The skills shortage caused by the Queensland mining boom has seen the traditionally male-dominated sugar industry throw open its doors to more female workers.

The sugar industry has been hit hard by mining companies enticing workers away with promises of big dollars.

But the sector has started to look beyond its traditional employment pool, leading to an increase female workers earning their tickets to drive the sugar cane locos.

In North Queensland, 60 per cent of Mackay Sugar's locomotive team is female.

Mackay Sugar cane supply manager Mike Huxley says recruitment has been a challenge.

"Back to 2005, we had 200 people working for us. And if you look at 2011, we've only got 60 of those people left," he said.

"What the industry's actually done is actually looked at employing more female drivers and shunters and that's been a great asset for us."

Loco driver Amanda Turnage says the change in the traditionally male workforce has been gradual.

"A lot of the older members were very much against women to start with. But they're gradually accepting us, so things are working out quite well," she said.

Ms Turnage returns to Mackay season after season to drive the locos and in the slack, the cane industry's off-period, she is a drover.

Mackay Sugar has also attracted grey nomads to its loco team, including Lorraine Emery from Gympie.

Sorry, this audio has expired Women go loco in search for equality ( Kim Honan )

"It's a seasonal job. It suits me down to the ground because I don't like to work full time," Ms Emery said.

"It's wonderful to come to North Queensland and we're assured of about between five and six months work every season and that's fantastic. That keeps us for the rest of the year."

Both Amanda and Lorraine are from regional Queensland, but Mr Huxley says the company sources seasonal workers nationwide.

A loco driver can earn more than $52,000 for a 25-week season, while a female starting work as an underground coal miner can earn $80,000 per year.

Ms Emery says the money is good enough.

"We can earn quite good money up here during the cane season, so we have no need to do something like going to the mines," she said.

"The women are really just as capable at doing the job as what the men are. So it's a fantastic opportunity for us to be employed on an equal basis, which is terrific.

"We get the same money as the males do. There's no discrimination and it's a great place to work."