Vincent Castle: Tributes flow after death of Palmers Island sugarcane farmer, executive of Clarence Cane Growers Association

A much-loved figure in the NSW sugarcane industry has been remembered for his dedication to the Clarence community after his death.

Pat and Vince Castle outside the Castle Centre – Caringa's building in Grafton.

Tributes are pouring in for a Clarence Valley sugarcane farmer and industry advocate, who has been remembered as an “exceptional man”.

Vincent ‘Vince’ Castle died in the Clarence recently following a lifetime of commitment to the Australian sugar industry. He was 85-years old.

Mr Castle has been described as a longtime advocate of the business and referred to by those who know him, whether personally or professionally, as an “exceptional man”.

Vince Castle.

Mr Castle was born and raised on a sugarcane and dairy farm in the Palmers Channel area, near Yamba.

He was known as a family man, hard worker, negotiator and orator, as well as a practical joker, Sunshine Sugar said in a statement.

Having attended school at the now closed Palmers Channel School, Mr Castle and his twin brother Tony are still remembered by their peers as having played on their likeness to pull many a prank on friends, family and even their doctor.

Vince was also known as an extraordinarily hard worker.

He led a team of six men cutting and loading some 120 tonnes of cane by hand per day for more than 20 seasons. It was remarkable to him when the first of the mechanical harvesters arrived on the scene and could cut some 600 tonnes in a day.

Current chairman of the NSW Cane Growers Council Ross Farlow with his predecessor Vince Castle (left) reunited for a special Cane Cutters Morning Tea in Harwood in 2021.

In 2021, The Daily Examiner interviewed Mr Castle after Caringa Australia’s Grafton headquarters officially renamed their office building The Castle Centre.

“I left school at 14 with my twin brother,” he said at the time.

“We cut cane by hand for 20 seasons – 20 tonne per man per day, cut cane as late as January 30 in heatwave conditions.”

It was through his son Steven that he became involved with the Caringa organisation.

“We knew very little about autism, and we had him at home for 30 years, because we were told if we weren’t here there was no home in the Clarence and he’d end up in Newcastle, and we had to take that serious,” Mr Castle said.

Mechanisation and other advancements in cane farming allowed him to focus more of his energy on industry involvement.

Mr Castle was the founding chairman of the Palmers Island Harvesting Co-operative. This later became Central Clarence and then Clarence Harvesting Co-operative as it’s known today.

He also served as an executive member of the Clarence Cane Growers Association for many years and held the position of Chairman from 1998 to 2012 and he was a delegate on the NSW Cane Growers Council, holding the chairman’s position from 2007 to 2012.

His passion for his family led to Mr Castle directing an enormous amount of effort to support families with disabled children.

In 1953, Mr Castle played an instrumental role in raising money to start the Caringa School for children with disability. Fast forward 70 years and Caringa now delivers a wide range of disability support services regionally.

Pat and Vince Castle outside the Castle Centre.

In 2013, Mr Castle was awarded a Premier's Community Award and in 2021, a plaque was unveiled to officially name the new Caringa building after Vince for his long tenure as chairman.

At the official unveiling of the Castle Centre in 2021, with wife Pat alongside him, Mr Castle said he was very proud of the honour.

“I never thought I’d have a building named after me – I’m very proud, and I’m happy for the whole organisation,” he said.

“We’ve done all right. We give ourselves a little pat on the back every now and then.”

Originally published as Vincent Castle: Tributes flow after death of Palmers Island sugarcane farmer, executive of Clarence Cane Growers Association