Highly versatile and robust, Husqvarna’s new climbing gear is designed for the way you want to climb and work in the treetops. It includes a climbing harness for comfort and freedom of movement, a smart chainsaw strap and high-quality climbing and rigging ropes – rugged and ready. Keep it all together in our durable, easy access gear bag.
Iget really excited about machinery. I can’t help myself. When I see a big excavator or whopping great stationary steam engine stinking out massive horsepower and torque, I near wet myself.
Seriously. The thought of someone somewhere daring to dream of something on that scale, and then going on to create it, leaves me dumbfounded. ‘Awestruck’ is a word used too carelessly these days, but it’s an accurate description of my state when I’m around great mechanical behemoths. I thought the CAT folks may have called for back up when I barged in for a closer look at the CAT Superbike on display at Diesel Dirt & Turf earlier this year.
But it’s not just huge or incredibly powerful mech that mesmerises me; it’s precision, too. A colleague in the
office goes all starry-eyed over Rolex watches. I was more of your $10-Timex type when I used to wear a watch, but to imagine the precision and technical excellence that goes into producing a mechanism with the incredibly tight tolerances and intricate moving parts of a timepiece like that leaves me drooling with desire (although I try not to let it show when he’s looking).
This issue has some of the same extremes and highlights, and some of the same levels of excellence.
The plant featured from companies like CAT, Vermeer, Intermercato (phwoar!) and the EWPs have me salivating and making wild grunting noises as I work through the pages (it gets some strange looks from my coworkers, but if they could see what I was seeing, they’d be the same…probably). I imagine the sheer power offered by
the advanced hydraulics and clever use of mechanical advantage to generate massive forces and I’m lost to this world of paper and ink.
But then I see the new climbing gear from Husqvarna and I find myself drifting in a haze of admiration, mumbling and slobbering with lust at the sheer beauty of some of the crafted alloy components.
I’m lucky there’s some good reading and entertainment from the associations and tech writers to bring me firmly back to Earth, and in this issue, chatting with the larger-than-life Kevan Blackwell of Stump Grinders Pty Ltd left me with a wry grin and affirmed my respect for the people of the arbor world.
I never lose sight of how lucky I am to enjoy that kind of time in my work day. Now it’s your turn.
Start reading and see how you go.
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The Australian Arbor Age magazine is owned by Prime Creative Media and published by John Murphy. All material in The Australian Arbor Age magazine is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical, including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions, or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published.
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Cassian is an exMerristwoodian (NCH-arb 1991, bridged into the UK Diploma ’92), Qualified to the AQF L5 (AUS Dip) in ’09, upgraded in currency in 2017. He commenced his career after graduating in Horticulture (’85), transitioning into Arb (’89). Experienced in all aspects of arboriculture, having worked in Germany, Australia, Britain, PNG and Vanuatu, Cassian has been writing for AAA since 1999, with over 40 articles to his name. His core specialisation involves conservation arboriculture, education and tree-health-care.
Jim McArdle
B.Ed. Sc (Sydney), Dip. Arb. (Ryde), VTRA@QTRA qualifications. Director at McArdle Arboricultural Consultancy and TCAA
President, Jim’s career spans across almost 40 years and focuses on consulting and reporting in tree risk protection and management plans and tree impact assessments.
56.
Adansonia is a genus made up of eight species of medium-to-large deciduous trees known as baobabs. They are placed in the Malvaceae family, subfamily Bombacoideae, native to Madagascar, Africa, and Australia.
This prehistoric species has been around for over 200 million years, and carbon dating indicates individuals may live up to 3000 years. Both bark and fruit are constituents of many indigenous remedies, traditions, and folklore.
Known to reach up to 30m tall with a circumference to match, the baobab absorbs and stores water in its massive trunk, producing a nutrient-dense fruit which can grow up to a foot long. The fruit contains tartaric acid and vitamin C, serving as a nutrient and food source.
The baobab is remarkable not only because of its size, lifespan, fruit, and bark, but also in the way it continually grows multiple fused stems. The bark regenerates in the space between the stems, called false cavities.
Baobab trees are fundamental to the entire dry African savanna ecosystem, and Adansonia gregorii is a common feature in the northern regions of Western Australia and the Northern Territory.Adansonia digitata is an icon of the African landscape. Adansonia gregorii is common in Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
Husqvarna has introduced a range of climbing gear specifically designed for arborists and tree-care professionals.
Husqvarna’s new range of climbing gear includes a climbing harness and ropes designed in partnership with Teufelberger, a world leader in climbing equipment. Husqvarna has also included a new storage bag that makes it easy to organise the equipment and take it wherever it’s needed. Together, the new range will support the busy working life of arborists and tree care professionals.
Husqvarna, already an industry leader in chainsaws and cutting equipment, has introduced a new harness, designed in collaboration with Teufelberger, for tree-climbers who spend many
hours in the trees and are looking for a versatile, adjustable, robust and extremely comfortable harness. The harness provides world-class mobility and comfort while helping reduce the risk of injuries and physical stress when working long hours up in the trees.
“The new climbing gear is fantastic!” said H-Team ambassador Jamie Boston.
“Husqvarna has partnered with Teufelberger, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of arborist equipment, which allows us to have absolutely topnotch quality gear, and the Husqvarna climbing harness is the hero of this range.”
A wide range of settings allows climbers to customise the harness to
different climbing styles and jobs.
“The adjustability, variability and personability of the harness, and the ability to adjust it to your climbing style, are amazing,” underlined Jamie. “Plus, it allows you to have all the attachments and tools you need to go through your day-to-day work.”
To complement the harness, Husqvarna also offers two sets of high-quality climbing ropes approved according to both CE and ANSI standards. They are versatile for different rope techniques and super smooth during both ascent and descent.
Husqvarna is also introducing a gear bag for storing, organising and protecting the climbing and rigging gear. The user-friendly and durable 70-litre gear bag is made of highquality fabric. It includes a reinforced bottom, a helmet storage lid at the top and side zips, allowing users to have easy access to all their gear, no matter the conditions, making their work both easier and more efficient.
In addition to the climbing ropes, harness and bag, Husqvarna also offers a selection of other climbing and rigging
equipment to make life in the treetops easier. This includes a chainsaw lanyard with an anti-shock feature that reduces the impact if the chainsaw gets caught in a falling branch or other object. Plus, the range also includes:
• A sling
• A work positioning lanyard
• Rigging rope
• Prusik
• A friction saver, and
• Accessory carabiners (none PPE). Husqvarna’s arborist equipment is made of the highest quality materials and covers the many needs for climbing and rigging, and will soon
include a range of purpose-made ropes with dimensions and colours to suit a broad group of professionals.
“I’ve used other products in the past,” said H-Team ambassador Kiah Martin, “and my preference is for Husqvarna.”
“The reason for that is quality product and quality people, and really good research and development. If we can keep developing products to make them safer, more functional, more durable, to reduce the fatigue on the user, and that the user has been involved in helping develop…it’s a beautiful collaboration.”
Husqvarna offers two sets of highquality climbing ropes. World-class mobility and comfort while helping reduce the risk of injuries and physical stress. A versatile, adjustable, robust and extremely comfortable harness. Husqvarna ambassadors Kiah Martin (left) and Jamie Boston are part of Husqvarna’s long-term goal to offer revolutionary equipment for arborists and tree-care professionals.
Cassian Humphrey continues his journey into iCulture and hopes the industry will follow.
In a past article I made a play on the word ‘iCulture’, partly reflective of our move into the world of artificial intelligence (AI), but also a reflection on my making the emphasis on the tree – iCulture – as a means to encourage arborists to reflect on their position. Are you an arboriculturist? Or a glorified tree lopper?
Google the actual old English meaning of ‘lop’ before you answer.
I recognise the industry-driven vacuum in mainstream arboricultural knowledge around tree biology, especially at trade base, on
understanding how trees function and what actually constitutes their needs. In truth, tree pruning does nothing for woody-plant vitality, and limb removal actually reduces tree life expectancy. Barring volume reductions, the only crown works we can really call treecare involve mechanical support for veteran trees.
Be honest: how many of us are engaged to do that and how often?
Mostly we feed wood-chippers. The great sin of our times is to negate the profession in service to industry, especially when that costs the tree.
My sojourn in arboriculture takes me further and further into education, and my current interest is to reach out to the tree custodians, professional or otherwise, to deliver the message on tree basics: air, water and bio-carbon (biologically activated carbon), because the industry-driven are not listening.
The established Plant Health Care (PHC) movement, mostly in the United States and parts of Europe – I would love to know what’s going on in Japan – is centred on tree longevity, assisting urban trees to last longer in the urban
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treescape. I liken PHC for trees and gardens as akin to a health-food store for humans. Mainstream agriculture, like Big Pharma, fails to deliver on top-end nutrition for plant or human longevity. With its high environmental and financial costs driven by a global carbon footprint, the health-food store needs to be an intermediary step for humans determined to eat well and be eco-sustainable.
As with traditional times before WW2, the next step is to make health food local. The PHC movement is a critical step in the direction of arboriculture, yet ultimately,
the bio-carbon (or humus) essential for all healthy perennial-plant production.
My awakening to iCulture in arboriculture commenced in the early 1990s with carrying out revegetation works in association with established trees – a practise catapulted into my understanding with Shigo’s 1997 Arbor Age article Troubles in the Rhizosphere. Coupled to exploration into being a guinea pig for health foods and a study of the nutrient cycle, it led me to understand the role of plants as pumps
of the atmosphere and rhizosphere –Heaven and Earth.
At both ends of the tree-pump plants interface on a cellular level with these non-visible ‘spheres’.
I’ve long stood by the image of the figure-eight as a symbol of Shigo’s pump (Ref: page 2 of Modern Arboriculture) as being the perfect symbol of the plant that ‘births’ all life, with plants harvesting inorganic nutrients, embodying them, and making them available organically to all other life. It was this image that spurred me to spend less time in the harness and to get my
length and around 40m wide. Many species of eucalypt have naturally evolved in association with uncropped grasses and sedges. Though not as species-diverse as woodland or local grassy-woodland, this kind of environment mitigates people pressure via nutrition and exclusion, with designated pathways that help direct pedestrians where desired. A THC initiative would involve
As an agent for arboriculture, the life journey brought me back to Canberra to work with a highly qualified and experienced contractual/consulting arborist, James Macpherson. My goal has been to assist him to integrate into his business the conservationarboriculture strategies I promote. Initially planning to run Naturaculture workshops for his staff, we have stepped up to the level of establishing a Gold Leaf Tree Health Care division.
