Wilmar Sugar has launched a virtual mill tour that lets anyone, anywhere, step inside a working sugar mill and learn about the sugar-making process.
The new VR tour was created at Wilmar’s Pioneer Mill in the Burdekin region and is a first for the company.
General Manager Operations Mike McLeod said the virtual tour provided visitors with an immersive experience of the sugar manufacturing process – from start to finish.
“We’re really proud to launch this virtual tour, as it will allow people from all over the world to explore our Pioneer Mill facility from their computer or mobile device,” Mr McLeod said.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase our operations, share our knowledge and promote the Australian sugar manufacturing industry.”
Wilmar Sugar Production Superintendent James Wallace said the virtual tour would be well received by tourists, students and people from Queensland’s milling communities.
“We know there’s a lot of interest in what goes on inside a sugar mill and we get frequent requests for mill tours, particularly from tourists,” he said.
“We can’t provide public tours due to safety reasons, but now we can offer virtual tours.”
Brandon State School Principal Rowan Coffey said the virtual mill tour would be a valuable learning resource.
“Our kids are digital kids and they love exploring virtual spaces. This virtual tour will allow children to really look inside the production of sugar and allow us to understand how we produce food,” Mr Coffey said.
The virtual tour was created using Matterport 3D technology. The final product features 17 ‘rooms’ with information boxes, as well as videos that capture the sights and sounds of the factory.
Visitors can navigate through the different parts of the mill, from the tippler where the cane comes into the factory to the dryer where the sugar crystals are tumble dried before going into storage.
They can also see inside the powerhouse, where green energy is generated for Queensland homes.
Wilmar Sugar is Australia’s largest sugar manufacturer. It operates eight sugar mills across the Herbert, Burdekin, Proserpine and Sarina regions, and is the major joint-venture partner of sugar refineries in Mackay, Victoria and New Zealand.
