Rocky Point Sugar Mill to End Cane Contracts After 2027, Leaving Gold Coast Growers Uncertain
Gold Coast cane growers were told the Rocky Point sugar mill will cease crushing their harvest after the 2027 season, putting them in limbo.
The Rocky Point sugar mill at Woongoolba, a historic Queensland operation run by the Heck family since 1878, sent a formal notice to roughly 50 cane growers that their supply contract will end after the 2027 crushing season. Governing director David Heck offered no reason for the decision and will not confirm if the mill will shut down, pledging further information in September. Rocky Point District Canegrowers chair Greg Zipf described the move as devastating and warned of a “ripple effect” across families and supporting businesses in the Gold Coast region.
The area, which yields up to 290,000 tonnes of sugarcane annually, has seen other mill closures, most recently Mossman Mill in 2024. In response, growers and a working group are assessing the feasibility of hauling cane to the Condong Sugar Mill in northern New South Wales, engaging trailer manufacturers to maximise payloads. Canegrowers chairman Owen Menkens expressed confidence that growers will find solutions, while deputy mayor Mark Hammel emphasized the need to plan for the region’s future and protect agricultural heritage.
Why it matters
The closure threatens the livelihoods of dozens of farmers and could reshape the Gold Coast’s agricultural landscape.
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