Copper thieves who risk lives by cutting telecommunications and plunging deadly intersections into

darkness could now face life in jail under proposed new legislation welcomed by Member for

Burdekin Dale Last.

Public consultation has now opened as the Crisafulli Government works to tackle rising metal thefts,

including copper wire, which have seen criminals not only endanger their lives, but the lives of others

in the community.

Mr Last said the proposed legislation demonstrated how seriously the Crisafulli Government was

taking the theft of copper wire.

“We’ve seen drivers forced to navigate pitch black intersections on some of the deadliest

intersections of our highway while copper cabling has also been cut from emergency generators and

telecommunications infrastructure in these despicable acts,” Mr Last said.

“Under the proposed legislation criminals who target essential key infrastructure where the life or

health of a person is endangered or the conduct occurs during or in the lead-up to a natural disaster

will face up to 25 years imprisonment.”

“As the Premier said earlier this year these are the lowest of acts and our government is taking action

with penalties to reflect the seriousness of these crimes and the cost they impose to taxpayers to

undertake repairs.”

“Make no mistake if you commit these low acts that have the potential to endanger other community

members, particularly in their hour of need or when they are driving home after dark on a national

highway, you should face the full weight of the law.”

Mr Last said following the introduction into parliament the proposed legislation was now up for

consultation and encouraged anyone affected by these crimes to make their voices heard.

“As with any new legislation it’s important the mechanisms and outcomes achieve what our

communities expect which is why we encourage anyone affected by these sorts of crimes to make

their voices heard during the public consultation process.”

ENDS – Media Contact: Mikayla Colquhoun (07) 4767 0500

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The Rotary Club of Home Hill has officially launched one of its biggest fundraisers to date, aiming to raise approximately $40,000 for a new all-terrain vehicle (ATV) that will help local police patrol every corner of the community.

Unveiled at last Tuesday’s club meeting, the fundraiser will be the Rotary Club of Home Hill’s flagship community project for 2026, aimed at providing local police with a locally-based ATV they had sought funding for on multiple occasions.

“This is a practical and high-impact project that will immediately benefit the community,” said Alf Musumeci, President of the Rotary Club of Home Hill.

“Our police do an outstanding job, and this is our chance to thank them for the great work that they do, and increase their ability to respond quickly across challenging terrain.”

The ATV—a Yamaha ‘Wolverine RMAX4’—will be stationed in Home Hill and serve both Home Hill and Ayr Police stations. The modern four-seater, equipped with police technology, has received strong support from local officers.

Home Hill Police Senior Constable Will Stewart said the ATV will serve a critical function for the Burdekin, giving officers immediate access to remote areas such as Wunjunga Beach, Alva Beach, and river beds.

“It can take up to two days for ATVs to get here from Townsville… so having these wheels on the ground straight away will make a big difference.”

Given the need for the vehicle, the Rotary Club of Home Hill is urging the region to help make the project a reality.

“We’re calling on the community, local businesses, and grant partners to get behind this important initiative,” said Musumeci.

The project will amalgamate community events, raffles, and corporate partnerships to raise the funds needed to purchase the ATV.

Fundraising efforts kick off with a $5 raffle for a Bushranger Battery Powered Multi-Tool and Lawn Mower pack from Burdekin Motorcycles, with the winner to be drawn on 30 June.

Community members and local businesses can support the Rotary Club of Home Hill by donating online at facebook.com/rotaryclubofhomehill or contacting the Club via email at home.hill@rotary9560.org. Stay updated on upcoming events and raffles through the Club’s Facebook page.

1—Clive Williams and Club President Alf Musumeci of the Home Hill Rotary Club, Home Hill Police Senior Constable Will Stewart, and Alyssa and Dave Muir of Burdekin Motorcycles. Photo credit: Jacob Casha

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As as Queensland accelerates toward its renewable energy targets, residents in one small North Queensland community are asking a simple question: why here?

