Height
8 meters
Year Built
1996
Address
Bruce Highway, Innisfail, QLD 4860
The Lowdown
The Big Sugar Cane in Innisfail celebrates the crop that has shaped tropical Queensland for over a century - sugar cane. This tall green sculpture captures the distinctive jointed stalks and swaying fronds of sugar cane, representing the industry that stretches along the Queensland coast from Cairns to Bundaberg. The Innisfail region is one of Australia's most productive sugar growing areas, where the combination of tropical rainfall, rich soils, and warm temperatures creates ideal growing conditions. During harvest season (June-December), the air is filled with the sweet smell of cane as cane trains wind through the fields and mills work around the clock. The Big Sugar Cane invites visitors to explore the industry that built tropical Queensland.
Did you know?
"Queensland produces about 95% of Australia's sugar"
History
The Big Sugar Cane was erected in 1996 to celebrate Innisfail's sugar heritage. Sugar cane was first grown commercially in Queensland in the 1860s, and the industry expanded rapidly along the tropical coast. Innisfail's sugar mill has been operating since 1882, processing millions of tonnes of cane into raw sugar for export and domestic use.
More Fun Facts
- •Queensland produces about 95% of Australia's sugar
- •Sugar cane takes 12-16 months to mature
- •Australia exports about 80% of its raw sugar, mainly to Asia
- •Cane trains run on over 4,000km of narrow-gauge track in Queensland
- •The burning of cane before harvest is being phased out for green harvesting
Visiting Tips
- 💡Watch for cane trains crossing roads during crushing season
- 💡Innisfail has beautiful Art Deco architecture from the 1930s
- 💡Try raw sugar products at local markets
- 💡The nearby rainforest has spectacular waterfalls
- 💡Innisfail is gateway to the Wet Tropics World Heritage rainforests
Opening Hours
The Big Sugar Cane can be viewed at any time.
More Big Things Nearby
Big Barramundi
A 6-metre long fibreglass barramundi celebrating Normanton's status as the 'Barramundi Capital of Australia'.
Big Golden Gumboot
A 7.9-metre tall golden fibreglass gumboot celebrating Tully as one of Australia's wettest towns.
Big Mango
A 10-meter tall, 7-tonne fibreglass tribute to Bowen's mango industry, famously 'stolen' by Nando's in 2014 for a viral marketing campaign.