Nebia Sugar Mill 

In November 1868 Charles Fitzsimmons selected one square mile of land on the northside of the river opposite Branscombe.  He named it Nebia after a property he had been part owner of on the Mackenzie River. 

In 1870 he went into partnership with D. Gaussen, a sleeping partner in Ireland, who invested £6,000 so that a mill could be erected.  The mill machinery arrived in October 1871 and the mill could be erected.  The mill machinery arrived in October 1871 and the mill began crushing on Wednesday 1st May 1872.

Although the cane had been planted with the intention of being crushed in 1871, a good return was obtained from the crop.

After the rust setback, in1875, money was borrowed from William Sloane & Co. who then took over Nebia after Fitzsimmons died of old age in February 1876.  

Nebia became a part of the Melbourne Mackay Sugar Company, who owned six mills.  The company gradually amalgamated its mills and the 4 smaller mills, including Nebia, ceased crushing.  The bulk of Nebia lands were later bought by A.H. Tidemann and then by the McKinley family.

References -

Kerr, John. (1980).  Pioneer Pageant. Mackay, QLD: Pioneer Shire Council. p. 79, 100-101.

Manning, K.W. (1983). In Their Own Hands. Farleigh, QLD: Farleigh Co-op Milling Association Ltd. p. 57, 111-113, 124, 143.