The quiet rural locality of Mount Fox, inland from the Hinchinbrook Shire and within the broader landscape bordering the Burdekin, has unexpectedly become the centre of a broader debate unfolding across the state; how to rapidly expand renewable energy while protecting some of Australia’s most ecologically valuable landscapes.

While the proposed development sits outside the Burdekin Shire, the ecological systems of North Queensland do not stop at council boundaries with scientists claiming the forests, ranges and waterways surrounding Mount Fox form part of a wider environmental network that supports biodiversity across both the Hinchinbrook and Burdekin Shires.

What’s Actually Proposed

The discussion centralises around the proposed Mount Fox Energy Park (MFEP), a project currently progressing through the proposal and assessment stage.

MFEP plans to construct a two-stage initiative set to yield around 290 megawatts of wind energy, reinforced by a 300- or 600-megawatt Battery Energy Storage System designed to help stabilise the North Queensland electricity grid.

With final approvals yet to come, the project currently proposes an estimated 47 turbines across a temporary disturbance footprint of up to 242 hectares.

Although large in scale, MFEP says the development will prioritise environmental management and implement ecological benefit programs aimed at reducing potential impacts on birds, bats and other wildlife.

“Our commitment extends beyond energy generation,” the company states.

“We're dedicated to safeguarding and rejuvenating over 800 hectares of land, battling invasive weeds and pests, with a particular focus on lantana. Simultaneously, we're replanting native species to provide increased habitat for local wildlife.”

At present, environmental assessments and planning processes are still underway. The project has not yet been approved, and no construction has begun.

Why the Site is Controversial

Mount Fox sits within a landscape known for its ecological richness, with the broader region neighbouring habitat corridors connected to the Wet Tropics, supporting a wide variety of wildlife including species sensitive to habitat disturbance.

Environmental researchers often stress the importance of these corridors, which allow animals to move between forests, uplands and lowland habitats in search of food, breeding areas and cooler climates.

As ecosystems stretch across regional boundaries, changes to landscapes in areas such as Mount Fox can potentially affect wildlife movement and habitat connectivity across neighbouring areas, including parts of the Burdekin.

Conservation groups say developments in intact ecosystems can sometimes have impacts beyond the immediate project footprint, highlighting fragmentation of habitat, disruption of wildlife corridors and the cumulative effect of multiple developments across a region are issues commonly raised in environmental planning discussions.

Groups such as Rainforest Reserves Australia say developments in ecologically complex areas require careful scrutiny, arguing the concern is not ideological but ecological.

The Community Voice

Keep Mount Fox Beautiful, a local community group made up of residents and conservation-minded supporters, has become a focal point for those seeking more information about the project.

Members say they are not opposed to renewable energy itself, but want greater transparency around site selection and potential environmental impacts.

“This isn’t about stopping renewables,” one campaign message states.

“It’s about putting them in the right places.”

What Happens Next

Whilst the Mount Fox proposal remains under consideration, all eyes will be on MFEP to deliver updates on the initiative as the project progresses through the planning process.

Whatever the outcome, the discussion unfolding in the Hinchinbrook Shire may prove influential beyond its borders and could signal how North Queensland navigates the balance between climate ambition and conservation.

Additional information can be found online at www.mtfoxenergypark.com.au, as well as a contact form to speak directly with an MFEP representative.

CAPTIONS:

1. The proposed location of the Mount Fox Energy Park project is located approximately 100 to 120 kilometres of the Burdekin. Photo source: MFEP
2. Mount Fox homes both tropical rainforests and open woodlands. Photo source: PeakD

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Starlight Children’s Foundation (Starlight) is calling on Australians to share their favourite kids’ jokes to help bring joy and laughter to seriously ill children in hospital.

Ahead of Starlight Day on 19 May, Starlight is inviting the community to share a joke that could help brighten the day of a child facing the challenges of serious illness.

