Ironfarmers | Agriculture

Ironfarmers

Phone: 0417 618 719

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25.01.2022 Ironfarmers We need to weed our Garden Everyone needs to weed their garden, even a pot plant in the foyer of a corporate office in a capital city, a million h...ectare property or any land in between. With the impending Vegetation Management and other Legislation amendment bill 2018, about to be implemented by the Queensland Government, and the incredible Mumbo/Jumbo for the average person to decipher and understand, I feel it is necessary for anyone about to be affected to have their say and convey their knowledge publicly. I am from a rural background, being the fourth generation involved since my ancestors arrived from Scotland in the 1860’s. Although I am not technically classified as a primary producer (however I do derive 100% of my living from the rural industry) I am passionately involved by providing a service to the rural industry in land maintenance, improvement and development. Rural Grazing and Farming Land requires conservational maintenance. Prior to European settlement, there were vast areas of Australia totally uninhabited by human or animal life, as there was not any permanent water available to sustain life. During the natural wet seasons native grass was; and still is prolific and when this dried off during the normal dry seasons it was huge fuel for fires. Lightening would ignite this fuel and any encroaching plant life was destroyed except for the natural native grasses which returned in abundance next wet season. The human and animal life was dispersed in near proximity to permanent water such as rivers, lagoons, creeks and springs. Our native population would burn off around the areas where they inhabited as precautionary measures to save being incinerated in a large bush fire. This also assisted in trapping wildlife to sustain themselves. Many native animals would have been incinerated as there was no way of extinguishing an out of control fire as there is today. Obviously, there were many native trees along these watercourses and in the mountains; however, as they encroached the open grasslands, fire would have controlled them. Also, there was not any hard footed animals, such as cattle, sheep, horses, goats, pigs etc. These animals tend to compact the soil, encouraging woody weeds to germinate. We have introduced water to these vast areas from water bores, both Artesian and Sub Artesian, earth storage tanks and dams and controlled bush fires, thus allowing native seedlings and woody weeds to germinate and encroach the grazing and farming land as the fuel for fires is no longer there. To maintain this land and soil as it was some 200years ago it has become necessary to introduce mechanisation. During this process, land improvement can be sustained, such as the introduction of legumes and suitable grass species to suit and assist the production of our introduced industries. As we are invited by our rural customers to assist in maintaining & improving their land, we learn a lot and gain information about these properties, especially from owners and managers who have been there for several decades, thus enabling us to be comfortable in performing the required task. In gathering information during the years, we are repeatedly told about paddocks that inundated with encroachment scrub so thick that it is almost impenetrable was not there 30years ago, just a few scattered trees. We have the situation in Queensland, particularly in the Northern, North West and Central Western areas where the land was not developed as in the more southern areas. There are several reasons for this: Land Holders found as they required more land as families increased in generational expansion that the land values were less than the development costs of land. Within the last 20years this has certainly changed. The cost of taking land from undeveloped to viable developed was around say $50/acre. Land holders could purchase more land for less than this figure, so that was commonly done. We now figure with the efficient machines available, 20years later we can still develop land for around the same figure and as we are constantly hearing they are not making any more land. Land values have increased substantially, so if primary producers would like to set up their families may want to improve and maintain what they already have to produce more so that more families can viable survive on the same property. This has the desired result of being more efficient, by developing the land, we have observed some areas; say 15,000 acres running a few head of cattle, after development running 1,000head or more. This also has the advantage of being much more safe to manage (Work place Health & Safety), such as mustering, whether it be by horse, bike or helicopter. Personnel have much less chance of being injured as open, cleared country is easier to navigate safely without logs & trees to collide with. It is also safer for the animals. We have large areas of rural land that was developed during the Brigalow Ballot Scheme throughout the last century. Mainly in the 1960’s and ‘70s. There were conditions to fulfil to gain ownership of this land