Already having a repertoire on the science and biological inputs behind the soil-food-web, and already being in dialogue with one of Australia’s first true conservation-arboriculturists – I’m very excited to know microbiologist Katia Plouznikoff – I was grateful to introduce Gold Leaf to the company that supports her, Heritage Tree Care, in Sumner, west of Brisbane. Katia works with the company’s agronomist and head of her division, Andrew McLennan. These allied professionals work for another key arboricultural entrepreneur, the CEO of Heritage, Gavin Rowan, another individual I pay homage to. Without the arb entrepreneurs financing new ventures we would be stuck.
It has been a great joy for me to cultivate a connection with Katia, a true specialist in arboriculture, not just for the professional association, but because in her I met an ally who operates beyond the confines of ego. This makes interaction energising, seamless and exceptionally productive.
I can say the same of the Gold-Leaf CEO.
Heritage Tree Care is an important conduit for the promotion of PHC.
As a business with the longest established PHC division in Australia
Figure 3: A fairy-ring fungi, quite possibly Clitocybe nebularis. If so, this is another cosmopolitan European fungi bought in by historic plantations such as York Park Canberra, where I photographed it. In greater Brisbane we commonly have a similar fairy-ring species, Chlorophyllum molybdites, originally from North America. The fungi are as cosmopolitan as we humans.
– five years – the division is now also responsible for the marketing and distribution of the latest machine to grace the world of modern arboriculture. To be truthful, Andrew McLennan gets the acknowledgment for that.
Before I launch into this piece I’ll discuss and honour some history.
Another important pioneer in the field of Queensland arboriculture is a man who you may meet at conferences, who quietly seems to work on the sidelines, yet is actually in the front-line of the evolution and revolution of our profession: Queensland consulting arboriculturist, researcher, project-developer and project-manager, Daniel Oaten.
I’ve crossed paths with Daniel a number of times in my own evolution.
Born of a similar generation, we have been driven by the same thirst for the iCulture that is missing from Australian Arboriculture. Though I have never had the opportunity to work with Daniel, I have long known and respected him. At a similar time I was the senior consulting arboriculturist (Co-founder of the Energex VTA Program) with Utility Arb company ETS (2004-2012), he was in the same kind of position with Treescape. It was there he founded a PHC division for greater Brisbane, and it was from that experience that he went on to found the PHC division in Heritage Tree Care, the management team proactive there today he bought together. Daniel, brother, for your hard yards work in Tree Health Care I salute you and pray that in time Arboriculture Australia erects a statue in honour of your contribution.
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As discussed in past publications, my recipe for what I call holistic Tree Health Care (THC) involves establishing ecosystems. Diverse plant-species and nutrient-bed establishment invites in the organisms that make up the tree ecosystem that evolved to interface with the tree. The smaller ecological associations deliver far more in resilience and information back to the soil-food-web and the tree than we lumbering human arborists can know. Though I have no doubt making multiple vertical fissures for planting tube-stock associated vegetation in support of trees assists with aerating soils, I have long known that in light of heavy compaction this was not enough. With my consideration of nature’s action on soils, I knew fissuring via
attention from savvy local-government arboriculturists. It’s a specialist tool to enable soil restoration around street trees, parks trees, in service to botanical gardens, parklands… anywhere there are trees, gardens and open space. The mix of good timing, education bridging the gap between people and trees with input from the head of Heritage PHC’s Andrew McLennan, and bringing in a new tool to assist us to deliver on plant nutritional needs, this is a solid sign of the times as we shift into New Earth ventures.
The major challenge I have faced with the process of decompacting soils involves tool selection to best enable the vertical-fissuring. Though I have had great success with narrow augers and a range of powerheads that drive them, the issue can involve auger bits sticking and powerhead kickback, though this is manageable with sensitivity (many people should not ride motorbikes or handle chainsaws).
I have been looking for other options, and over the years I have also manned airspades and high-pressure water jets and not been as satisfied as I am with the use of augers. Then, through sharing from Katia Iast year, I heard about the VOGT Geoinjector range, the latest advance in soil-decompaction technology. It’s a tool for vertical and horizontal fissuring, or, as described by the German company that makes it (amongst a range of high-pressure tools), the Geoinjector combines soil aeration with soil-injection technology. Operating since 1992 VOGT is based in Bavaria South Germany, and now equips arboriculturists with these units throughout Europe.
Buckle your seatbelt, Dorothy! The age of iCulture the tree has finally arrived.
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Brisbane trip to see and try the unit in the field myself as part of the conservationarboriculture system I follow. I am glad to back Gold Leaf in the purchase of this the VOGT Geoinjector-Max.
But don’t hold your breath. Verticalfissure works on their own are not enough. Without top-end carbon resources, the bio-carbon as compost, compost tea and mulch (not that green, cooked, inert, dead stuff most of us pedal), the organic/inorganic mineral and probiotic inputs, the associate understorey vegetation, and the means to mitigate soil compaction, the result is likely to be retarded (weed response following treatment is an indicator of that). When I consider all I have integrated in the realm of THC and continue to learn as I professionally support the launch of the Gold Leaf Tree Health Care division, I realise a detailsfocussed mind is essential. THC or PHC (with a broad application) is only for the truly arboriculturally minded. Until mainstream arboricultural education embraces the theory behind the micro, as arborists we will be very limited to incorporate it into the macro.
I will be co-authoring a future article with Katia as we at Gold Leaf prepare to receive our Geo-injectorMax and receive her with an essential educational course to prepare us for the many detailed variables for our management team.
The big news for we who prescribe to being at the top end of our profession is that already one Queensland landscape company has initiated a PHC division and taken ownership of a VOGT. It is time for arborists to get serious about the iCulture or be left behind when it comes to practising arboriCulture in name.
In closing, I just have one more past figure to honour: a great holisticarboriculturist and friend as early as 2006, Steven Richards, I thank you for bringing me to the work of Dr Elaine Ingham, and the soil-food-web.
For our many good contacts, I salute you.
I love how science – let’s call it ‘creation’ – is helping us (who love to short-cut) to be on the straight and narrow. There is no room here for industry-driven tick-and-flick education to understand the science and application of PHC. It takes in-depth study and practise. It’s one thing to integrate a Cert 3 in Arb, or even a diploma, yet in light of all I have learned, I can clearly see a Cert 4 in Tree or Plant Health Care, probably as well suited to horticultural education as arboriculture. I can now see the perfect nudge for arboriculture and horticulture to be interfaced as the one entity it started off as, tree and garden care, one system management akin to managing an ecosystem. Elitism separated the two, largely by arborists who get paid to destroy rather than care for trees, and new generation horticulturists who never learned how to prune to a node. Truly this is the time for arboriCulture, and the VOGT is a powerful catalyst.
Access Tec kicked off in 2019 as a plant mechanic business, and over the years has moved wet and dry hire of machinery and.”
“We carry out a lot of civil works, as well as a lot of land clearing,” explained owner Don Downey. “A lot of our customers were involved in land vegetation management, so that’s how we ended up getting into it. And I absolutely love it.”
Access Tec’s latest acquisition is a ninetonne Cat® 309 CR excavator with an HM210 Mulcher – a package designed specifically for efficient forestry management. Don said his existing relationship with local Cat® dealer WesTrac made the process very easy.
“We bought our first Cat machine from WesTrac in 2020, a 1.7-tonner, and it’s
just progressed from there,” said Don.
Nina Zeidan, WesTrac’s Product Advisor for Cat® Attachments, said the purchase process was a good example of WesTrac’s commitment to pairing customers with the right product for their needs.
“Don was originally talking about a larger, 15-tonne machine,” she remembered. “We got talking about landscaping attachments, and what exactly was possible.”
Nina recommended Don consider the smaller nine-tonne 309 CR paired with an HM210 mulcher, and Don went with the advice.
“Traditionally, councils and landmanagement operators have utilised 15–20-tonne excavators for clearing with a mulcher,” said Nina. “While there’s no dispute over their ability, those machines can be harder to manoeuvre in tighter-
access fire trails and aren’t set up for tracking while mulching at the same time.
“The 309 and the HM210 are made for each other. It’s a high-flow mulcher, and the 309 has the secondary gear pump, so there’s no lag in terms of travelling while working with the mulcher. You’re able to finish your job quicker and have access to tighter areas that you wouldn’t with a 15-tonne machine.
“As a lighter machine, you can also carry it on a tip tray, which is something you couldn’t do with a larger machine, and it seems it was the perfect solution for him,” Nina smiled. “He took a leap of faith, and this is the result.”
The recent purchase of a Cat® 309 CR Excavator and HM210 mulcher has made the Access Tec’s team’s land-clearing work easier than ever.Access Tec’s Cat® 309 CR excavator is the company’s latest purchase from WesTrac.
“One feature that sold this machine the most was having that dedicated hydraulic pump to run the mulcher,” Don added. “I’ve had this machine going up against some other bigger machines on work sites, and this thing just outruns all of them.”
Roberto Manna, Access Tec’s local WesTrac rep, then worked with Don to customise the excavator to a forestry spec machine.
“For Access Tec’s requirements, the 309 was the perfect fit, especially with the HM210 mulcher,” Roberto revealed. “It’s got window guards, and a thick polycarbonate front window to stop any potential hazard flying out of the mulcher. There’s a Cat tilt hitch fitted as well, so they can get the angles right when mulching on batters and embankments. “Access Tec does a lot of roadside work, so having the rubber pads on the tracks is very handy and versatile too.”
Right: (From left) Don Downey, Roberto Manna, Access Tec operator Mitch, and Nina Zeidan.
Roberto explained the key to getting the best out of any machine is to make sure it’s properly maintained and well looked after.
“The good thing with Don is he has operators who treat his machines as their own,” said Roberto. “This machine has done quite a few hours of mulching now, but it’s still in immaculate condition.”
As well as a 3000-hour premier warranty, Roberto pointed out extra support coverage is available through WesTrac’s FitFleet Customer Value Agreements.
“We offer FitFleet Essentials with every machine purchase,” Roberto said. “With Essentials, we monitor the machines from our end, and notify customers when servicing is due, or of any other issues that may arise.”
For Access Tec’s 309, Roberto said Don opted to upgrade to FitFleet Plus, which includes the supply of genuine Cat® parts for a flat monthly fee.
“We have Travis as our product support rep, and he’s been absolutely
amazing,” Don said. “Any issues we have, he’s straight onto it and sorts it out really quickly.”
Roberto also said WesTrac’s service coverage across New South Wales is a big part of what keeps customers coming back to WesTrac and Cat® machines.