“At Starlight, we know laughter really is the best medicine. A simple joke can turn a scary or stressful hospital moment into one filled with joy, which is why we’re asking everyone to get involved,” said Kathryn Tohill, program manager, digital entertainment and creative collaborations, Starlight Children’s Foundation.

As Australia’s broadestreaching children’s charity, Starlight delivers positive distraction and fun through Starlight Express Rooms - medicalfree spaces in every major children’s hospital nationwide, and through inhospital play and entertainment provided by Captain Starlight.

For mum Sophia Kersten, those moments of joy made an enormous difference to her daughter Ella, now six. Ella was born with laryngomalacia and tracheomalacia — a floppy windpipe and vocal cord paralysis — and has undergone multiple surgeries since birth.

“There were times Ella wouldn’t laugh for weeks,” Sophia said.

“But the moment we walked into the Starlight Express Room, Captain Starlight’s silly jokes and games brought her giggles back. The joy they bring melts away the anxiety and stress of hospital so kids like Ella can just be themselves again.”

Participants can submit their favourite kids jokes to help put a smile on the face of a seriously ill child at ​www.starlight.org.au​.

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Last year, in the span of just a month, Ayr resident Norman Bethell lost two of his close friends to suicide. Shaken, he made it his mission to ensure no one else would have to suffer in silence.

Building Bonds On The Greens

Norman Bethell was hit hard in the middle of last year. After losing two friends to suicide within the span of a month, the 78-year-old saw firsthand the toll loneliness and mental health struggles can take, and felt compelled to act. That action became ‘Funday Tuesdays’.

Coined and hosted by Bethell at the Home Hill Community Sports Club, Funday Tuesdays are a weekly community gathering aimed at tackling loneliness and supporting mental wellbeing.

"It's so that someone doesn't do what happened to my friends," Bethell said.

“I thought, ‘No one else normally is going to [start a group], so just get up and stand up on your own—do something about it.’”

The first Funday Tuesday meeting, held earlier this year, saw just one person attend. While many called it a failure, Bethell saw a silver lining.

“One was better than none!” he said.

Now, each event sees up to 20 people connect over lawn bowls and other activities, devoid of stipulations.

“There's no, ‘You got to do this’ or ‘You got to do that’—there're no rules. It's a fun day, and when you have a fun day, you do whatever you want to do,” Bethell said.

“It’s all about community. It’s for people who would usually rather walk past each other than say hello, and breaking down that barrier down—meeting somebody new so they don't feel go back home and feel so lonely.”

That impact has been felt by regular attendees, who say Funday Tuesdays offer a haven of connection rather than merely a meeting point.

“I enjoy the people, and it’s good to get to know something that is different,” she said.

“I’m mostly with my group, but the more that we're together, the more like family we become."

Bethell encourages anyone to drop by and see what Funday Tuesdays are all about.

"Don't be shy. If you feel like you're a bit on your own, walk in the gate and visit. Be brave and make the first step, because only you can do it. I can’t do it for you,” Bethell said.

The group meets every Tuesday morning at 10am at the Home Hill Community Sports Club. For more information, contact Norm on 0455 994 775.

CAPTIONS:

1—Each event sees up to 20 people connect over lawn bowls and other activities. Photo credit: Jacob Casha

2— The group meets every Tuesday morning at 10am at the Home Hill Community Sports Club. Photo supplied

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Women are worth celebrating every day, although over the weekend, the Burdekin had the chance to celebrate the women that help the region tick in a special way.

I had the privilege of attending Zonta’s International Women’s Day celebrations on Sunday and, boy, what a turnout.

As the afternoon rolled on and I sat there, camera in hand, I began to feel a sense of gratitude for the women that have played pivotal roles in my life.

First that sprung to mind was my mum. Honestly? I’m not sure where I’d be without my mum’s care, love, and genuine desire to see me succeed. She has been a role model in so many ways, even if not always obvious.

Love ya, mum.

