Chapter 14: The Sugar Mill and Mackay

Monday Week 6

The drive to Sarina the next day was a long one, which meant that Peter got to share the driving again. This of course made him happy. He really liked driving the big RV. Seeing this was their destination for the night, the RV was parked and the 4WD unloaded.

They had seen a lot of sugar cane growing in fields along the highway, just as there had been around Bundaberg. It was fascinating seeing all the miniature train lines and the rolling stock used to transport the cane to the mills. Again the sweet smell of sugar cane being processed was prevalent, which reminded them of the smells at the Bundaberg Rum Factory.

As soon as the 4WD had been taken off the trailer, Dave drove them straight to the Sarina Sugar Shed. He had read about this place where there is a miniature mill replicating all the operations of a big sugar mill, but designed for tourists, especially school groups. Although all the equipment was mini, each apparatus was a working model of the equipment in a full mill, giving them the opportunity to see all the workings of a large sugar mill.

Dave had tried to get onto a tour of a sugar mill and hadn't been able to find one. Here he was told why. Because of increasing costs associated with indemnity insurance and the dangers of having tourists in the operating mills, all mill operators had decided to stop providing tours. Thus this mini mill filled an educational and tourism gap.

In the hour and a half that the tour took, they learned a lot about how sugar is produced. There were also many pieces of historic sugar industry equipment that were shown to them by their guide, who explained the history and development of sugar cane cutting and processing.

Sugar cane was crushed in front of them in the mini mill, producing the raw juice, which they tasted. One thing the group all learned and that really surprised everyone was that raw sugar and brown was made from white sugar, not the other way around. This accounted for the fact that brown sugar was dearer to buy than white sugar.

The group was also able to taste a number of products made at the mill including some yummy homemade lollies, jams and sugar cane juice plus a number of very nice liqueurs. Dave decided to buy a bottle of the mango schnapps, which the three of them had tasted and all liked. This would give them something drink after dinner.

Jill and Dave even tried some fairy floss, which Dave hadn't had since he was ten years old, but Peter wasn't interested in eating spun sugar.

"Too sweet for me" he had said.

All in all, each of them thought that it had turned out to be a very interesting and educational tour, not at all what Peter and Jill had been expecting after what Dave had told them when he suggested the tour.

Peter just had time to have a quick surf while Dave and Jill got dinner ready, so he borrowed the car and drove to the beach, returning an hour later.

After dinner, this time it was Peter who complimented Dave and Jill on the great meal both had prepared. Dave then served them a glass of the mango schnapps before turning in for an early night. It had been a fairly long day.

As Dave fell asleep, he could already hear the gentle breathing that indicated sleep coming from the other bed. Clearly, for the second night in a row everyone was too tired to indulge in night time activities.

Tuesday Week 6

In the morning, before breakfast, Dave and Jill decided to throw a line in while Peter had another surf. Dave had a second smaller rod, so he lent that to Jill to try.

First, he showed her how to join a piece of nylon fishing line about 60 centimetres long to the braided line already on the reel, using a double uni knot. He explained that when fishing with soft plastics, such as Squidgies, braided line was needed to be able to feel the fish taking the lure, but that for the last half metre or so, normal fishing line was used and the hook attached to this. The hook was attached using a grinner knot.

He also explained that if bait was being used instead of soft plastic, then a lead weight was threaded onto the nylon line with a swivel attached at the end using the same grinner knot. A second piece of nylon line about the same length was attached to the other end of the swivel and the hook attached at the end.

These knots took a bit of practice to get right, but Jill was a fairly fast learner, so soon was able to tie them by herself. Then he showed her how to attach the soft plastic lure to the hook.

Finally, he showed her how to keep the line taunt while jerking the rod to lift the lure off the bottom, feeling for any fish that might bite the lure. Once a bite was felt, it was important to strike, by jerking the rod firmly backwards into the air, to ensure the hook caught tightly in the fish's mouth. Then it was a matter of winding it in while ensuring the tension was maintained.

Neither of them caught any fish, but at least Jill got to practice casting and using the rod and Dave thought she was becoming quite competent. She was certainly quick on the uptake and very keen to learn new things.

After breakfast, they packed up and drove the short trip into Mackay. Once the RV had been set up in the camping ground, Dave got the 4WD off, while Peter and Jill did some washing and hung it on the line.