00:02Steam has billowed out of this Queensland sugar mill for almost 130 years but financial trouble is clouding its future.
00:11If the Isis mill all of a sudden wasn't there and there was only one mill left, it would be
00:17a big hole.
00:17The Wide Bay mill is at risk of closure as low sugar prices and mechanical issues have increased debt.
00:24The mill's board is close to sealing a $9 million loan from the Queensland Government.
00:29The Commonwealth is being urged to match it.
00:32The $18 million would go a long way to providing security for the mill.
00:36Again, we are still sensitive to sugar pricing and volume.
00:39Roger Bambling is one of 200 growers who supply the sugar mill.
00:43He says it's the final hope for Mariborra farmers after their mill closed in 2020.
00:49Nowhere to go, I'd say. We'd be growing something different now.
00:51Just two sugar mills remain in the Wide Bay and Isis Central is Australia's only grower owned mill.
00:58It's also a major driver of the community's economy supporting about 1,700 jobs.
01:05Sugar is this region. It built Childers. It was the first industry here and it's the backbone of not only
01:13Childers but of lots of other towns up and down the state.
01:16Growers are cautiously planting for future seasons which needs to be done two years ahead.
01:22We're going to try and grow as much cane as we can on our business and hopefully everybody else does
01:27the same and keep this mill going.
01:29The Federal Government says it's engaging with the mill's operators about financial assistance.
01:34The Federal Government says it's a long-term loss-of-the-kind-stown-stown-stown-stown-stown-stown-stown-stown
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