Then I thought of my high school teachers, who never let me settle for ‘good enough’. The colleagues who make my job as seamless as possible. The friends who have been my anchors.

Their fingerprints are everywhere.

I think we should make a habit of appreciating the work women do every day, not just once a year… But for now, here’s to women.

Because without the women in my life, I definitely wouldn’t be anywhere close the person I am today.

My cortisol levels would probably be much lower, though.

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The Burdekin community “cruised” into celebrations for International Women’s Day on Sunday, 8 March, with a whopping 175 people packed into the Memorial Hall to celebrate the region’s women, making it the best-attended iteration of the event in recent history.

Hosted by Zonta, the afternoon featured a “Cruise with Zonta” theme, which saw guests and hosts alike donning cruise-themed outfits and accessories.

Long-time Zonta member Inez Larsen said the organisation was pleased by the amount of support on the afternoon.

“This year’s turnout was fantastic; we were a bit overwhelmed, honestly,” said Larsen.

“The community support and interaction, especially dressing for the theme, really made the afternoon fun.”

The afternoon saw presentations from guest speakers Kathleen Noonan, journalist and Second Chance Programme volunteer, and Louise Nicholas, Senior Secondary Agricultural Science teacher and Agricultural Coordinator at Home Hill State High School, both sharing messages on community support, education, and addressing issues such as family violence and homelessness.

Larsen said she hopes guests were able to gain something from the afternoon.

“The UN theme was “give to gain,” and our speakers really encompassed that within their in their presentations,” she said.

“I think the key message was the importance of support, community support, family support, and the importance of respect within our community and within ourselves.”

Larsen thanked the event’s sponsors, particularly Burdekin Readers & Writers, and the local community for their support and enthusiasm in making International Women’s Day a spirited celebration.

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Lower Burdekin cane growers have the opportunity to boost irrigation efficiency and reduce farm costs through a new project aimed at modernising irrigation systems.

The Burdekin Tailored Automation project, delivered by NQ Dry Tropics, is encouraging growers to register their interest in upgrading to automated irrigation systems, with incentive grants of up to $30,000 available to help fund the transition.

The three-year project aims to improve irrigation practices across the region by ensuring crops receive the right amount of water at the right time. By automating irrigation infrastructure, growers may be able to reduce input costs, labour and water usage while maintaining crop yields.

Project Officer Michael Hobbs said inefficient irrigation systems were one of the main drivers of nutrient and pesticide runoff from farms.

Excess irrigation water can carry dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), pesticides and other nutrients into nearby waterways, where they may eventually reach the Great Barrier Reef.

“That excess water provides no production benefit to the farmer and can wash valuable nutrients and pesticides away from where they’re needed in the paddock,” Mr Hobbs said.

“By applying the correct amount of water needed by the crop, it’s possible to reduce that runoff pathway while also improving the farm’s bottom line.”

Improved irrigation efficiency can also help address rising groundwater levels in some parts of the Lower Burdekin and may reduce issues such as waterlogging that can impact crop growth.

The project forms part of the Australian Government’s Reef Trust Reefwise Farming Program, which aims to improve water quality flowing to the reef while supporting farm productivity.

Places are limited and growers are encouraged to submit an expression of interest as soon as possible.

CAPTION: NQ Dry Tropics are giving local canegrowers with the opportunity to take their irrigation regimes to the next level, reducing input costs, and labour while maintaining yields. Photo source: NQ Dry Tropics

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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.

The headwinds are already gathering. With global sugar prices softening and input costs rising, growers in the region are entering an increasingly uncertain market. In some cases, the squeeze is already being felt on the ground.

But despite the seemingly gloomy picture of the current sugar market, CBL Director Owen Menkens says there are answers for growers, and that they may be closer than we think.

“The big buzzword at the moment, obviously, is ethanol,” Menkens says.

"Along with ethanol, there’s sustainable aviation fuels, both of which are very exciting… But if the biofuels industry is going to happen in Australia, it has to happen now.”