including that the land had to be cleared. Fortunately this was done as much of the highly productive, fertile farming and grazing land in Queensland now not only supports the families living there but also supports the country town right through to the major cities. This land is exactly the same as a city back yard it needs to be maintained otherwise it returns to an unproductive mess! Landholders are spending huge amount to achieve the required results whether it be mechanically or chemically they are not fools. If it was not necessary, why would they do it? If producers are stopped form their necessary development and maintenance programmes, many will not be viable within the next 5 to 10 years, especially after the last 4 to 5 years of drought conditions. People such as myself as service industries who have invested heavily in the equipment to assist in this programme will be out of business within 5 to 10 months. This not only takes us out, but also our operators, fuel suppliers, mechanics and the associated industries. Of concern from people opposing Rural Land Maintenance and Development, we constantly hear of the impact on wildlife. Maybe if these people would get out of their back yard and visit these areas and consult the rural producer for accurate views on this matter, quite a different aspect could be observed. Land is selectively cleared, leaving shade clumps and shelter areas. Nobody clears along rivers and watercourses where most native animals exist. Koalas live in Eucalypt areas and they do not venture far from water. They do not eat Brigalow or Gidgee. There are far more Kangaroos in Australia now than there were 200years ago. We have donated to them excellent improved pastures, crops and water facilities so their original natural drought or incineration cull does not happen anymore, except in State Forest areas where fodder control and fire cannot and is not being managed effectively. Bird life exists very well on what was originally there as well as fruit crops introduced. There appears to be more disruption by urban development than rural. Nobody in the rural industry clears mountain ranges or unproductive hilly land all they want to do is utilize the highly productive, fertile land even though at times appears to the uneducated to be arid. I know of families who have been on the same property for more than 100years and are terrified of losing it if it cannot be maintained. We have a very good sustainable rural industry in Australia which needs to be expanded as world population increases. We are a food and fibre producing country, with vast areas of sparsely populated land that has the ability to feed and clothe the highly populated areas of the world that do not have the area and efficiency and expertise to produce the products for themselves. We are being advised regularly that we have a clean, green product and are an extremely reliable supplier let us not lose this! We are continually being asked for grass fed and organic products which we can supply if we are not hindered in production. We do have competition from developed and developing countries, particularly South America and Russia as well as North America. I ask our elected leaders to have some common sense and support not hinder our progress. Short sighted political vote grabbing will not help Queensland/Australia long term. We at Ironfarmers have the equipment to assist our rural producers achieve this requirement we have three Caterpillar 824 Wheel Dozers. One 824G Series II and two late series 824C’s. These machines are equipped with 8mtre (26ft) Stickrakes (custom built) and Seabrook Pasture Seeders. Also, to assist in preparation for raking and ground preparation after raking we have two Caterpillar D7 Bulldozers. These have cutterbars to assist in removal of regrowth (after the vegetation management and other legislation amendment Bill 2018’ is not more than 15years old). We have the equipment to control this regrowth, including our own low-loader to locate equipment and all necessary trucks, service vehicles, fuel tankers, operators etc. We do not charge location fees (conditions apply) Fact of the Day: There are more trees on earth than there are stars in the Milky Way Source-NAB. Ian Mundell 0419 670 195 Judi Goor-Mundell-0417 618 719 [email protected] www.ironfarmers.com.au See more

24.01.2022 Caterpillar D7G DD For Sale

23.01.2022 Here she is!!!! All put back together One of best full referb/rebuild Blastco has had the pleasure being apart of. A credit to the team at Iron Farmers for there attention to detail on the build.

19.01.2022 This truck started life in the Australian Army in 1973(Vietnam Era) for the past 12 years has served faithfully as our fuel tanker. "Lest we forget"

17.01.2022 While one of our 824C's was home for a service we decided to tidy up paddock, so save buying so much hay for horses. In 2 turns and a blink of an eye the paddock was done.

15.01.2022 Operator job available. Stick raking Queensland. Call: 0417 618 719

06.01.2022 Manager/Operator Contracting Division Position Available

06.01.2022 Ironfarmers have positions available

05.01.2022 Manager/Operator Contracting Division

04.01.2022 Ironfarmers Contracting Division