David Gardiner

Journalist

Management at Mossman Sugar Mill have moved quickly to shut down word on the streets that the 127-year-old industry icon could be closing.

Newsport had been told that the mill’s permanent closure was imminent, possibly as early as at the finish of the current season.

But when we contacted Bronwyn Dwyer, general manager of Far Northern Milling (FNM) – the cane grower-owned company which operates the Mossman Mill – she rejected what she called “rumours” that the mill was shutting.

“We notified our growers on 13th June that we will be operating for 2024 season, and this position has not changed,” Ms Dwyer said in a brief text message. “You would do very well not to listen to rumours in this town!”

The speculation of closure follows a restructuring in April this year of CocoNutZ Australia Pty Ltd, a company operating a speciality soy sauce processing plant attached to the Mossman Sugar Mill, which was 23 per cent owned by FNM. 

Newsport reported at the time that staff and shareholders were awaiting news of their future after the restructure, which resulted in a loss of some jobs. 

CocoNutZ Australia had on April 11 made a ‘declaration of solvency’ to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

But at the sugar mill itself, FNM has up until very recently continued to advertise job vacancies on its social media pages, including for an industrial electrician and electrician, and juice laboratory analyst. 

It also invited applications in accounts and in its transport section just before the start of the crushing season on July 3rd. 

The company held a subject and careers night at Mossman High School at the end of August.

In operation since 1896, Mossman Mill crushes cane supplied by about 140 local growers. 

Cane to the mill comes from the Atherton Tablelands in the west, south of Port Douglas and in the north fringing the world heritage Daintree Rainforest. 

Crushing typically runs for five months from June to November, with maintenance performed during the rest of the year. 

After tourism, the sugar industry is the largest industry in the Douglas Shire. 

Mossman Mill is one of the region’s biggest employers, with approximately 140 employees during the cane crushing season, and 85 employees during the maintenance season. 

In several of its recent job advertisements, Far Northern Milling informs potential employees that it acquired the Mossman Mill in July 2019, “and we are looking to expand and diversify our operations to bring the Mill into a viable and sustainable business.”