Menkens has led a years-long push for biofuel mandates across the country in hopes of opening a reliable revenue stream for Australian growers beyond traditional sugar crystal.

Up to now, those calls have fallen on deaf ears. However, CBL Manager Greg Watson anticipates real steps forward over the next decade, if not sooner.

“There have been many false dawns with different uses for our sugar cane, and a lot of people have come into the district promising all of these wonderful products which just haven't gotten anywhere,” said Watson.

“But from what we've seen the last couple of years, the momentum is building, and the pace of that momentum is just increasing considerably. We can see the bio economy providing a tremendous growth transition path to take industry to the next level within the next five to 10 years.”

“All it will take to turn the light from red to green… is a stroke of the pen from government to implement and enforce biofuels mandates to provide investors with certainty to then allocate capital to kickstart this opportunity for the future.”

Menkens stressed that, in the meantime and beyond, farmers would need to embrace the rapid technological advances reshaping the industry in order to help navigate current and future markets.

“We have to stay ahead of technology," said Menkens.

"The margins are getting smaller, so you just have to be able to do it cheaper and better.”

He says that while innovation can help growers survive today’s pressures, the bigger picture is about preparing the industry for those who will inherit it, with initiatives like ‘Burdekin’s Sweetest School’ competition typifying that stance.

“I only do this job for the next generation,” said Menkens.

“It's a difficult time at the moment for growers, but hopefully we can band together and come up with solutions.

"The industry needs to survive; it needs to be profitable; it needs to be viable for farmers. That's what we've got to try and do, however which way we can.”

CBL Chair Glenn Betteridge said now is the time for growers to unite as Canegrowers charts the path forward.

“Our doors are always open to anyone who's interested in coming in, whether it be as a member or a Director,” he said.

“We're a broad church. We’ll work with anybody who shares our vision and values for the benefit of the industry.”

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Populin Enterprises – Automatic Billet Planter

In 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.

Before their breakthrough, cane planting was a labour-intensive process requiring large crews to manually place cane billets into the ground. The Populin brothers’ invention mechanised the process, dramatically reducing labour requirements and increasing efficiency.

The prototype was first used on the Populin family farm on Groper Creek Road, where it quickly proved its value in real farming conditions. Demand from growers soon followed. In 1973, the brothers introduced an improved two-row semi-mounted model capable of carrying two tonnes of chopper-harvested plant cane and planting at a rate exceeding two acres per hour.

Their design was officially patented on March 16, 1976. Manufactured locally through Populin Enterprises in Home Hill, the planters were sold across Australia and exported to major sugar-producing regions including Brazil, the United States and Hawaii. Modern billet planters still trace their design back to the Populin brothers’ original concept.

Ray Menkens – Lay-Flat Plastic Fluming System

In the mid-1960s, Burdekin cane grower Ray Menkens began experimenting with new irrigation methods that would ultimately transform water management across the sugar industry.

Seeking an alternative to traditional open earth drains and pipe systems, Menkens trialled yellow lay-flat plastic for irrigation fluming. The early material proved unsuitable for North Queensland conditions, melting in the sun and lacking durability.

Determined to improve the concept, Menkens travelled to Sydney to work directly with a plastics manufacturer’s engineer. Together they developed a far more robust black lay-flat fluming capable of withstanding the region’s harsh climate. To encourage adoption, the product was released with a 25-year guarantee.

Early versions included screw-in cups moulded into the plastic, but practical field experience led to further refinement. With input from the Rubiola family, the system evolved to the cup-insertion method widely used today. Graeme Haller later designed a specialised fluming roller, improving efficiency again. By the mid-1970s, lay-flat plastic fluming had become widely adopted, delivering major labour savings for irrigation across the sugar industry.

A Cannavan & Sons – Self-Propelled Over-the-Row Cane Harvester

In the late 1950s, Burdekin innovator Arthur Cannavan (deceased) set out to mechanise one of the most physically demanding tasks in the sugar industry: harvesting cane.