“We’ve got a large fleet of field service guys, we’ve got parts on hand, and distribution centres and warehouses – including a 24-hour warehouse in Newcastle,” he said. “We also have dedicated people in positions who look after specialty areas, from forestry to paving. So we’ve got great coverage across all our products. And the product speaks for itself, performance-wise –productivity, fuel efficiency, and cost of maintenance – when you package all that up, you can see that it’s very well worth the investment.”
“I’ve been really happy with the support,” said Don. “WesTrac has helped us out a lot. The finance packages have been really easy to deal with and the Cat® machines have been reliable.
“We’ll always come back because of that.”
Cat® 309 CR excavator key features
• Powered by a Cat® C3.3B engine (Tier 4 Final/Stage V) @ 51.8kW
• 9565kg operating weight
• Dig depth of 4642mm
• Dedicated auxiliary hydraulic pump for power-hungry attachments such as the HM210 Mulcher
• Sealed and pressurised cab with improved air conditioning, suspension seat, and adjustable wrist rests
• Ease of operation with Cat® Cruise Control, Cat Stick Steer travel mode, and Next Generation Monitor.
Cat® HM210 mulcher key features
• 1012mm working width
• Variable displacement piston motor for high torque in tough environments
• Balanced drum with fixed bolt-on chisel teeth, staggered to maximise cutting performance
• Front and rear chain guards
• Bolt-on replaceable skid shoes
• Two-year parts and labour warranty.
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In response to the access to the industry, we have a number of employees who are looking or striving to better themselves. Training is a big TCAA drawcard as it allows less-experienced operators to tag along and learn skills. The best skill we could teach is problem solving, and this only comes when we have independent thinkers. Those who can do this are significant in terms of value added to the business.
As a child, knowing several skills were well paid, I’dt to learn those skills: tying up a bag, loading timber in a trailer with a tractor bucket, serving customers for their ute-loads of wood, working collaboratively with the customer in stacking firewood writing dockets for paid goods and plenty more. I learned to analyse if a customer’s motives were bad, trying to pack more wood than they paid for, or if they completely trusted
was vital, and knowing who had got the longest delivery runs so that they could get in and out of the yard to get to Avalon, Vaucluse or Redfern. Who had to carry bags up the stairs at Ocean Road, Woolahara for a Victorian grate and who was likely going to have to back down the difficult driveway out at Wisemans Ferry. All these things I learned as part of my every work day.
There were some fun things, too. My father had a detective working undercover. It was a loose arrangement, but Dad was happy he had a truck driver and I was happy when I went on a chipeating stakeout.
The TCAA’s Jim McArdle reminisces about his early years, what he calls ‘the woodyard learning’, and the value of experience.
The Royal Easter Show was always a welcome time. We’d take a truckload of firewood out to the city and help unload it knowing we could get in the show for free. Then we would go get free showbags, and by the time the truck was loaded with coastal ash from the woodchop arena, we’d leave around 4.00pm, happy as could be with 15 to 20 show bags.
That was the height of problem solving: how to get allocated to that truck and carry as many bags as you could without cutting off the circulation to your arm.
When dad bought the farm it had large quantities of Yellow Box and Red Box,
and this was valuable in the mix. The label ‘Wood you can burn’ was true. The loads would come to the yard around twice a week on a bogie or be shipped in on a semi from Gondwanaland.
The most important thing I remember of the woodyard was the start – the greetings, the getting into it on the first shift, and then the cuppa tea with a biscuit or snack. Smoko was a sacred time. It was a pleasure to boil the kettle for the workers and to share the glad relief it brought. Lunch was more about stopping because we were exhausted – or because Mum had cooked a roast and we knew we’d better stop or the stew would go cold. If it was raining, and it often did, it was a relief to dry the socks by the
fire and find a towel. Then we’d put on raincoats and go for the second round.
It was rather pleasant, solitary and easy enough to cut logs in the rain. It wasn’t dusty and it wasn’t hard or hot. The humming of the saw kept the motivation high, and the ‘chinky-dinkdink’ of hitting a nail or weird anomaly in the timber was also an unusual surprise.
The worst thing I ever cut was a possum and the best thing a willow (but it stunk).
Afternoon tea was always a ritual as it was a free mental health check and a biscuit. As the characters came and went the experience accumulated from knowing
what wood would burn, what would burn when green and what wasn’t going to combust even in a burning fire. From my recollection the wood that wasn’t going to burn was separated and made available as other landscape supplies or chip.
I learned how to strain a fence and put posts in, then how to use an argon saw, the scariest thing on two legs ever. Mostly the trick was in having flat ground and cleaning the sawdust, wedging the pole or log so it couldn’t move, gripping very, very firmly the handles, and using timber wedges to keep the cut open.
When my brother bought a Dodge truck he decided to do contract fencing and use the timber from the local Riverstone Ironbark area. Many a Saturday I spent cutting and barking while Old Mate was delivering.
I think I would have preferred the delivery job.
Back to learning about different regions and wood in rural areas.
I dug a lot of holes and learned about soils. The Bathurst soils had a large amount of quartz and they were severe on steel shovels and crowbars and would wear out the tool. We brought in a gunpowder drill and the gelignite stick for blowing holes and splitting posts, possibly one of the most exciting times of my career.
From necessity I learned how to weld, heatshrink, hammer a bearing, press a bearing on an axle, grease a truck, a sawbench and a chainsaw, and a huge variety of other tasks which came up in every day
As the youngest on the team one of my key jobs was to boil the billy. We’d get to a site, start chipping the fenceline, pull rubbish into the centre of the block and then light a fire. The fire would clear the block and the stumps and the trees would be left. It was the indigenous part of me that gave a satisfaction in cleaning the earth.
My first chainsaw was a Pioneer P40. It was small and did a fair job. Then came the McCulloch, Alpino, Stihl, Husqavana and the rest. I still have my Jonsered my father gave me for my 21st.
Teaching with humour is by far one of the best methods of learning.
Bobby had a novel idea. When cutting
using the saw bench he found the chips would go into his socks and irritate him. I remember he came in one day without socks and with holes on the inside of both shoes. He said the sawdust would go down his leg, into the shoe, then a little of it would go back out.
He was a very earthy gent.
I remember when I was very young my father would place coins under wood and tell us the fairies had left money under each piece. We’d happily pick up the timber and throw it on the truck or on the barrow.
In both cases humour was a great teacher.
Cutting two-foot timber with a wedge or blockbuster, and the familiar ‘splunk’ with a hefty, “Hah!” (a bit like Bruce Lee), was a common sound for the wood cutter. It was easy enough to cut, but bring in the hydraulic timber splitter and, wow! I think I bought one and rented it out, then sold it bought it back and sold it again. It was slower than using the electric machine, but the sound of stripping timber was always a novelty.
As the woodyard became more of a work place the technical specifications of machines grew and guards became mandatory on different machines. These needed to be durable, and many a time the guard was caight or destroyed on impact. With time the guards of rubber, steel mesh and angle were perfected and then machines were manufactured with codes and specifications.
Dad’s wood axe had special consideration in that he wrote to SafeWork about it. The commentary on the protection system he proposed is still available for avid readers. Changes of measuring from ton to cubic measurement was also a practical consideration, as was measuring in volume not weight. By utilising a tape measure you could calculate the volume of a load, which I think is a fairer system unless you had a weighbridge.
So when I’m training on site or mentoring someone I’ve got skills to pass on, and it’s experience of seeing workers work at their best and how the job can best be dealt with. My teaching a staff member or contractor to value certain methods is possibly best for efficiency, but we do have that capacity
to try new things and learn.
I’m currently learning GPS systems and teaching collection of data to a new trainee. Most of the time I’m trying to reduce the time of the job by streamlining it because of the huge demands arboriculture places on time, from design to practical assistance on the site.
So this is what would I like to pass on: I’m really glad I had skills to learn from people and not just digital sources. Learn from those around you who are passionate and able to provide a clear line of communication.
With training comes understanding of our role, and when we can utilise the skills of people around us we can make great changes. When doing a self-development course, we, at the culmination of the course, decided to plant 10,000 trees at Bringelly Forest. That was hardcore, and it truly made me realise the amount of hard work in planting trees to increase the green belt. When specifying trees, I always try to utilise trees from the surrounding community. If there are only exotics on site I’ll try to match texture of the leaves but still choose a plant from an Australian indigenous community. Why on earth do our councils focus on exotic street trees when we should be choosing Australian plants to represent our Australian heritage? Recently, doing a job at Kirribilli House, a specimen
selection of green and gold Acacia sp. was a brainwave as it is also on the coat of arms.
The interesting part of life is now skilling members or staff as they represent an industry. In my defense, I’m trying to pass on relevant skills, and of course, the tens of thousands of reports and the types of reporting required. Once I did a report on a tree in the 1980s with two photos, and I found an old report of two pages. But now it’s likely 40 pages for one tree and 10 photos with reference to a number of sources. That’s called progress.
Australia’s Fair Work Commission (FWC) recently announced an increase of 5.75 per cent to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and all Minimum Modern Award wage rates, effective from the first full pay period on or after July 1, 2023.
The new national minimum wage is $882.80 per week for a 38-hour week, $23.23 per hour and $29.04 for a casual employee. The national minimum wage order applies to award/agreement-free employees, but not award-covered employees.
Businesses should ensure employees who are paid in accordance with a modern award (eg: the Timber Industry Award) or the national minimum wage have received the appropriate pay increase by the first full period on or after July 1, 2023.
Businesses who do not pay in accordance with the award terms and pay over award, annualised salaries or flat rates, should check their rates of pay will still satisfy all their obligations under the relevant award/minimum wage once the increases apply.
TTIA further provided members with a
comprehensive summary of the decision and updated award summary sheets.
If you are not a member of TTIA and require assistance with the new rates of pay, contact the association for further information about membership on the
National Timber Employers’ Hotline(02) 9264 0011.
With the election of the federal Labor government a year ago, more changes
to the government’s parental leave pay scheme commenced recently.
Specifically, the Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Improvements for Families and Gender Equality) Act 2023, which was passed by both houses of parliament on March 6, 2023, introduced changes to the government’s Parental Leave Pay (PLP) scheme effective from July 1, 2023. The changes aim to provide better, greater flexibility and eligibility to the scheme.
Under the PLP scheme prior to July 1, 2023, eligible individuals who were the primary carer for a child who was born or adopted received up to 18 weeks’ pay at the National Minimum Wage (NMW).
The first 12 weeks of PLP instalments must have been received in one continuous period within 12 months of the birth or adoption of a child. The remaining 30 payable days could be taken flexibly within 24 months of the birth or adoption of a child. This coincides with an employee’s rights under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act) to return to work after parental leave and the ability to take a maximum of 30 days parental leave flexibly within 24 months of the child’s birth or adoption date.
