Proserpine is the heart of sugar cane country in North Queensland, renowned for endless cane fields and its towering sugar mill. The industry generates hundreds of millions locally, serving as the region's lifeblood since its establishment in 1879.
In Queensland, pre-harvest sugar cane burning is highly restricted. Under Queensland Fire Department regulations, cane fires are legally prohibited from being conducted between 10 am and 2 pm to mitigate fire risks and smoke hazards. Most scheduled burns happen in the late afternoon, around sunset, or overnight.
Cane burning takes place during the annual harvest and crushing season, which runs from June through to December. While about 85% of Queensland's crop is now harvested 'green' intentional burning still occurs in specific regions.
I have posted photos of cane burning a few years back, I don't recall seeing these photos I took on a post on my blog. We stayed in a caravan park in Prosperine a long way from home, and it was late evening when we heard the crackle of the cane fire and of course we smelt the smoke, we headed to the gate to see what was going on as it was a surprise to us seeing cane burn for the first time. If your sound is quiet, you might need to turn it up to hear the noise.
