Sarina’s Sugar Shed celebrates 15 years of business

A staple of Sarina’s tourism is celebrating 15 years of business with a recent influx of domestic visitors enjoying the products.

An increase in community awareness and domestic tourism has led to a sweet result for one particular business in Sarina.

The Sugar Shed, that is celebrating its 15th year in business, produces an assortment of sauces, chutneys and liqueurs, all derived from the sugar harvested in the region.

Sugar Shed’s Ian Mason said the growth in local tourism because of border restrictions had made a major impact in the popularity of the business.

“People across the region are now exploring places they never have before,” he said.

“People find they can taste the local flavour, and they like the idea of buying local and helping businesses in the region.

“We certainly get a lot of locals from across the region coming in for tours and to visit.”

Mackay Regional Council launched the Know your Burb website at the Parklands on Tuesday; an initiative founded to help residents in the Mackay region discover what their communities have to offer.

Mr Mason said it was an important for businesses to use other local suppliers and to source local products.

“We always source fruit and vegetables from local farms in an effort to support local businesses,” Mr Mason said.

“It makes the region more sustainable, we need to make sure everyone in the area is as involved as possible because the little contributions add up for economic growth.”

Mackay Regional Councillor Belinda Hassan said there were many positive aspects about exploring local communities.

“We’ve got the Sugar Sheds, the Sarina Art Gallery, the Field of Dreams, all in this area,” Cr Hassan said.

“People who come to the park can access all these fantastic facilities, and can then visit the beaches nearby or the shops and experience the local area.”