The sugar and honey industries have long associations with Evans Head, Woodburn and Broadwater and continue to be of wide interest to our visitors. In the 1800’s there were a number of separately owned and run sugar mills in the Woodburn area and the early 1900’s the Broadwater Sugar Mill became the major plant for the processing of sugar cane and its products. In the early days sugar cane was delivered to the Mill by barge and tug with the hand-cut cane being taken to the riverbank for collection. At the beginning delivery to the wharf was by horse drawn rail cart but later on motor driven engines did the hauling. In recent times haulage to the Mill is by road. One of the tugboat captains was the Australian champion rower Snowy Burns whose magnificent ‘Referees’ Cup may be seen at the Evans Head Bowling Club
The Evans Head area produces wonderful high-quality honey reflecting the extensive wildflower varieties of the local bush. Recent developments of the ‘Medihoney’ industry are focused on Evans Head and Broadwater where the three species of Leptospermum, sometimes called ‘Jellybush’ plants, provide the active ingredient for medicinal treatments.