Eligible fathers and other partners could receive up to two weeks payment (one-off) at the NMW under the Dad and Partner Pay (DAPP) scheme.
Individuals had to claim PLP or DAPP through Centrelink as eligibility for the schemes is assessed by Services Australia (formerly the Department of Human Services) in which relevant work, income and other eligibility tests under the Paid Parental Leave Act 2010 (Cth) (PPL Act) must be met.
From July 1, 2023, PLP and DAPP has been combined into one scheme which will provide eligible parent couples or single parents up to 20 weeks of PLP at the NMW. DAPP will no longer exist as a separate scheme. Eligible parents must not be working during this time or must be on leave (paid or unpaid).
Additionally:
• The whole 20 weeks of PLP instalments can be received flexibly in multiple blocks within 24 months of the child’s birth or adoption date (removing the requirement of the 12 weeks of PLP instalments being
funded parental leave, annual leave or long-service leave), and in between periods of paid work;
• Birth mothers or first adoptive parents will have to give approval to share any PLP days, and if shared with a partner, parents will be able to access PLP at the same time;
• For PLP shared between a couple, at least two weeks will be reserved for each partner to use with any unused amount of PLP days lost if not used within 24 months of the child’s birth or adoption date;
• If a person does not meet the individual income limit of $156,647 (ie: earns more than this amount), there will be a combined family income limit of $350,000 which will be applied instead (this limit will be used whether a person is single or partnered); and
• There will be special-circumstance exceptions to the work test for individuals whose ability to work during the ‘work test period’ are impacted by family and domesticviolence leave, a serious medical condition (for either you or an immediate family member you care for), or a natural disaster declared by the Commonwealth
to PLP including increasing the total PLP to 26 weeks by 2026, however, this is subject to legislation passing at some point in the future.
At this stage, there are no changes to the rules for when an employee can take parental leave under the Fair Work Act, which means the 30-day cap on an employee’s ability to take their 12-month unpaid parental leave flexibly (up to 24 months from the birth or adoption date of a child) still applies.
In summary, the PLP and DAPP will be combined into one scheme which will provide eligible parent couples or single parents up to 20 weeks of PLP at the NMW. There are no changes to the rules for when an employee can take parental leave under the FW Act at this point.
In order to be compliant with the changes, it would be wise to ensure your current parental-leave policy and payroll system are updated for the changes implemented from July 1.
For further information, log on to servicesaustralia.gov.au/about-paidparental-leave-scheme?context=23121
The Arboriculture Australia National Conference was held in May with arboriculture representatives from around the world attending. QAA President Henk Morgans made the trip to Sydney where he met with key members from other Australian arb associations during the National Strategy Group Meeting to highlight what the QAA has been up too.
Henk also met with ISA and NZ Arb representatives and sponsors and was a panellist on the Diversity In Arboriculture panel discussion during the conference. Thank you, Henk, for your commitment to arboriculture in Queensland and representing the QAA so well in Sydney.
As mentioned earlier in the year, one of the QAA’s goals for 2023 is to introduce young people to the QAA and talk to them about arboriculture as a career choice. During the second school term, representatives attended several career expos at local private and state high schools around Brisbane. As a result, a number of interested students have contacted the QAA regarding work experience opportunities.
Thank you to those businesses who have already put up their hands to host these students and give them a taste of what the industry involves. By providing these opportunities to interested young people when they are making career decisions, we are
taking small steps to future proof the industry, as well as helping businesses find potential staff.
If you would like to learn more about potentially hosting a work experience student, please contact the QAA Office on office@qaa.net.au or phone (07) 3821 1488 during business hours.
The QAA’s new sponsorship year came into effect in July, with a number of new sponsors joining in 2023-24. Thank you to each of the following businesses and organisations who have partnered with the QAA this year to help better the industry in Queensland and northern New South Wales:
• Industry Support Partner: Fitzpatrick & Co. Insurance Brokers and Vermeer Australia
• Education Sponsor: Interlink Training
• Gold Sponsors: Arb Supplies, Australian Institute of Arboriculture, Bandit Tree Equipment, Husqvarna Australia, Interlink Training, and PowerClear
• Silver Sponsors: ETS Infrastructure Management and Treescape Australasia
• Bronze Sponsors: Aussie Tree Solutions, Boston Tree Care, Century Cranes, Evergreen Tree Care, and Global Machinery Sales
• Event Sponsors: Vermeer Australia (Freestyle Climbing Competition) and Husqvarna Australia (QTCC and Amateur Open).
ITCC
Good luck to Jamie Boston, Terry Boston and Jess Hamer competing at the International Tree Climbing Championship (ITCC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in August.
Jamie, who is the reigning QTCC Male Champion, will represent Asia Pacific at the event after his outstanding effort in winning the Asia Pacific Tree Climbing Championship (APTCC) in Singapore in April. With Jamie representing Asia Pacific at ITCC, Terry Boston, who finished second at QTCC 2022, will join Jess in representing the QAA at the event.
It has been a long-term goal for the Boston brothers to compete at ITCC together and it’s thrilling they now get their chance. Best wishes to all three competitors; you are all amazing ambassadors for the QAA and members know you will do us proud in the US.
Tickets are now on sale for the Queensland Tree Climbing Championships (QTCC), which will be held on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 September. QTCC is the pinnacle of our tree climbing competitions, with some of the best climbers in the country testing their skills for the chance to be crowned the best climber in Queensland.
Competitors at QTCC compete in five events – Aerial Rescue, Ascent, Belayed Speed Climb, Throwline, and Work Climb.
The Queensland Arboricultural Association continues to encourage more young people to join the industry, to keep them safe, and bring the community together.Attendees at the Tree Risk Assessment workshop enjoyed time in and out of the room.
The highest-scoring competitors at the end of the five events go on to compete in the Masters, with the ultimate winner determined by scores in this event.
All levels of climbers are welcome, from rookies to professionals. To register for QTCC, scan the QR code or visit the QAA website.
As any arborist knows, trees respond very differently to the stimuli they are exposed too. On Monday, October 23, Bryan Gould will be providing an overview of how biological, chemical, dynamic, and mechanical responses are initiated during the Intro to Tree Responses to Stimuli workshop.
During the workshop, Bryan will examine CODIT, adaption, canopy, and roots to provide attendees with an understanding of how trees deal with biotic and abiotic affects and impacts.
To find out more and to reserve your spot, visit the Events page on the QAA website.
On Monday, June 5, Bryan Gould delivered the second in his workshop series with Tree Risk Assessment – Understanding context, factors and methods.
The workshop covered key points and principles concerning professional
tree-risk assessment. Attendees spent time both in and outside the room, while considering the contents of the AA/NZARB MIS501 Tree Risk Assessment document.
Thank you to everyone who attended and to Bryan for delivering another great workshop.
“A great workshop highlighting the many aspects of tree risk assessment and various responsibilities of tree managers, tree assessors and tree owners,” was one attendee’s comment. It was one of many positive remarks from attendees at the completion of the workshop.
For info call QAA on (07) 3821 1488, email office@qaa.net.au, or visit qaa. net.au. Follow the QAA on Facebook (QueenslandArboriculturalAssociation), Instagram (qaa_arborist), or LinkedIn (queensland-arboriculturalassociation).
QTCC tickets are available now!
Q. What do Israel, South Africa, California, and Perth all have in common?
A. They are all under serious attack from the PSHB
It sounds like an eastern-bloc secret police. It’s not, but it’s equally as sinister. Polyphagos Shot Hole Borer (PSHB), has taken the west by surprise, first being detected in East Fremantle in August 2021.
The shot hole borer, Euwallacea fornicatus is native to Southeast Asia, and with Fremantle being a port, It’s a safe bet it came over via shipping. A resident noticed part of the canopy of their maple tree was dying back, so they contacted the Department of Primary Industries & Regional Development (DPIRD) through its great little app, and it took off from there.
DPIRD, our front line of defence in biosecurity, undertook extensive research into the beetle and the associated Fusarium fungus, and found several other countries have been battling the same pest. The Fusarium euwallacea, the fungus which the beetle feeds off, is carried around in a specialised cavity inside the beetle. As the beetle burrows through the tree, it creates hundreds of galleries,
the Fusarium fungus lines the tiny tunnels and spreads throughout the tree in the conductive tissue, stopping the transportation of vital water and nutrients, slowly killing the tree. Females are the only ones that can fly, one single unmated female can fly up to 400m, although information on distances does tend to vary, and start a new colony alone.
The female has the ability lay unfertilised eggs, which can produce a male. She can then mate with that male and start a whole new colony.
The male of the species is smaller than the female. Females are brown to black, approximately two millimetres in length, while the males are marginally smaller at 1.6mm.
Below are some sobering statistics from DPIRD.
To date, in response since August 2021, DPIRD field surveillance staff have:
• Completed more than 1.4 million tree inspections
• Visited more than 48,000 properties to conduct surveillance
• Deployed more than 2800 traps
• Collected over 83,000 samples, and
• Travelled more than 640,000km.
Six-hundred-and-sixty-nine infested premises have been identified, with the majority of these in Perth’s western suburbs. There have been no detections outside of the Perth metropolitan area.
The state industry body, Arboricultural Association of Western Australia, (ArbWest), was asked to attend a meeting with DPIRD to fully understand the implications of PSHB in our state. As one of the attendees at that meeting, it soon became clear the gravity of the situation. Understanding that there is no known defence against the beetle apart from: pruning infected wood (after the fact); removal of the whole tree depending on the severity of the infestation; and trapping, there is no effective means of elimination.
Working closely with DPIRD, a working committee was formed to answer the challenge from an industry perspective. In collaboration with the department, ArbWest presented a set of procedures that were workable (there was no point agreeing to something DPIRD wanted that couldn’t be adhered to):
• A quarantine area (QA) was to be set up that encompassed confirmed infestation locations, using the Local Government Areas, (LGAs)
• No wood of any kind will be transported outside of an infected LGA, unless deemed safe by a DPIRD inspector. This required an onsite inspection and the issuing of a permit to move
• All woody vegetation and leaf matter will be chipped to a size no greater than 25mm
• Any infected wood that is chipped must be disposed of at a DPIRD-sanctioned waste-disposal facility, and
Dave Crispin, senior arborist at Treeswest Australia and ArbWest member, highlights a serious problem which has surfaced in Australia’s west.Tiny entrance holes the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen are one of the common signs.
• All equipment used while removing the infected material must be sanitised. This includes saws, and woodchippers – good cultural practices.
