For Mathew and Sarah Di Mauro, farming is more than a business, it is a legacy. As third and fourth-generation sugarcane growers from El Arish on Queensland’s Cassowary Coast, the couple have spent their lives connected to the land, now growing both cane and watermelons and building their future in one of the state’s most productive yet weather-exposed regions.
Over the past decade, their journey has been shaped by growth, perseverance and a strong partnership with the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA), which the couple say has supported them through their first slice into farm ownership as well as the challenges of disaster recovery.
“I had an opportunity to grab a bit of dirt through QRIDA. Sam Spina [QRIDA Regional Area Manager for Far North Queensland] was the one who helped us out with getting that,” Mathew said.
Like many young farming families, the Di Mauros faced challenges breaking into farm ownership, despite their deep generational ties to agriculture. While they had experience and ambition, securing commercial finance through traditional lenders proved difficult.
“We had a few options with other banks and we got told no, it was a big push to try and make it happen,” Mathew said.
“Sam came down over many weeks and sat down and told us where we needed to be and where to get to.”
QRIDA Regional Area Manager, Sam Spina, initially met the couple around eight years ago, when they began exploring pathways to owning their first farming operation.
“We were able to get together and, with Mathew in the background telling us what he wanted to do and Sarah in the foreground putting together all the paperwork, we were able to get them their first First Start application,” Sam said.
QRIDA’s First Start Loan is designed to help aspiring growers who are not yet viable to establish and grow towards long-term sustainability. For the Di Mauros, the loan provided the stepping stone they needed to transition from leasing land to ownership, and to gradually scale their mixed farming operation.
“Mathew and Sarah are on their third First Start Loan because they have been growing their business in stages, and the last stage that we helped them with was to buy their first large farm,” Sam said.
That steady, staged growth has allowed the couple to strengthen their position across both sugarcane and watermelon production, diversifying income and building resilience in a region where seasonal conditions can change rapidly.
“Having Sam there was a big help for us. He’d drive up here and he’d sit with us on the patio and we’d get through it,” Mathew said.
Beyond business growth, the Di Mauros’ relationship with QRIDA has also extended to disaster recovery, following severe weather events that have impacted the Far North in recent years.
In December 2023, Tropical Cyclone Jasper caused widespread flooding and damage along the Cassowary Coast, affect
ing crops, infrastructure and access across farms.
“Mathew and Sarah were able to access the Exceptional Disaster Grant for Cyclone Jasper. [The cyclone] caused a lot of damage across paddocks as well as drains and crossings, and Mathew and Sarah were able to access money to help them put their farms back together,” Sam said.
“There were crossings washed out, there was topsoil pushed off paddocks, there was trash over the top of cane. It was just a disaster; you didn’t even know where to start. That grant got us through to keep going,” Mathew said.
The grant helped fund essential clean-up and repair works, allowing the couple to restore damaged paddocks and farm infrastructure to get production back on track.
Unfortunately, in January 2025, the region was hit by the North and Far North Tropical Low, causing significant rainfall and flooding again.
“All the work that had been completed, that money has to be spent again, and we have already discussed how we’re going to put the application together,” Sam said.
For Mathew and Sarah, having consistent, on-the-ground support from QRIDA has been vital through both growth and recovery.
“QRIDA’s First Start Loan helped get us where we are today as a family,” Mathew said.
From purchasing their first properties to rebuilding after natural disasters, the Di Mauros’ story reflects the long-term, trusted relationships QRIDA builds with primary producers across Queensland.
Through a combination of concessional loans, disaster recovery grants and personalised regional support, QRIDA helps farming families like the Di Mauros grow, adapt and remain resilient for generations to come.
For more information about how QRIDA’s First Start Loans and Disaster Recovery Grants could help you get started or recover from disaster, visit QRIDA's First Start Loan webpage and Disaster Recovery webpage or call 1800 623 946.
