings along with overseeing his six-person management team.

New seasons also bring welcome changes. This year Mossman residents will be pleased to learn that the mill recently spent $3 million on a dust collector which will allow for a considerable improvement in emissions, compared to last year.

“The other news is that we have extended our joint crushing arrangement for the 2016 to 2018 seasons with MSF Sugar,” said Slattery.

“The agreement is to toll crush up to 400,000 tonnes of Mackay Sugar contracted cane per season at the Tableland Mill and extends the arrangements made for the 2015 season. This will continue to provide for the Tablelands cane to be transported to MSF Sugar’s Tableland Mill for crushing as opposed to Mackay Sugar’s Mossman Mill.”

Mackay Sugar will continue to be responsible for the marketing of sugar and molasses toll crushed by MSF Sugar and will be responsible for cane payments to growers under the collective Cane Supply Agreement.

Australian mills crush around 30 million tonnes of cane and produce more than 3.5 million tonnes of raw sugar. In the milling process the cane is crushed to release the sugar juice, which is then evaporated until crystals of raw sugar form and grow.

The process is efficient and very little of the cane is not used. Fibre left after the cane is crushed becomes fuel for the mill boiler and ash and mud from the Mill is returned to the cane field as fertilizer. Molasses, which is a syrup residue remaining after the raw sugar crystals are made, is used in distilleries and for stock feed.

Raw sugar is taken to large bulk storage sheds at various ports along the Queensland coast.  Australia has the largest bulk raw sugar storage and handling system in the world.  Even though mills operate only for half the year, the storage facilities permit year-round sugar deliveries to be made.

Australia is one of the world’s largest raw sugar exporters and nearly 80 per cent of Queensland's raw sugar is exported. Queensland Sugar Limited markets most of the raw sugar produced in the state.

Queensland's major overseas markets for raw sugar include Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, USA and Russia.