Currently, (July 2023) there are 25 LGAs in the QA in Perth, from Sorrento, north of Perth, heading east to Middle Swan and Forrestfield, then southwards down to Naval Base, near Kwinana.
From an Industry position, there are several challenges – quoting, for instance. Consider the 400 host species, the 100 reproductive host species, remembering to look for the signs that might give away the borer, then you have to price the job.
Common signs to look for are: upper canopy dieback; tiny entrance holes the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen; sugary exudate; volcanos or gumming; and sometimes frass at the entry holes.
Like most states, WA has a variety of borers, so before we raise the red flag, secondary indicators are a good idea.
Keeping abreast of the latest developments is key to combating PSHB, regular updates on the DPIRD website – agric.wa.gov.au/borer –and industry notifications sent out by ArbWest are critical in keeping the pest under control.
Recently, while undertaking an inspection of a 120-year-old Auracaria heterophylla, at a park in Perth, I noticed
a white peppering over the trunk at about one metre up. It resembled a target that had been fired upon with shotgun pellets, speckled over a 2m square area. It turned out to be the tree’s response to the borer. The tree had secreted its white protective latex in response to the attack. Fortunately, I havn’t seen any progression by the beetle or the fungus in this magnificent specimen.
Speaking with a horticultural colleague who works throughout Perth recently, she lamented on the number of tree removals she’d witnessed due to one single infestation. It’s unprecedented. I asked if she’d noticed whether the beetle favours one species over another? “No!” she replied. Short and sharp, age or species, it does not differentiate.
Ficus does seem to be a popular genus. She was aware of a 100-year-old Ficus rubiginosa that had an amazing shape, and so much character, that had to be removed. Other popular species targeted in the CBD: Acer, Erythrina, Quercus, Robinia, Salix, Morus, Brachychiton, Platanus and the list goes on. Our natives are not immune, species include: Melaleuca, Casuarina, Corymbia calophylla, Eucalyptus globulus and some Banksia.
Most recently, I was asked to look at four very old Delonix regia, these had become infected to varying degrees, one unfortunately will have to be removed, but the other three are holding their own. The only management tool currently is the removal of the dead wood, and to monitor.
Euwallacea fornicates has been found in Fremantle Western Australia. The tree had secreted its white protective latex in response to the borer attack. Evidence of the Fusarium fungus in dead wood.The arborist market worldwide represents a niche in the access market CMC has always fulfilled, offering top performance and reliability compared to its competitors.
The widespread market distribution, including Oceania, guarantees the Italian is a brand leader in aerial access, and will be considered the No.1 brand in arborists’ minds.
In this scenario, CMC is also confirmed as the No.1 brand for care and attention to safety at work, all while keeping the end user at the centre of every stage of product design and engineering.
For CMC, occupational safety is a more central issue than ever – especially for the arbor industries. The risk factors inherent in activities as hazardous as working at height intersect with the responsibilities of the various parties: manufacturers, renters, rental customers, and end users. This is a particularly critical factor since it only takes a single mistake, or carelessness from even one of the parties in the field, to cause tragically fatal accidents.
Even more than in other sectors, therefore, the utmost care and great responsibility is required of everyone, starting with the highest part of the ‘pyramid’, the manufacturers, who bring to market the machines needed to carry out these operations.
In this sense, CMC, an all-Italian company with 30 years of experience in producing aerial platforms, represents a successful model.
The production of such complex machines is a delicate process requiring the utmost care and precision from the very first stages of assembly. For this reason, CMC organises in-house continuing education programs to ensure the highest level of efficiency
Italian lift specialists CMC build safety into all its systems, from design through personnel and, of course, into its lift platforms.
from the technicians involved. And to minimise the possibility of human error, the company has invested in automating and robotising many of the typical processes of this stage.
In the past three years, CMC has put in place state-of-the-art testing and inspection systems that have enabled it to reduce warranty work on its products by 86 per cent. This translates into a very strong reduction in downtime for owners and users.
The partnership with the Bari Polytechnic University in particular has enabled CMC to employ in these processes some of the country’s leading experts in machinery, welding and material, as well as for stress-testing machinery and equipment previously available only to large multinationals.
Another critical point of CMC’s commitment to safety is its partnership with the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF), reflected from an industry perspective with joint awareness-raising actions and meetings to share ideas and best practices among experts, and in a concrete, daily activity favoring distributors and end users. All CMC dealers in Italy have a direct communication channel with the parent company’s experts. These experts provide advice on safety-related issues and train both technicians and salespeople to offer the highest level of information and expertise to those who work with their equipment daily.
Of course, there is also training: CMC recently began an important project to include the bulk of its dealer network among the safety training centers accredited by the association.
The last piece of the mosaic is in the area of after-sales.
Here, too, CMC is committed from the earliest stages, organising quality checks carried out directly at the sites of its partners, who are supported in the development of procedures for testing and inspection of components. Crucial to safety, then, is also ongoing support in service and maintenance. CMC’s support takes the form of several important actions:
• Constant training of dealer technicians
• Continuous reinforcement of service and spare parts departments, and
• makes CMC’s support constant and increasingly efficient at this stage. These systems are made available to dealers and service centres to constantly obtain and share a very
Manufactured for the Australian market, the Snorkel line of trailer-mounted boom lifts features a range of capacities and lifting heights along with an array of features to suit a variety of applications. The portability of a trailer-mount makes these machines ideal for contractors who work at multiple jobsites.
The Snorkel MHP15HD is a heavyduty trailer-mounted boom lift that offers durable performance and precision on the jobsite. Rugged and reliable, the MHP15HD is ideal for general maintenance and arborists. Automatic self-leveling capabilities enable safe and versatile working at height.
The MHP15HD’s durable two-man steel platform can lift a safe load of up to 200kg to a working height of 14.8m. Additionally, a 600V AC rated wire platform allows operators to use power tools up high. The MHP15HD is
also equipped with fully proportional speed controls for added flexibility. A versatile jib with 140° rotation delivers smooth and accurate precision, while enhanced side-to-side maneuverability provides better access to hard-to-reach places. Fitted with a superb 5hp engine, this trailer boom provides reliable performance, while optional bi-energy power offers clean and quiet operation in low-emission environments.
The Snorkel MHP13AT is a robust and reliable trailer-mounted boom lift
ideal for both arborists and trade maintenance applications. With a working height of 12.9m and a platform capacity of 215kg, this model features the lowest total weight of the MHP line of trailer-mounted boom lifts at 1360kg. Articulating boom sections provide up-and-over reach, making this model ideal for awkward
Clean and quiet operation.
working angles.
The Snorkel MHP13/35 features a maximum working height of 12.9m and the largest platform capacity in this line of trailer-mounted boom lifts at 227kg. The versatile jib boom and maximum reach of 5.6m make it ideal for a wide range of maintenance and landscaping applications.
All three of the MHP trailer-mounted boom lift models feature a rotating basket mount, automatic self-levelling hydraulic stabilisers, and a heavy-duty tow coupling.
For more information call the Ahern Australia team on 1300 900 700 or visit ahernaustralia.com.au.
Leguan’s all-terrain spider lift has made in an immediate impact in Australia, with arborists signing up for the new units before they’d even landed.
As reported last issue, Finnish company Leguan, through its Australian distributor, Monitor Lifts, is offering a new model: the 225, ideal for even Australia’s most demanding environments, and a great option for rental companies and arborists. The Leguan 225 offers unmatched allterrain capabilities, ease of use, smart technological innovations, and can be comfortably moved around on a fourtonne or 4.0T GVM GVM trailer.
Joystick controls make controlling the boom a natural and intuitive process, enhanced by the boom structure itself being so steady during operation. Efficiency is increased thanks to the 225’s smart features, including the capacity to operate up to four functions simultaneously, while durability is excellent thanks to the boom being shielded from external blows, falling
branches and sawdust. Standard features include:
• 21hp Kubota diesel engine + 240V electric motor
• 240V and USB power outlets on the platform
• Automatic engine RPM control
• Automatic levelling of the outriggers
• Proportional outreach monitoring system
• Electric rotation of the platform
• Jib-boom with 120-degree operating range
• Battery-powered emergency lowering system
• Lower controls with integrated service display
• Signal horn
• Outrigger beacons
• Hose to platform (air/water).
• Remote control for driving and outriggers, and
• Non-marking tracks.
Specs
Max. working height 22.50m
Max. working reach 11.20m
Max. platform height 20.50m
Capacity 250kg
Chassis type Crawler Tracks
Hydraulic fly boom Yes
Platform rotation Yes
Weight/outreach limited Yes
Turret Rotation 360°
Outrigger Stabilisers Yes
Power Kubota 21hp diesel and 240V
Weight 2950kg
The Leguan can be driven, set up and the boom operated, all from the basket. Automatic levelling means a quick set up – in fact Leguan is the fastest in the world – and new, larger footpads allow setting up on soft surfaces without using outrigger pads.
An 11.2m horizontal outreach gives a vast work radius and user-friendly joystick controls ensure smooth, proportional movement of the boom. A steel, 250kg-rated basket provides a safe, steady and durable work platform, and since the the Deadman pedal is actually a joystick trigger there’s no longer a Deadman foot pedal in the way when moving around the basket, which also has 240V power, a USB outlet, and air and water lines routed direct. All hydraulic hoses run internally so they’re fully protected, and the machine itself features a battery-powered emergency lowering system, automatic engine-idle control for easier communication and fuel savings, and the ability to track across a 25° slope.
An integrated service display for quick, easy on-site diagnosis rounds out the Leguan 225 package.
Find out more the 225 and Monitor Lifts range of self-propelled access platforms at monitor.net.au.
Aerial Access is thrilled to announce the launch of the highly anticipated Insulated Hybrid Elevated Work Platform (EWP) in the Australian market.
It is important to note the Insulated Hybrid EWP is not fully electric; rather, it operates on a hybrid system. Crews can continue operating for an entire day without interruption, thanks to the hydraulic PTO and the diesel power of the Hino 300 cab chassis. This addresses a significant concern when adopting new technology: how long will it last? And what happens if it runs out of power?
Aerial Access’ hybrid design mitigates such worries.
The team at Aerial Access is brimming with excitement as these cutting-edge units become available for full-time operations. The company remains committed to further testing and gathering valuable feedback, aiming to not only enhance the current models, but also lay the groundwork for future variations and additional options.
Manufacturing efforts are in full swing as Aerial Access forges ahead to meet the ever-evolving needs of the industry.
An advanced subframe assembly houses eight discreetly concealed batteries.
