Special Features
STANDING ON STRONG SHOULDERS: STRENGTH IN UNITY
The story of CANEGROWERS on the Herbert is unique. CANEGROWERS, or as it was first known Queensland Cane Growers Association (QCGA), came about when the Queensland Government legislated for commodity associations with compulsory membership and farmer levies. Yet even before the imposition of compulsory association there was a highly organized association advocating strongly for sugar farmers on the Herbert, the Herbert River Farmers’ League (HRFL)
Read the full storyCanegrowers Herbert River: Supporting Local Growers Every Step of the Way
Since 1926 Canegrowers Herbert River has long been the cornerstone of support for sugarcane farmers in the Herbert River district. Their unwavering commitment to advocating for and assisting their members has made them an essential partner in navigating the challenges of modern farming. Offering a range of services, from
Read the full storyLEADING THE CHARGE INTO A NEW ERA
After a century of ardent advocacy, CANEGROWERS remains one of the strongest voices for growers in the Burdekin and beyond. Yet despite the many hard-fought victories of its illustrious past, the organisation now finds itself confronting a new era of challenges, making its current work more critical than ever.
Read the full storyPIONEERS OF PROGRESS
Populin Enterprises – Automatic Billet PlanterIn the early 1970s, Home Hill cane farmers and brothers Lui and Peter Populin (deceased) reshaped the global cane planting industry with a world-first innovation: the single-row automatic billet planter.
Read the full storySTEVE PILLA
In another universe, Steve Pilla is roaming hospital halls. In this one, fate led the Giru native back to cane farming after a brief stint in nursing, and he hasn’t looked back since.After dipping his toe in the world of healthcare in the late 1980’s early 1990s, Pilla returned to the family farm in Giru, continuing a story that began when his grandfather arrived in Australia in 1939 and bought the property a decade later. It was a path that felt inevitable in hindsight.
Read the full storyOWEN MENKENS
Owen Menkens grew up surrounded by farming, even if he briefly looked beyond it.A fourth-generation cane farmer from Home Hill, Owen spent his holidays working on the farm his great-grandfather first purchased decades ago. Despite that early exposure to the industry, he initially opted for a cooler, more predictable career, heading to university to study accounting.
Read the full storyGREG WATSON
Although not a farmer in the conventional sense, Greg Watson has a passion for the sugar industry.Born and raised in Home Hill, Greg grew up surrounded by cane fields. His grandparents used to own a farm, his parents worked as cane harvesting contractors, and Greg spent much of his childhood helping with the family’s harvesting contract.
Read the full storyGLENN BETTERIDGE
Farming has always been in Glenn Betteridge’s blood.A third-generation cane farmer from Home Hill, Glenn has spent his whole life in the region surrounded by the cane crop he goes to battle for today.
Read the full story100 YEARS OF ADVOCACY
By 1921, Wilmar’s Invicta Sugar Mill had been constructed, completing the quartet of Burdekin mills that still stand today. Its arrival signalled ambition and growth, cementing the Burdekin’s position early as one of Australia’s leading sugarcane regions.
Read the full storyCentenary 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.
Read the full storyThe Team Behind The Trade
In an industry built on precision, reliability and hard yakka, success rarely comes down to one person. At M&P Services, it comes down to the team.Since 1986, the locally owned and operated company has established itself as a leader in the manufacture of transportable buildings and mobile crib rooms, earning a reputation across the region for quality workmanship, dependable service and practical innovation.
Read the full storyThe Man Who Started It All
Before the fleet, the large-scale projects and the well-known name across Central Queensland, there was a rented shed, a thousand dollars, and a Mackay man with a work ethic as solid as steel.In May 1986, Max Lamb Sr. laid the first foundations of what would become M&P Services, establishing M&P Auto’s in a modest workshop on Archibald Street in Mackay.
Read the full story
