Rum, bana grass and biofuel - new industry plans are ramping up
Shire jobs
Cairns Rum Company representatives are just some of several business leaders that have met with the Douglas Shire Council Mayor and Chief Executive as talks ramp up on bringing new industries to the region in the wake of the demise of the local sugar industry.
Mayor Lisa Scomazzon and chief executive Scott Osman met with CRC late last month - Newsport understands talks are underway about the possibility of the company establishing a greater presence in Douglas Shire following the closure of Mossman Mill.
On top of the discussions with CRC, several other companies have been in talks with the council and State Government Cook MP David Kempton about kickstarting more industry in the area.
Last week a bana grass field day was organised by former cane farmer Gerard Puglisi and the State Department of Primary Industries.
“The closure of the mill in Mossman has been catastrophic for the region and whilst there is no one single crop to replace sugar I believe diversification will be the answer,” Mr Kempton said.
“There is no doubt bana grass grows prolifically in the Douglas region and the advisory group will continue to work with growers to investigate its commercial options,” he said.
Industry representatives also had a look at a trial crop of sorghum at a local property during the visit.
Meanwhile, in August, Cr Abigail Noli revealed discussions were taking place on a plan involving biofuels company Jupiter-RE to build a "biofuels hub” in Mossman employing up to 200 workers.
She said the company was looking at building a $1 billion factory “that would turn locally grown feedstocks (including bana grass) and recovered organics into renewable diesel, sustainable diesel fuel, green fertilisers and advanced materials like graphene and carbon fibre”.
Also in August, Newsport outlined how Queensland gardening and stock-food company Oreco Group was proposing to start a feed-production factory in Mossman employing more than 75 workers.
This included a proposal to build a fibre-processing plant in Far North Queensland to turn biomass such as sugar-cane refuse and bana grass into feed for farm animals for markets across Australia and overseas.
Oreco marketing manager Krysten Payne said at the time MPs Mr Kempton and Stephen Bennett and a DPI representative had visited the group’s Bundaberg production site.
Ms Payne said there were two choices for where a possible Oreco plant could go - either at Mossman Mill or at a new greenfields site.
In June, Cairns businessman Phil Carlyon also told Newsport he was in discussions with leading biofuel companies about establishing a biofuel factory at the old mill site.
