Centenary Night Honours Growers and Their Legacies

CANEGROWERS marked 100 years on Saturday, 28 February, bringing together generational farmers, dignitaries and organisational leaders to celebrate a century spent fighting—and winning—battles for fairer outcomes for Queensland growers.

Addressing the crowd at Populin’s Hall, Member for Burdekin Dale Last said the 100-year milestone was a testament to the organisation’s enduring work.

“The pathway that the sugar industry has travelled in the last 100 years, from those humble beginnings, to where it is today, didn’t occur by accident. It occurred through a lot of advocacy; through a lot of hard work; because of organisations like CANEGROWERS,” Mr Last said.

To mark the occasion, inaugural ‘Innovation Awards’ were handed out on the night, honouring three Burdekin farmers credited with innovations that have been influential in local and global industry practices.

Home Hill farmer Lui Populin was recognised for the early-1970s invention of the first single-row automatic billet planter, developed with his late brother Peter. Chris Cannavan received an award on behalf of the late Arthur Cannavan for his Self-Propelled Over-the-Row Cane Harvester, while Ray Menkens was honoured for his Lay-Flat Plastic Fluming System.

CANEGROWERS Burdekin Limited director Owen Menkens said on the night that innovation would continue to shape the industry’s future, particularly as new opportunities emerge, making the organisation’s work now as important as ever.

“The question for our generation is the same as it was for those growers a century ago: will we shape the future of the industry, or will we leave it to others?” Mr Menkens said.

“Standing together still matters. Membership still matters. Representation still matters. 100 years ago growers in districts like this made a decision to organise. Tonight, we celebrate that decision, and we carry it forward.”

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