Pleystowe Mill
| Location |
Eungella Road, Pleystowe |
| Postal address |
PO Box 5720, Mackay Mail Centre, Queensland, 4741 Australia |
| Phone |
(07) 4953 8500 |
| Fax |
(07) 4953 8504 |
History
Pleystowe mill is located about 18 kilometres west of Mackay, on the southern bank of the picturesque Pioneer River. The Pleystowe Sugar Plantation began operations at the end of 1869, when the land where the mill now stands was purchased from a selector who had been growing cotton and tobacco before sugar cane was introduced into the district.
Crops were first planted there in 1870-71 and machinery installed. The next year, 1872, Pleystowe mill's first manufactured sugar was sent to Mackay by horse team for shipment to the Queensland capital, Brisbane.
Between 1884 and 1903, the mill's ownership changed twice and its operations extended until, in 1903 the Queensland Government took possession due to the mill's inability to make financial repayments on monies loaned by the government for the mill's extensions. The government relinquished control in 1905 when the mill's bank guaranteed the debt.
Damage caused by the 1918 cyclone to the adjoining mill, The Palms, was so extensive that its cane supply was sent to Pleystowe to be crushed. In 1925 this led to the amalgamation of the two mills under the name of Amalgamated Sugar Mills Limited.
This company became part of CSR Limited in 1975 following the absorption of The Australian Estates Co Limited group of companies by CSR Limited.
In January 1988, Mackay Sugar Co-operative Association Limited purchased Pleystowe mill.