The Cane Barracks Story

Cane barracks are a characteristic building of the pre-industrial cane farming landscape. Their significance lies in their social value as they have an important association with migration and settlement patterns in coastal Australia from northern NSW to Far North Queensland. The cane barracks provided temporary accommodation for cane gangs of six to twelve men and a cook, who were employed on a contracted basis during the cane cutting season. These men, and their families, came from many countries to Australia to work in the cane fields. Many of them choosing to settle in Queensland's sugar regions, providing the basis for the rich multicultural communities that exist today. Despite their significance there has been little research on cane barracks and sadly they are rapidly disappearing from our landscape. Not only does this publication document one of Queensland/the Sugar Industry's icons it also triggers awareness of the social, economic and cultural issues faced by regional Queenslanders due to the changes to the sugar industry.