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Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Locally owned and proudly independent
For pride and country TIM Webster-Young knows first-hand about the importance of serving Australia in its time of need.
The former national serviceman and Afghanistan Avenue of Honour committee member was one of thousands of people across the Far North who paid tribute on Anzac Day to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Elsewhere, a fallen soldier’s name was formally recognised at Mareeba Cenotaph after a two-year battle to ensure his deeds were not forgotten. FULL STORY – PAGE 4
$100m tequila vision A LONG-term vision by a major sugar processor to harvest plants used in the production of tequila could be realised in Mareeba and the Tablelands. MSF Sugar Business Development manager Mick Ward revealed a proposal to establish a biorefinery and blue agave harvest operation, worth potentially $100 million, at last Thursday’s Mareeba Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
“It’s early stages. We are just having a look at this but we are serious about it,” he said. Popular in Mexico, blue agave is used to produce ethanol and is a key ingredient in tequila. If eventually followed through, the bio-refinery would be built alongside the company’s existing Tableland mill at Arriga. Mr Ward also spoke about MSF’s planned $75 million “green power station”, which once complete will generate 24 megawatts of electricity
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FLOOR AREAS LIVING - 127.10 GARAGE - 34.21 AL FRESCO - 14.97 PORCH - 4.66 TOTAL - 180.93m 2 19.47 SQUARES
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plans for blue agave. “The technology to grow agave and ferment it is well known and well understood,” he said. “It also provides fibre for renewable energy, which complements sugar cane bagasse which will be put through our power station.” The plant would act as a “complementary crop” to cane, able to be harvested between December
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– enough to power every house in the Tablelands region. The station will use excess sugar cane fibre, known as bagasse. The project is expected to be completed by June next year, will create about 80 jobs during construction and invest more than $40 million in locally-sourced labour and materials. But the surprise came towards the end of Mr Ward’s speech when he revealed MSF’s proposed
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