With the Insulated Hybrid EWP, Aerial Access is revolutionising the EWP sector in Australia. The company remains dedicated to providing customers with the highest quality products that deliver exceptional performance, reliability, and versatility.
Stay tuned for more exciting developments as Aerial Access continues to shape the future of the EWP industry.
Aerial Access takes pride in offering extraordinary setups beyond the ordinary. The impressive Versalift SST37EIH setup features a working height of 12.8 metres and a horizontal reach of 8.5 metres, perfectly paired with Isuzu’s 120/260 Cab Chassis. This combination provides ample payload capacity, ensuring crews have all the necessary resources to complete any job, regardless of scale. With a range of essential features like 240v inverters, fuse holders, central locking, and deck lighting, Aerial Access has thoughtfully covered all aspects to meet operational requirements.
The focus at Aerial Access is not only on aesthetics, but on functionality, safety, and efficiency. The company consistently seeks to provide users with products that optimise space, time, cost, and safety. Gone are the days of relying on timber dunnage pads of various shapes, sizes, profiles, and materials. Aerial Access offers a superior solution—dunnage pads that slide directly onto
the risk of slippage. These pads are conveniently stored beside stability legs and are incredibly durable. Additionally, Aerial Access addresses the common issue of damaged fire extinguishers and brackets by offering a custom-fabricated bracket that ensures optimal placement, easy access, and avoids constant replacement due to damages. This solution not only looks impressive, it enhances functionality and
With no compromise on the comfort or safety features many Clogger fans know and love, TreeCREW chainsaw trousers are a serious, affordable chainsaw trouser.
Clogger’s unique, breakthrough Arrestex HP chainsaw protection provides better safety performance with less weight and bulk. Combined with great durability and flex performance, the result is maximum comfort and ease of movement throughout the work day.
Buying as an individual or buying for a crew, Clogger TreeCREW is the no-nonsense chainsaw trouser for every tree worker.
Chainsaw protection
TreeCREW features include:
• Clogger’s exclusive Arrestex HP chainsaw fabric: six layers of light and breathable, advanced, technical chainsaw protection
• Arrestex HP includes ultra-strong UHMWPE cut-resistant fibres cross woven to improve multi-directional strike performance
• Waist-to-ankle coverage with extra protectionj on the left side to allow for rotation if a chainsaw strikes
• Outer fabric is constructed of a polyester/lycra blend
• Four-way stretch fabric for greater freedom of movement with FlexZone in the seat seam for extra give
• Elasticised waist for a snug fit and extra comfort
• Lock-stitched seams and reinforced stress points.
TreeCREW chainsaw trousers offer some great refinements from a company which understands arborists. Two huge, slanted hip pockets pull out easily to remove sawdust and a single welted pocket on the thigh is ideal for a phone or accessories. That thigh pocket remains accessible even while wearing a harness, and wide belt loops accept up to a 50mm belt and mesh lining gives enhanced breathability. Openings at hems allow the easy removal of debris and a lightweight design gives the medium trousers a weight of just 1.045kg.
Front-only protection is available as an option, sizes range from 2XS to 3XL and Clogger offers a specific men’s or women’s fit.
Find out more about Clogger and TreeCREW chainsaw
“Having worn them over the past couple of months I can honestly and truly say these are the most comfortable and breathable chainsaw pants I have ever worn.
Find more information on the full range of premium brands for arborists at www.combinedsafetysolutions.com.au
sales@combinedsafetysolutions.com.au
(02) 4421 7732
“The material is great, comfortable and withstood daily climbing and heat. Thank you very much for allowing me to try these awesome pants out. I have given them rave reviews to all that have asked about them.”
Clogger understands chainsaw protection can be expensive. TreeCREW is the answer.
IRegistered ‘Stumpman’ in 1987,” said the recently retired Victorian. “The company ‘Stumpman Sales and Services Pty Ltd’ was formed in 1994, and that was because I was in the process of designing my own stumpgrinders.”
We had to wonder if Kev had an engineering background.
“No,” he chuckled. “With all the stuff I’ve designed, I only designed it because I was born lazy.”
That was a bit hard to cop as we listened enthralled to Kev describing time as a pilot, a telecom technician – “…in the old PMG,” – a certificate in technology and some time in Queensland. Then he discovered stumpgrinders.
“A mate said, ‘Why don’t you buy a stumpgrinder,’” Kev related and laughed, “I didn’t even know what one was.
“He was a mate who’d worked in the PMG and who’d got into tree lopping. He said he needed someone to do stumpgrinding, so I went back to Victoria and started doing some research.”
After a few months Kev decided there had to be a better machine or a better way of grinding stumps, and he started thinking about how he’d design a grinder to do the job. It took a while, but the first machine came into being and more followed.
“After two years of thinking about it I put one together.
“Those early ones are still going. I know of one company that has three of them, even after all these years. They just keep going.”
One feature of Kev’s grinders was them being designed to fit down the sides of houses and into tight-access areas. He also equipped his grinders with another outstanding capability.
“Most machines back then would go nine or 10 inches underground,” he remembered. “My machines would cut nearly 18 inches under, which was more than any machine at the time.”
Kevan stopped manufacturing Stumpman machines in around 2004, and now, ready to retire and enjoy life, he’s seeking expressions of interest for the sale of the company name: Stumpman Sales and Services Pty Ltd.
It’s only the name that’s for sale. If you’re interested and want to find out more, email kevanblackwell@gmail.com.
Kevan Blackwell began a stumpremoval business in the mid-1980s and realised almost immediately he needed a more versatile machine. So he built one.
The first Bandit 3680T has arrived in Australia and is already making waves in the industry with its power and versatility.
Savco Vegetation Services has taken delivery of this 35-inch capacity horizontal grinder from Australia’s exclusive Bandit dealer, Bandit Tree Equipment and EEA Group.
“We had problems with root balls and dirty vegetation we couldn’t chip,” said Simon Savige, QLD Manager of Savco Vegetation Services, “and with the 3680T we can complete all the work from start to finish with no downtime to remove waste from sites.”
Simon’s team has put the 3680T through its paces at a jobsite outside Rockhampton in Queensland, clearing the vegetation for a new bridge upgrade with ease.
“We started on the first job three days after receiving the grinder,” said Simon.
“We were basically in and out of the job within a week with our clients being very impressed with the machine’s efficiency. “Savco has had a 700-horsepower grinder in the past, but with the 1050 horsepower and the larger mill in the Bandit 3680T, it made very easy work of the vegetation.”
Bandit Tree Equipment is dedicated to providing quality training to all new customers of the horizontal grinder series. The Savco team was given a run-through before the 3680T left for its job, while technicians from Bandit in the USA flew to Rockhampton to complete further onsite training.
The 3680T features a 1050 horsepower Cat C27 engine and is capable of processing a range of material, including
green waste, root balls, plastic, timber and pallets. This machine also has the capability to swap the 60-tooth mill out to a drum setup with knives to create specialised end products and further increase productivity.
Savco has been in business since 1977 and made the decision to upgrade to a horizontal grinder after enjoying the quality of its Bandit chippers and to help its expanding business model.
“Savco currently has around 15 pieces of Bandit equipment,” Simon pointed out. “Bandit has always been a good quality machine.
“As a company we downsized our operation in vegetation utility maintenance work and decided to move in a direction of machinery with some opportunities in the clear and grub market.”
Savco has a long relationship with Bandit and is looking at opportunities to use a wider range of machinery from the parent company, EEA Group.
“Our family group runs other companies, and we have also started using the EEA Group outside of the vegetation side,” said Simon. “We will continue to use Ben and Jeremy on the Bandit side of EEA Group. Ben is great,
always answers the phone, and we are dealing with Australian ownership, so basically you get an answer back very quickly.”
New stock coming soon Bandit and EEA Group will be bringing more horizontal grinders to the Australian market over the coming months, including the 3680T’s big
brother, the Bandit 4680T with 45-inch capacity. Demo horizontal grinder units will also be available for interested clients to use onsite, with training provided from Bandit and EEA Group.
To contact Bandit, log on to banditchippers.com.au.
To contact Savco, visit savco.com.au.
Available to demo and buy! With a 42” diameter x 63” wide cuttermill, this horizontal grinder can handle all types of wood, plastic and more. Ready to freight Australia wide, enquire today!
on every job. It’s more accurate, more professional and increases profit, but most importantly…it’s much less hassle!
Business systems, in essence, are all similar:
1. Collect data
2. Save it, and
3. Use it somehow.
Generally speaking, arborists want to be on the job, in the trees, getting the work done. Usually, they don’t want to be filling in paperwork and creating reports for compliance.
Even for consultants, inspecting and assessing trees can be rewarding and well-paid work, but the pain of pulling together data, images, maps, and bashing the head on the desk battling with Microsoft Word is no fun.
The reality however, is if you want to protect your assets and establish a tree business at the next level, councils, large developers, utilities and WorkSafe all require good systems and professional paperwork.
Nobody wants a situation where they spend years building up a successful business and then lose it all in a courtroom because a JSA wasn’t done each morning, or it can’t be proven staff were inducted.
ProofSafe is a flexible solution built for arborists. Your admin is done from the web portal in your office – account and asset management, sharing documents and so forth.
The field team use their mobile devices to view documents, submit JSAs and job sheets, and all the other paperwork tasks involved in a day’s work.
All paper systems and clunky spreadsheets are eliminated with ProofSafe.
ProofSafe started with safety. It does a
lot of other stuff, but the foundation was always to make safety compliance easy for arb business owners.
All the forms are there ready to go on the app, written for tree work: JSAs, equipment pre-starts, incident reports, inductions and so forth. With ProofSafe you just use the components you need. Your team can complete a JSA in a few minutes, upload, and a professional, signed, time-stamped JSA document arrives in your inbox. You can even automatically send that JSA to a client if needed.
From the office you can load up SWMS, SDSs or permits for the team to access anywhere in the field –there’s no more folders of paper covered in coffee and footprints in the cab of the truck.
ProofSafe can even supply all the paperwork policies and SWMS needed for a tree business.
ProofSafe includes a powerful arborist reporting tool: collect tree data in the field – dimensions, photos, GPS location, defects and more. Upload and this information is automatically generated into a report with maps and professionally formatted tables, including the calculated DBH for multistemmed trees, TPZs and SRZs.
You can use your own written templates or the ProofSafe templates, including Risk, Planning and TMPs. It takes all the pain out of report preparation and saves an arborist anywhere from one to three hours
ProofSafe is very powerful for its adaptability – clients have requested harness inspection forms, timesheets, job reports, koala monitoring data, quote forms, nest box inspections, Elm Beetle treatments and chemical use forms, to name a few.
