Amy Spear | Australian Banana Growers

Major coalition: Urgent mental health help needed in agriculture

A major coalition has sent a powerful message calling for immediate action to address the mental health crisis in agriculture. The Australian Banana Growers’ Council (ABGC) has joined thirty other rural and healthcare organisations to launch a joint statement to address the crisis disproportionally affecting…

Severe weather – QLD and NSW

Flooding in Far North Queensland – disaster assistance Click here Tropical Cyclone Alfred – Northern NSW & Southeast QLD Click here

Tropical Cyclone Alfred

*Updated April 2025* Growers across Northern New South Wales are still counting the cost of the rain and extreme wind brought by an unusually southerntracking tropical cyclone earlier this year. While Alfred was downgraded before he made landfall, the ex-TC still proved devastating, with over…

Far North Queensland flooding

*Updated April 2025* Banana growers in North Queensland have faced extreme weather challenges this year. Severe storms affected growing areas south of Tully in January, and extreme rainfall from tropical lows caused major flooding in the Tully, Johnstone and Herbert and Burdekin River catchments. The…

Growers’ e-bulletin – 13 February, 2025

FNQ situation update (13 Feb)Access to and from Far North Queensland is still restricted. There have been reports of intermittent access throughout the week but growers are largely unable to send their fruit south. The cost to industry has been estimated at about $20 million…

Growers’ e-bulletin – Far North Queensland weather update

Report damage via the Queensland DPI Agriculture Disaster Impact Survey* What we know about the current situation Growers around Tully south are currently most affected, though this could change quickly. Many are unable to access their farms so it will take time…

MBL Bananas feature on podcast

Award-winning banana growers Steve Lizzio and Richelle Miles shared their story of successful, sustainable farming on the Reef and Rivers Podcast. Their business, MBL Bananas, won the Future Farming Award in 2023. Produced by Wet Tropics Waterways, the podcast showcases what the banana industry has…