Renewed Hope for Innisfail Abattoir Amidst Flourishing Grass-Finished Beef Industry

Cross Custom Meats owner Doug Cross with pasture specialist Bernie English.
A burgeoning grass-finished beef industry is spearheading the revitalization of an abattoir in the Cairns hinterland that has remained inactive for nearly two decades.
Doug Cross, an Atherton butcher and owner of the Altitude Beef brand, acquired the neglected Innisfail abattoir earlier this year and is currently refurbishing it with aims to resume operations next year.

Cross has developed his butcher shop, Cross Custom Meats, alongside the growing grass-finished beef industry on the Atherton Tablelands, with product sold across the eastern seaboard and to the Northern Territory.
Currently, Altitude Beef processes approximately 100 carcasses per week through service kill arrangements at other abattoirs, including Biggenden. Doug Cross expressed that bringing processing in-house would better secure the business’s future.
“There is quite a bit of turmoil in finding service kill providers throughout Australia, and I didn’t want to be vulnerable to that anymore,” he stated.
“We have a strong consumer base supporting the brand, and the vision is to grow it into the future. If we can get this place operational, we’ll first ensure that the staff are well-trained, iron out any wrinkles, and hopefully reach 100 head per week by mid-next year.”

Display cabinet at Cross Custom Meats
Atherton’s Grassfed Beef Industry
Doug Cross has collaborated closely with a network of beef producers and specialists such as Bernie English over the last several years. The Atherton Tablelands is home to approximately 560 producers managing 140,000 head of cattle, with about 40,000 head being turned off annually to various markets, including live export and local butchers.
Tablelands beef producers are dedicated to improving cattle quality and benchmarking through carcase competitions, achieving scores higher than index 60 in Meat Standards Australia assessments. With historical dairy farms transitioning to beef production, producers have laid groundwork to maximize growth potential in the industry.

Bernie English with Bill and Jeremy Tranter’s cattle
Cross sees great potential in the region’s beef industry, with opportunities for large-scale breeding properties targeting both the northern meat market and live export. He highlighted collaborations with various producers as instrumental in achieving success.
Renewal of the Innisfail Meatworks
The Innisfail meatworks, initially operated by Teys Brothers, ceased in 2006 following extensive damage from Cyclone Larry. Over the years, several attempts to revive the facility have emerged. The plant will now be suited for smaller-scale operations with recent renovations targeted at cost-efficiency.

Front view of the Innisfail abattoir, inactive for nearly 20 years.
Doug Cross noted that local community support along with assistance from the Cassowary Coast Regional Council has made the development smoother, especially regarding waste and water management. The current boning and packing plant in Atherton will remain part of the overall business model.
Seizing Domestic Market Opportunities
The initial phase of operations at the renewed Innisfail plant will focus solely on serving the domestic market. As the beef industry shifts, Doug Cross has found that now is an opportune time for meat sales within Australia, especially with increased beef exports affecting supply.
“It has been challenging to source quality meat for the butcher shop as we slow production for Altitude Beef to enable the Innisfail plant to become operational,” he explained.
The development of the Innisfail abattoir symbolizes renewed hope not only for Doug Cross’s ventures but also for the prosperity of the grass-finished beef industry on the Atherton Tablelands.
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