Proofsafe is flexible, so even for special projects, you don’t need to buy other systems.
A manager using ProofSafe will login to the ProofSafe web portal to load assets (equipment, SWMS, people and so forth) and then those assets appear automatically on the mobile app for the team. If the crew is doing a pre-start on the chipper, they select if from the dynamic list, do the inspection, sign and upload. You then have signed proof the equipment was checked and safe to use.
This makes the team accountable and improves safety across all your operations.
ProofSafe has been built by arborists for the arb industry (but is used more broadly), it’s Australian and things are done a little differently – you’re definitely not dealing with some overseas conglomerate.
Advantages of the ProofSafe software include:
• Fair pricing: with most (other) online software services you are billed on the number of users, meaning you’re paying for everyone, every month, even if they don’t use the service. Some might call that gouging.
• With ProofSafe you pay a simple
and
app for efficiency, compliance and safety – in essence ProofSafe allows a business owner to collect any data, save it, then efficiently get it out again in a professional format. From JSAs to arb reports to research data on chainsaw hollows.The ProofSafe team is here in Australia (Victoria) and involved in the industry.
subscription for the business and then a small amount for data usage (like a gas bill). You can have unlimited ProofSafe user accounts and unlimited forms. ProofSafe users regularly say it’s too cheap.
• Flexibility: ProofSafe is a broad tool. You can configure it to your needs. Maybe you only want a smart timesheet, or the arb reporting tool and JSAs, or maybe a special project in canopy access and research. Whatever you need, ProofSafe can be configured. If it’s complex to build there may be a one-off setup cost, but it’s always fair.
The ProofSafe team is here in Australia (Victoria) and involved in the industry. If you want to have a chat about OHS/WHS laws, your SWMS and one-handed chainsaw use, you can have that conversation with a single call. You won’t get a ‘Help-bot’ that asks six questions then directs you back to a website somewhere.
So, if you want to build and protect your business, operate more efficiently and increase profits, ProofSafe is a truly unique option.
View documents and complete forms in the fieldon any mobile device, online or offline.
The same great HANSA Products Pty Ltd chippers and service, but an improved distribution network thanks to EEA Group.
F rom July 1, 2023, HANSA
Products Pty Ltd is partnering with Earthmoving Equipment Australia Limited (EEA Group) for the distribution of the commercial range of HANSA chippers: the C25, C27, C45
and up to HANSA’s largest model, the C65 and C65RX on tracks.
“We had been looking at ways to increase our footprint for our commercial customers in Australia,” said John Lyon, Operations Director at
HANSA Products Australia. “A big focus for us is the after-sales support and service.
“During our initial discussions with the team at EEA, we quickly realised we share the same passion
for providing the best customer experience. This passion, added with the EEA network, its company growth targets and industry experience, made it an easy choice for us. We can’t wait to get going!”
EEA Group is also excited to begin this partnership with Hansa Products Pty Ltd, and to add another global brand to the fleet.
“With our new partnership with HANSA Products, the EEA Gr-oup can establish itself as a one-stop shop for high-quality chipping and shredding equipment,” said EEA Group Director, Chris Newton. “We’re pumped to be able to offer a national presence with 10 EEA Group branches nationwide, providing spare parts and after-sales service to Hansa customers.”
Over the past three years, EEA Group has expanded rapidly into rural Australia, with branches including Coffs Harbour and Wagga Wagga. This dedication to supporting the rural and metro regions equally has allowed EEA Group to deliver quality back-up and field service unmatched in the treeequipment industry.
Look out for these two companies making waves soon. More information can be found at eeaustralia.com.au
Quinton Garlick from Cut It Right Tree Service in Victoria was over the moon when he found out he’d won the Husqvarna 525PT5S pole saw, valued at $1599RRP, in The AustralianArborAge’s subscription draw.
“Yeah, mate! Yeah!” he grinned down the phone. “I’m over the moon!”
“Last time I won something was about 10 years ago in the Victorian Tree Climbing Competition! I won a chainsaw and a pulley. Now, 10 years later, I’ve won a pole saw!
“Thanks to Husqvarna. It’s fantastic!”
We’ll catch up with Quinton and find out more about him and his new Husqvarna pole saw next issue.
Cat® Vermeer Intermercato ACT’s new Urban Forest Act
Tree Radar Australia uses a ground penetrating Radar Unit to provide the only, completely non-invasive method of tree decay detection and tree root detection available in Australia.
TREE RADAR UNIT™ DECAY DETECTION.
Tree Decay is a severe problem which can put all the structure around a tree at risk. With Tree Radar Units™ decay detection, Tree Radar can scan for decay in any tree regardless of its height. The Tree Radar unit can give an accurate read out of the severity of decay in a tree without having to penetrate the Tree’s surface.
TREE RADAR UNIT™ TREE ROOT DETECTION.
Tree Radar Unit™ can detect and establish the root proliferation of a tree, this allows the arborist to inform developers of any structural or instability issues without the need for drilling or digging.
Caterpillar is pleased to announce the availability of a newly designed 988K Pulpwood Log Handling Fork for the Australia and New Zealand markets. The new Pulpwood Fork augments the current 988K Log Handling Fork portfolio with:
• Right sized carriage height for improved log retention
• Decreased minimum top clamp closing diameter to clamp down tightly on the load
To go where you go, you need forestry equipment you can rely on. That’s why Caterpillar continues to support forestry industry customers with machines and work tools that deliver on the promise of dependability.Designed and intended for use in pulp, pellet and saw mills. This fork is offered with standard warranty terms for Large Wheel Loader Work Tools.
• Improved carriage geometry for smoother truck unloading, enabling the loader to pick the log load easily off the truck
• Increased top clamp opening for better fork loading when reclaiming logs from inventory, and
• Integrated front view camera mount providing clear view of tines and truck trailer, as well as reliability and easy serviceability (camera kit available, not included).
This fork is designed and intended for use in pulp, pellet and saw mills enabling single pass truck unloading and reclaiming logs from inventory and feeding the mill.
For decades, Caterpillar has supported customers’ work through
purpose-built equipment, wide parts availability and the expertise of the Cat® dealer network. Whether you’re clearing land, building roads or king of the mill, you can work confidently – because your Cat equipment and local dealer always have what you need to get the job done.
For information concerning availability, contact your local Cat dealer.
The new Pulpwood Fork maintains the stability performance specs of previous 988 forks.
Decreased minimum top clamp closing diameter to clamp down tightly on the load.
Vermeer’s WC2300XL and WC2500TX whole-tree chippers enable contractors to add value to their business, offering a range of features that bridge the gap between equipment for smaller jobs and machinery for larger infrastructure projects.
When it comes to infrastructure development, initial works commence well before construction starts. Extensive tree management is often required at these sites to clear the way for workers and construction machinery to arrive and operations to commence.
Contractors wanting to be competitive in winning these jobs need reliable equipment strong enough to handle mulching branches and grinding stumps, while also being cost-efficient, reliable and timesaving. What separates experienced smaller contractors from those working on larger projects is the equipment they use.
Chipping away at the whole tree
Vermeer’s machines are equipped to handle even the toughest of tree matter, with SmartCrush technology that automatically increases down pressure
when difficult material enters the cutting drum. The variable-speed, dualinfeed conveyor chains in Vermeer’s equipment streamline productivity, allowing operators to concentrate on loading the machine – not pushing material through.
It was the power and strength of Vermeer’s whole-tree chippers that first attracted Tree and Stump Eaters business owner, Shane Bannister.
Long lifespan
25 years ago Shane started the business that became Tree and Stump Eaters with a single stump grinder. As his small team took on bigger jobs, refined techniques and developed skills, larger jobs presented themselves and his fleet grew to include two Vermeer BC1800XLs. But Shane recognised that equipment that could efficiently process larger volumes of material
would save him time and create further opportunities for business growth.
Shane purchased the first BC2100XL to land in Australia back in 2010, and 13 years later this machine has tallied up 8500 hours of use, prompting Shane to offer, “It now deserves a well-earned break, but will continue to be used on smaller jobs.”
In 2022 Shane decided it was time to take the next step and go bigger.
After extensive research into advancements in chipper technology and what other brands had to offer, Shane couldn’t go past Vermeer’s WC2500TX. An added bonus was the machine’s tracks, which would allow Shane to get into the often-boggy work environments of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula where he often removes trees.
“I just liked the way they’re built,” said
Shane. “They’re a lot stronger. The infeed table is seriously solid, and the size of the infeed is massive. Pictures just don’t do its size justice.
“I’m happy with the smart design and the way they operate. They’re built strong and tough, and they’re goodlooking machines.”
As well as being strong, Vermeer’s whole-tree chippers are extremely efficient. Shane said his WC2500TX can fill a 30-metre bin in between 10 and 15 minutes.
“The quality of the chips being produced is as good as I’ve seen,” said Shane. “I was a bit nervous about selecting the correct drum and blade option to suit Australian hardwood, but after some discussions with, and feedback from, the engineers and from the guys in the Vermeer factory in the USA, I can say they got it right.”
High-wear material flow areas of the machine, such as the drum, discharge chute, cutter housing and infeed conveyor floor, are designed with replaceable bolt-in wear parts to extend machine life.
Vermeer’s whole-tree chipper can also efficiently move around job sites without the need for additional support equipment. Shane opted for Vermeer to add rubber overlay on his machinery tracks to enable him to carry out work on a wider variety of surfaces.
“We want to be able to work on roads, but we don’t want to damage the roads. Steel tracks will just damage the roads, especially on hot days. And we don’t have to put bog mats down everywhere,” he explained.
The ACS control system designed specifically for the whole-tree chippers allows operators to remotely engage and disengage the clutch, reposition the machine, adjust the discharge chute, and monitor the machine’s health.
“This new one’s pretty easy to operate,” said Shane. “It’s all remote controlled. The person in the excavator just operates it and everyone else just has to stand clear and let it do its job.
“It’s a pleasure to work with it. It’s just so easy. It makes our job so much easier.”
For more information on Vermeer chippers, visit vermeeraustralia.com.au.
After 8500 hours of use across 13 years, Shane’s BC2100XL will work on smaller jobs and leave the heavy work for the new WC2500TX. Two happy professionals! Vermeer Australia Area Manager, Marcus Scott (right) hands over the new WC2500TX.Want to increase your excavator’s productivity by up to 30 per cent?
Which rotator is right for you?
It all depends what kind of job you’re doing and what kind of machine and grapple you’re operating. A rotator works hand in hand with a grapple to achieve maximum performance.
