A sweet start to Nambour’s industrial growth

The Moreton Central Sugar Mill opened in 1897 and was hailed as a great new industry. It was a sad day for the district when it closed in December 2003.

A film, The Last Crush, is available at the Nambour Heritage Library and records the history of the closing of  the mill.

The sugar mill was built close to the railway line for cane arriving by steam train from farms north and south. Nowadays, the site is known as Nambour Mill Village, Coles Supermarket.

Pieces of large machinery placed on roundabouts or near roadside in Nambour remind us of the time the mill operated. Heritage-listed old narrow cane tram lines in Howard Street also remind us of cane trams noisily bustling towards the mill.

Farmers and residents were proud of this industry. The district prospered from the sugar mill. Some of us may recall the smell of molasses over the town and of course, the smoke from the mill.

Cane tram lines were developed over the district, even as far as Coolum and along Petrie Creek. In the 1920s and 1930s, passengers were transported on excursions. They could travel to Coolum. Maroochydore could be reached by tram and boat.

The Wax Factory, 1943 – 1961, came about from the use of mill mud, a by-product from the crushing of cane. It was much in demand from gardeners as an effective fertiliser before and after the wax was extracted. A rich aroma surrounded the factory.

Residents regularly complained about the noise from the factory and the smell. It too was close to town, on the tram line in Howard Street.

It came about during World War Two when wax polishes, carbon paper and teleprinter tapes were not able to be imported. Fred Gilmore initiated the factory.

The types of cane grown in the 1940s were suitable for wax extraction. Modern-day cane varieties would not yield the same product.

Shoes, hair and floors all needed polish of different kinds. Chief Cane Wax Floor Polish was a popular local brand until after World War II, when cheap plastic polishes were available.

Another early industry fondly remembered is Wimmers’ Softdrink & Cordial Factory. The Wimmer family purchased the business from George Pitman in 1909. Originally the business was established by D. Will in 1905.

In 1997, the Wimmers’ Soft Drink company was purchased by Cooroy Mountain Spring Water. It now calls itself Noosa Beverages and says it still uses those original recipes for its many different soft drinks, which can be purchased all over Australia.

Many residents have fond memories of Wimmers’ factory on the corner of Bury and Currie Streets, especially the wooden cases, now collectors’ items, with the rattling glass bottles of assorted soft drinks, a standard buy. As they say, “Wet your whistle with Wimmers”.

 Audienne Blyth is a member of the Nambour Historical Museum, open 1-4pm Wednesdays to Fridays, and 10am-3pm Saturdays.