On The Land
25 January, 2026
Wet season adds to transport woes
THE current seasonal rainfall might be very welcome in some sectors, but there are different views on the increasing wet conditions.
With the bulk of mango and lychee crops now well and truly harvested and delivered to southern markets, the seasonal downpours could also adversely affect late season varieties and pose some challenges for the harvesting and delivery of avocados and other produce to lucrative markets in the south.
The crops might be packed and transported off farm, but the ever-changing weather is at the forefront of the minds of management, staff and drivers of the huge transport companies that farmers entrust their crops to to deliver to waiting southern markets in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
Based in Mareeba Industrial Area, Lindsay Transport is by far the region’s largest company transporting the Tablelands and Mareeba-Dimbulah Irrigation Area’s tree and field crops to southern markets.
“Everyone in our company knows the critical urgency that surrounds getting those crops to their southern destinations in the shortest and most efficient time,” depot manager Julia Ninness said.
“We can despatch Australia wide from our depot here in Mareeba. In fact, this week we also sent a variety of produce to Adelaide and Perth.
“At this time of the year, we carry an average of 2500 to 3000 pallets per week, with the majority being mangoes, bananas and papayas going to Sydney, but some also is in transit to Brisbane and Melbourne.
“Overall, I consider the whole exercise to be a team effort and Lindsay Transport Mareeba is very proud of being part of that team approach in getting produce to markets in southern centres in the best condition possible and in the shortest time possible,” Julia added.