Depending on the application, a rigidmount rotator may be the best option, and Intermercato Grapples has two popular types – worm-drive rotators and RMR rotators. You can be sure all the rotators Intermercato Grapples recommends are high quality and fit for purpose.
Worm-drive rotators
Intermercato Grapples’ worm-drive rotators are a popular choice to
complement any Intermercato grapple.
A worm-drive rotator allows spinning 360 degrees clockwise or anticlockwise endlessly. An Intermercato Grapples worm drive has a specially designed low ratio, making it great for use with excavators. The worm is powered by a hydraulic motor which turns a bevel gear around a worm gear.
It’s that simple!
The benefit of the worm-drive type of rigid-mount rotator is it will hold a load steady at any angle. For example, if a branch is held in the air with the excavator and it’s cut by a chainsaw, the branch will stay in position and not move once it is cut. It allows more control, but is slightly slower than other options.
However, if overloaded, the worm will creep backwards to take pressure off the teeth.
The worm drive-style is great for putting in standing posts, feeding chippers, or mounting on a chainsaw.
The RMR rotators from Intermercato Grapples are also extremely popular.
he RMR-type of rigid mount rotator uses gerotor technology to create a compact, high side-loadwithstanding rotator.
The axial and radial loading is due to the tapered roller bearing of the dual mounted, forged drive shaft.
The gerotor design allows a much faster operation than the worm drive. The only downside is it doesn’t hold the load steady. With a long load lifted to the left or right of the centre of gravity, the RMR will rotate freely until it stops moving. It’s an excellent choice for sorting grabs and feeding chippers.
For help choosing the right rotator to power through your workload, just ask Intermercato Grapples. Expert advice is all part of the service!
Log on to grapples.com.au or call 1300 88 21 61.
The ACT Government is introducing new legislation to further strengthen and improve how it manages trees.
The ACT Government will focus on working with community and industry to raise awareness of what is changing under the new legislation and how it affects residents and businesses, as well as building a new IT system to implement the reform.
The community and stakeholders were invited to provide submissions on the Draft Urban Forest Bill from April 21, 2022, to June 2, 2022. During the six-week consultation 66 submissions were received in total, including 26 submissions from organisations representing diverse sectors and interests.
A What We Heard report which summarises the key themes from the consultation is now available.
Feedback received during the consultation helped refine the Urban Forest Bill 2022, which was introduced in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday August 3, 2022. The Standing Committee on Planning, Transport and City Services then undertook an inquiry into the Bill.
Following an extensive review of the Tree Protection Act 2005 and introduction of the ACT Urban Forest Strategy, the ACT Government is introducing new legislation to further strengthen and improve how it manages trees. The proposed new Urban Forest Bill 2022 will repeal and replace the Tree Protection Act 2005 to improve tree protection on both public and private land, and encourage shared care of trees by the ACT Government, industry and the community.
The draft Bill proposes keeping and expanding the main elements of the Tree Protection Act 2005, including protection for large trees on private land (regulated trees), the ACT Tree Register (which recognises exceptional trees) and penalties for those who damage trees without approval. The tree damage application process and criteria for tree removal would be updated to provide greater clarity and streamline the approval process.
Canberrans will be encouraged to consider different sustainable design options when building new structures to safely retain mature trees for current and future generations. The Bill also proposes introducing a tree bond scheme and a canopy contribution framework to ensure trees are protected, and that when trees are removed, they are replaced. Community and industry feedback received during the review of the Tree Protection Act 2005 was used in the development the Draft Urban Forest Bill.
Feedback received during the consultation helped refine the Urban Forest Bill 2022, and some of the changes to the Bill as a result of feedback include:
• Transitional provisions have been improved to assist industry to adjust to the new elements introduced by the Bill
The ACT’s new Urban Forest Act comes into effect on January 1, 2024, to help better protect existing trees and support increased planting.
• Exemptions from the canopy contribution framework will apply automatically for applicants who receive approval to remove a tree under urgent circumstances, to remove a dead tree, or to remove a tree where replanting advice has been issued under the Heritage Act 2004 to streamline the exemption process
• Reporting and review requirements have been updated to include a review of the Act after it has been in operation for two years. This will ensure progress towards protecting the urban forest is measured, and
• Extra safeguards have been added, including clear review rights for representative Aboriginal organisations on cultural trees and clear statements that offences will not apply where a person could not comply with the law due to a reasonable excuse. This will uphold cultural rights and offer fair and reasonable treatment to all.
Feedback from the consultation is also helping inform how the ACT Government will administer the new legislation and assist industry and the wider community to adapt to the changes.
As I write, the last vestiges of the pandemic economic stimulus have been snuffed out – namely the 100 per cent Instant Tax Writeoff and associated carry back loss provisions. Both were introduced by the Federal Government to encourage business investment in equipment, and to shield businesses from the difficulties of losses in one year, profit the next. Now they’re gone!
All is not lost, however, and for the 2024 financial year businesses can still claim 100 per cent writeoff for business assets up to $20,000 (plus GST), even in multiples. Perhaps you may wish to buy a small machine for $20,000, then separately add an accessory costing a similar amount – both could be claimed and you can do that as many times in a year as you need to. And if so, you could use a ‘small ticket’ finance facility to finance each of them very quickly and easily.
Interest rates are all over the news on a daily basis now, seemingly on a steady march upwards. However, in the commercial space they often move up and down in accordance with the more jittery money markets, usually the result of supply and demand. In the period leading up to the end of June the best rates on offer were at or just above seven per cent and although a new financial year for most begins, several Australian banks’ financial year ends on September 30,
If you’re looking for quotes, information, good service and finance, contact Colin Cooper at Australiawide Finance.
so pressure remains on them to continue to fill their loan books before the reporting season begins. As in June, this often translates into discounted interest rates.
If you’re looking for equipment or vehicle finance, much of the decision making criteria is now statistical, ranging between the nature of the goods being purchased, length of the borrower’s time in business, whether or not the borrower has real estate, whether the goods are new or used and most importantly their age. These criteria make up the lender’s decision to approve an application and as mentioned last issue, lenders all have their own niche. Cars almost always attract the best rate and some financiers specialise in quick
and simple finance for new vehicles. Another could approve finance for your used tipper truck from a private vendor at an equally good rate, in an hour.
Finance applications can be decisioned very quickly and the majority of the settlement process is now often done electronically, far removed from the piles of paperwork and application processes of years ago. The secret is to know where to go and how to go about making way through the maze – to get you driving, working or leisuring!
With the ballooning cost of insurances, multiple policies can be financed with Insurance Premium Funding. Workers compensation, fleet and equipment insurances can be bundled together, financed over 10
months with a modest interest charge, usually without requiring directors’ guarantees and you can always mix a variety of insurance classes sourced from multiple insurers and brokers into a manageable monthly payment.
If you’re looking for quotes, information, good service and finance contact Australiawide Finance. We specialise in all types of commercial finance for vehicles, machinery and equipment. We also hold an Australian Credit Licence for consumer lending, covering all types of leisure goods such as cars, caravans, boats and motorbikes.
To find out more, log on to austwidefinance.com.au or call 1300 367 327.
For some tradies, public liability insurance is mandatory, and most building contracts above a certain value require this cover.
Compulsory or not, it always makes absolute sense. If you accidentally damage property or cause injury to someone, you could be liable for damages and significant financial loss. Costs could include medical and rehabilitation expenses, repairs and/or legal fees.
It can also be harder to find work if you aren’t insured. Some customers want to know they’ll be compensated if something goes wrong.
You can’t work without your tools. If they’re stolen from a worksite, a storage shed or the back of your truck, the right tool insurance can help you replace them allowing you to return and get on with the job.
For some tradies, public liability insurance is mandatory.
Your ute, truck or wagon is another business essential. You might be tempted to save a few dollars by not mentioning to your insurer that you use the vehicle for work, but you run the risk of having a claim rejected if it relates to your job.
Some policies include accessories and modifications such as your signage, racks and tow bar when they’re assessing the vehicle’s replacement value.
They may also have more flexibility in terms of the number of drivers covered – this is important if your team shares the driving among several members.
Worksites can be hazardous, exposing tradies to dangers such as incomplete electrics, working at height, noise and manual handling. And, of course, anyone can become too ill to work. When you
extended period. Some trades insurance policies include an income protection option, or you can purchase standalone cover.
The ideal scenario for any tradie is to avoid accidents altogether. The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ report for the 2021/22 financial year highlights some of the most important ways to stay safe:
1. Handle with care – lifting, pushing, pulling or bending accounted for almost a quarter (24 per cent) of the accidents reported. Safe lifting techniques and using mechanical aids wherever possible can help to reduce the strain.
2. Keep tidy – slipping and tripping accounted for 17 per cent of injuries. Keeping your workplace free from trailing wires, cables, hoses and spills could help make them safer.
3. Keep a look out – a lot is going on at a worksite and it’s important to stay aware of your surroundings. At 16 per cent, bumping into or being hit or cut by an object or vehicle was the third most common type of accident.
When your livelihood is at stake you may
This article does not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation or needs. It is also not financial advice, nor complete, so please think about whether these types of insurance are appropriate for you. Deductibles, exclusions and limits apply. You should consider the Product Disclosure Statement or any Target Market Determination in deciding whether to buy or renew these types of insurance. Various insurers issue these types of insurance and cover can differ between insurers.
For more information or questions on business insurance or your own policy, please contact Fitzpatrick & Co. Insurance Brokers on 03 8544 1600 or email: insure@fitzpatrick.com.au or visit fitzpatrick.com.au.
Fitzpatrick & Co has specialised in the horticulture and arboriculture industry for over 30 years providing assistance and financial support to companies, associations and events. We are there when your industry needs you.
Whatever size the project, whether you’re a treelopper, gardener, builder, carpenter or electrician, being properly insured can bring real peace of mind to you, your clients and your employees.
Customer satisfaction is our #1 goal. Oliver from O.S. Trees in Bathurst is a testament to that. Oliver has been a proud Bandit customer for over 10 years, with a range of chippers starting from a 6-inch right through to a 21-inch. Oliver needed an even larger chipper in his fleet, and the new Bandit 20XP HD was the perfect fit.“These bigger machines are more cost-effective for the client,” says Oliver. “They’re getting through more work. Production-wise, and with the remote eliminating that extra man on the ground.” Having a service team backing him up is an important part in keeping Oliver’s business on track. “The support from Terry for parts and service is all good and positive. And I think Bandit will do well with the new EEA Group branch in Orange” says Oliver. Customers like Oliver are the reason why we love what we do at Bandit. Our goal is simple. To ensure you have an outstanding experience with your Bandit machine every day. Welcome to the Bandit Family.
