An Armidale mulching contractor has proudly invested in and brought new mulcher technology to the region. Valued at over $170,000, it is a cut above the rest, with no need to handle the leaf-litter.
The five tonne Italian vegetation mulcher or forest mower has been modified by former Tasmanian-come-Armidale local, Alex Cunningham to suit New England conditions.
“This machine is the same as a mobile (wood) chipper, only it’s mounted on a Posi-track Terex all-terrain loader,” he explained.
With ever increasing drives for sustainable land and vegetation management practices, the machine is the latest tool to help meet growing needs and environmental ethics.
Mr Cunningham said the forest mower is the tool for taking greater care of the land.
“If you use a bulldozer to clear away vegetation, you can scalp the ground and leave it susceptible to erosion. Mulching is the sustainable way to go and this technology is essentially one step instead of two.”
Mr Cunningham’s business, ‘Silvi Culture Contracting’, is inviting interested parties to come along to see the cutting technology in action.
A live demonstration of the new-to-the-region Terex Track Mulcher will be conducted on Thursday, September 8 at 11am at the Snowgums Reserve on the corner of Markham and Erskine Streets, Armidale.
“I’d like to see land owners, business and government department representatives at this demonstration to see an efficient, cost effective means of removing vegetation and managing noxious weeds,” he said.
Mr Cunningham said prior to becoming a mulching specialist, he was a caterpillar diesel fitter for 20 years in Tasmania.
“I thought ‘there has to be a better, more sustainable way’,” he said.
“Now, I know there is and it’s here for the New England.”
He settled in Armidale, where his wife’s family resides, in 2005 and truly made mulching his business.
According to Mr Cunningham, the Terex Track Mulcher is safer than slashers because the rotation is vertical so it does not throw the debris outwards.
It is a intricate piece of machinery, which requires considerable experience and expertise, both in its operation and maintenance.
The mulching head spins at 1000 rotations per minute, with tungsten teeth. It can handle vegetation up to 200mm in thickness.
Anybody wanting more information can call Alex Cunningham on: 0427 538 213.
Story: Gary Fry