With a clear vision and the support of his family, Cannavan approached a local blacksmith’s workshop in 1959 to help bring his ideas to life.

The result was a pioneering self-propelled over-the-row cane harvester that introduced a completely new approach to harvesting. Cannavan developed a system using augers and rollers to feed cane into a cutting mechanism, combined with his distinctive “chop and throw” method that cut the cane into billets and delivered them directly for transport.

The machine proved its worth quickly. In 1961, Cannavan’s harvester delivered the first chopped cane to Inkerman Mill, marking a significant milestone in the mechanisation of the industry.

Many of the fundamental concepts he developed, including the use of augers, rollers and billet chopping, remain core features of modern cane harvesters, cementing Cannavan’s place as a pioneer of mechanised harvesting.

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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.

“I grew up always wanting to be on the farm,” Steve says.

A third generation cane farmer, Steve went into business with his father in 1998. When his father passed away in 2015, it was left to Steve to guide the farm forward.

And he did just that.

In the meantime, he would join the CANEGROWERS Burdekin Limited Board as a Director in 2013, eager for answers in what was a rocky period for the local industry. Seeing the organisation’s extensive work for farmers first-hand kept him on the board for another 13 years and counting.

Despite the work of CANEGROWERS, Steve says the industry’s real strength lies in the steadfastness of farmers themselves.

"It isn’t looking good as far as low prices and sugar at the moment, and looks like our inputs are going to climb this year… But growers always seem to show resilience, and the industry seems to pull through challenging times,” he said.

“I'm looking forward to us getting through this low spot again and getting on the other side and being both environmentally sustainable  and financially viable moving forward.”

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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.

Though eventually, the pull of the land proved stronger.

“It’s in your blood,” says Menkens.

“I went through periods where I didn't want to [farm]… but it was always there.”

With that epiphany, by the late 1990s, he was back in the paddock. Nearly 30 years later, he’s still there, now growing around 36,000 tonnes of cane each year while representing growers from the Burdekin to the global stage.

Menkens joined the CANEGROWERS Burdekin Limited board as a director in 2010. From that platform, he promptly climbed the ranks, now holding the chairmanship of both CANEGROWERS Queensland and CANEGROWERS Australia.

Reaching the top was never the endgame for Owen, but rather an added bonus.

“At the end of the day, whether you're a director of [one of the branches], or where I am, it’s all about just trying to get good results, and trying to make the industry better,” Menkens says.

That drive has kept him at the forefront of the industry, involving legal disputes, landmark sugar marketing legislation, and the introduction of the code of conduct that have given growers more control and better tools to manage risk.

Those experiences have given Menkens a reason to believe in the future of the industry.

“As long as we stay at the cutting edge of technology and keep ourselves open to new ideas, we'll always keep going.”

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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.

But his early career took him down a different path.

After finishing high school, he studied commerce at James Cook University before embarking on a career in banking, first in business, then agribusiness. A decade later, he switched to financial planning, eventually becoming self-employed in a practice for 13 years.

Eventually, though, his roots in the sugarcane industry drew him back to the heart of it.

He would go on to serve as Executive Officer for the CRC for Sustainable Sugar Production, followed by a role as Grower Relationship Manager for QSL in the Burdekin and Herbert River regions, before returning to the Burdekin as Manager of CANEGROWERS Burdekin Limited in 2020.

This time, however, he returned to the Burdekin with decades of experience in financial services, along with his home-grown passion for the region and the personal approach that defines his work today.

“I'm just always somebody who really enjoys helping people where I can,” says Greg.

“I try not to say no, which is probably a downfall in some respects, but I just try my best to deliver services to growers and assist them when in need.”

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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.

“I was born in Home Hill Hospital, and will probably be planted in the Home Hill cemetery!” Glenn quipped.

