Mackay - Sugar Mill Tour 2

Oyster Moon
Paul Foskett & Rhu Nash
Tue 13 Aug 2013 08:04

A chemical is added to the original sugar liquid which helps the sugar crystallise.  They centrifuge the liquid to extract the sugar crystals.  The remaining liquid is molasses.  It is centrifuged twice more to extract all the sugar.  Thus you get molasses A, B and C!  !.  Molasses B is used to make my favourite drink … rum!

 

 

Paul tasting molasses A and the raw sugar.

 

 

Molasses pouring into one of the centrifuges.

 

 

The pile of sugar being dumped on the floor had been contaminated.  Lots of people standing around.  Tour guide told us she had never seen this before.

 

 

Looks like drains blocked up, this guy is pumping sugar syrup all over the floor.

 

 

Back outside, pieces of cane like this are planted for the next harvest.  You can do this for about 7 years before you have to sow new cane.

 

 

This is sample of the original badila sugar cane imported from PNG in 1896. It has one of the highest sugar contents of any sugar cane but it has really thick stems.  When harvesting became mechanised the cane was pummelled so much that a lot of the sugar was lost.  The buds are really hard and sharp and used to cause nasty wounds.  Can imagine if you were not experienced cuter you would get shredded.  Beautiful striped stem though.