General News
11 July, 2026
Jobs No. 1 in $820m proposal
THE state government will be asked to declare a large new industrial area planned at Mourilyan Harbour as a ‘priority development area’.
Cassowary Coast Regional Council revealed in a ‘strategic business case’ at its June general meeting, further details about its plan to develop at least 85 hectares of sugar cane farming and cattle grazing land.
The business case document says setting up the entire industrial area, mainly in capital costs, would be to the tune of more than $820 million.
The planned development includes a business hub, aiming to attract growth industries like green energy manufacturing or bio-manufacturing, critical minerals processing, defence logistics, explosives storage, shipping and fertiliser distribution.
Job creation is a major focus, with the business case projecting ambitious estimates of 1380 jobs in construction alone, with $150 million worth of work and up to 4300 permanent jobs in the longer term.
Mayor Teresa Millwood said the business case would be developed with funding from the state government, Silica Resources Australia – which has immediate plans to vastly increase silica mine products from Mourilyan Port – and council.
“The project is expected to support the progressive expansion opportunities and to generate new direct and indirect employment for the region,” she said in a social media video.
“Council will now seek further funding and develop a master plan to move this exciting project forward.”
At the June meeting, the mayor referred to council’s preliminary investigations into possible compulsory land acquisition of the properties in the planned development area.
“This is not going to happen tomorrow and we were upfront and transparent in meeting with those people that might be closely affected by this,” Cr Millwood said.
“We are not pushing anybody out, trying to make people make decisions that they don’t want to make.”
Council CEO Andrew Graffen told the meeting “this is not reactive, this is something that’s been the corporate plan for some time, but it sends a clear message to industry that the Cassowary Coast is open for business.”
“We’re here to support Cairns Port and its aspirations moving forward to focus on the white boats (luxury and pleasure craft) and the grey boats (navy) that go in there,” Mr Graffen said.
“We are 100% ready to go through this process and hopefully work with the state and some private land holders and private business, to make sure that there is ongoing employment for the people of the Cassowary Coast.”
In adopting its strategic business case, council also resolved to write to the state minister for economic development “to request that a priority development area is declared over the Port of Mourilyan industrial development study area.”
Council hopes it and a private developer or developers could team up, and a state declaration of the area as a special development zone would assist in minimising ‘red tape’, speed up planning approvals and help secure funding.
Read More: Cassowary Coast