His connection to cane farming began with his grandparents, who owned a small farm on Home Hill’s southern side. His father and uncles cut cane by hand, eventually upgrading to full stick loaders and harvesters, marking the family’s shift into mechanised harvesting.

After leaving school, Glenn completed an apprenticeship as an electrician at Inkerman Mill in 1991, a role he credits with giving him an understanding of the processes behind milling.

But once he finished his apprenticeship, he was drawn straight to the paddock.

He and his brothers would purchase a small parcel of land in 1994, and over the next three decades, he not only operated the machinery but managed the harvest, gradually taking ownership of his own operations.

Today, his son oversees the harvesting group, while Glenn’s five-year-old grandson has already started accompanying his father, hinting at a fourth generation ready to carry the family’s tradition forward.

The step back allowed Glenn to focus on his role as Chair of CANEGROWERS Burdekin Limited (CBL). Serving on the CBL board since 2019, he says his priority lies in securing the future for the next generation of farmers.

“I’d like to try and secure the future of our industry,” he said.

“I believe in our industry. With sustainable fuel sources, we can be the leaders in that area if we can get the right support from government.”

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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.

But as the industry surged into the future, growers themselves found they were not sharing equally in its success—a sentiment shared up and down the state.

At the time, Queensland cane farmers were largely independent operators, working within an industry where their commercial freedoms were heavily dictated by mill owners. For all the cane they grew, and every backbreaking season spent in the fields, they rarely reaped the rewards they believed they deserved.

This frustration eventually led to an epiphany that would reshape the industry forever.

“Our farming forefathers and mothers realised that the industry is bigger than individuals,” says CANEGROWERS Burdekin Limited (CBL) Chair Glenn Betteridge.

“That’s something that still rings true today.”

That collective understanding gave rise to what would eventually become CANEGROWERS.

Born from necessity rather than mere ambition, the organisation emerged in Mackay in 1926 as a collective voice. One that could advocate strongly for farmers in pursuit of equity, bound by a steadfast, unifying conviction.

A voice that would ultimately sustain the organisation, and the sugarcane industry alike, for a century.

“If we didn't have a system of negotiation that was based on solid principles and proper governance, the industry would probably have fallen over,” said current Queensland CANEGROWERS Chairman and CBL Director Owen Menkens.

“I think the whole industry was working better because of working together. Working together to look at problems, come up with solutions, and make our industry better.”

Today, the team of staff and directors at CBL lead an operation grounded in those same values.

Since officially becoming CANEGROWERS Burdekin Limited in 2005, the company has overseen major wins for local farmers, from negotiating one of the districts best cane supply agreements to securing fair transport arrangements, fighting each battle united in stance and shared purpose.

Yet perhaps more importantly, the byproduct of these battles, regardless of outcome, has become the catalyst of something far grander than legal victories. It birthed a community.

A family.

“Things like [the 100-Year Anniversary Ball], and the grower meetings… it's good for growers. It's good for getting together with other growers and making fun of them in the spirit of mateship,” said Menkens.

“It's good for their mental health, and especially as we head into low prices. You need someone to gather everyone together.”

CBL Manager Greg Watson says fostering this sense of family is at the heart of how the organisation operates.

“Our Directors and staff in most cases have grown up with our members over many decades. We go over and above what we are here to do to develop strong personal relationships with our members, because we see them as part of a bigger family,” says Watson.

From stepping out of sugar industry related matters, to helping growers find specialist appointments, to sorting internet connections, arranging home security installations, or places to see on holidays, the organisation has always been there, looking out for its people where we can.

“Sometimes we can't get the outcome they want, but the fact that we sit down, we listen to them, and we have a go and try… growers really appreciate that.”

Now more than ever, as the industry faces low prices and ongoing challenges, the value of sticking together remains paramount. With a century supporting growers, building community, and protecting livelihoods, CANEGROWERS enters the next century with the same spirit of unity and commitment that has always defined it.

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