Summer 2017
As this is our last magazine for 2016 it is a great opportunity
to say thank you for your business throughout the year, it
has been our pleasure serving you. We hope you enjoy this
edition of “The Field”. We endeavour to feature articles
about you, our customers and what you are doing in your
business. It is very satisfying for us to provide machines
and services that contribute to your success.
This past year we have increased our focus on providing
precision planting tools for the vast range of farming
systems we support from the Kimberley in the West to
FREE MAG
Gympie in the East. We have aligned ourselves with key
manufacturers to enable us to tailor the right planters for your
system. The most recent addition to our range is the
Monosem range of precision planters. We are convinced that
your planter is the most important piece of equipment you can
own.
From all of us at Vanderfield, thank you and we
wish you and yours a very happy
and Holy Christmas and
an outstanding New Year.
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GREAT OFFERS ON NOW
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1023E Compact
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2025R Compact Utility
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Other great offers also available, see us in-store today!
Conditions apply. Finance available through John Deere Financial Limited to approved commercial applicants only.
Repayments based on price of $20,471 for 1023E with H120 loader and $21,539 for 2025R with 54D deck. Calculated
on a 60 month term at an annual percentage rate of 2.49% with 30% deposit and GST back. Fees and charges apply.
If not amended or withdrawn earlier, the promotion expires on 15 January 2017. Offer only applies when bundled as a
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Conditions apply. Finance available through John Deere Financial Limited to approved commercial applicants only.
Repayments based on price of $20,471 for 1023E with H120 loader and $21,539 for 2025R with 54D deck. Calculated
on a 60 month term at an annual percentage rate of 2.49% with 30% deposit and GST back. Fees and charges apply.
Bruce and Sue Vandersee with Sam Allen
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Samuel R Allen @ VANDERFIELD
Early in June, Australia received a three-day visit by a
team of six members of the Deere & Company
executive, including its Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer, Samuel R Allen, accompanied by James M
Field, John Lagemann, Randal Sergesketter, J.B. Penn
and Malcolm Rhodes. The team were on a tight
schedule, visiting Brisbane and Melbourne, but they
found time to spend half a day at the Vanderfield
dealership in Toowoomba.
Vanderfield was established by Gordon Vandersee in
1963, and it became the Toowoomba John Deere
dealer in 1970. Sam Allen has held his current position
with John Deere since February 2010 and is only the
9th CEO the company has had since its foundation in
1837. His association with Vanderfield started during
his 1999-2001 term as Vice President, Region I (Latin
America, Australia and Asia) of the Worldwide
Agricultural Equipment Division.
Speaking to an interested audience comprised of
visitors from John Deere in Brisbane and over 80
Vanderfield staff, Mr Allen’s message had a strong
focus on the importance of building relationships so
that each party can contribute to making the others
stronger and better. He reflected on the central role
played by customers as ‘the reason of our being’, and
pointed out how the best product available would not
be enough to retain customers unless it was backed by
a dealership offering great service, prompt access to
parts, and the technical expertise to diagnose and fix
issues on the first opportunity. On this note, Mr Allen
congratulated Vanderfield for being the #1 dealer in
Australia and New Zealand for two years in a row and
thanked the staff for doing such a great job of
representing John Deere.
One key reason for Mr Allen’s visit is the opportunity to
meet with regional farmers, as Australian farming
groups, together with those from Argentina and
Canada, can be considered world leaders in terms of
innovation and productivity. Having meetings with
customers, like the two Mr Allen had at Vanderfield
Toowoomba, allows John Deere to find ways to better
support customers’ current needs and understand
future trends so the best service possible can continue
to be offered in the future. The commitment to continue
to produce the finest of products for dealers to offer
customers is matched by Vanderfield’s commitment,
expressed by its Managing Director, Bruce Vandersee,
to continue to do the best job they can to represent
those products.
At the end of the visit, Mr Allen was presented with a
Queensland State of Origin jersey, much to the delight
of the vast majority of the audience.
Bruce Vandersee presenting the facts
Vanderfield showcases
sugarcane industry to
ASIAN DELEGATION
The Bundaberg and Mackay branches of Vanderfield,
in conjunction with John Deere Australia, hosted a
group of about fifteen John Deere Asian dealers at the
beginning of September. The delegates came from
Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines and Indonesia and
were able to visit a number of local farms and
businesses during their four-day visit.
‘We wanted to give them a feel for the way we conduct
our sugar cane farming practices and the use of
technology in local operations’, explains Vanderfield
Bundaberg manager, Allan Cooper.
The delegation spent three days in Bundaberg. ‘On day
one, we focused on farm design, levelling and drip
irrigation. The delegates were able to visit Peter
Greensill and Jason Loeskow’s operations, where they
witnessed the use of large John Deere tractors and
earth moving equipment and the applications of
technology in farm design, and Francis, Jason and
Anna Attard’s farm, where Marcus Ashley from Rivulis
Irrigation joined us’.
‘On the second day, we had two tours in the morning: of
a Bundaberg Sugar branch, where we talked about
guidance, multi row equipment, planting and
harvesting, and of the Bundaberg Foundry, and then in
the afternoon we went to Desmond-John Loeskow’s
farm for a look at a John Deere 4030 self-propelled
sprayer with Cane Droppers.
‘The last day in this area ended with a tour of local
engineering company Bundaberg Walkers in the
morning followed in the afternoon by a visit to Petersen
Farming, in the Hervey Bay area, for aspects of field
design and harvesting. A multi-row cane harvester was
seen in use’.
Vanderfield Mackay manager Stephen Emmert
explains what happened next. ‘The delegates viewed
both planting and sugarcane machinery. It was a very
informative and enjoyable day’.
Allan and Stephen agree that feedback from the
delegates was very positive. ‘They were very
appreciative of the chance to see local farmers in
action and learn about machinery and other aspects of
sugar production in this part of the world. We also had
a great time getting to know the delegates and teaming
up with customers and other business, without whom
we could not have offered this experience’.
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TRACK
OUTBACK
Strip Till and Deep P Fertiliser Testing
with Orthman 1tRIPr
VNET Precision Farming have established a Strip Till
trial in cooperation with Paul Dieckmann, who
manages Brookstead property “Trifel” for Brazil
Farming Co. ‘We have seen responses to both
Phosphorous and Zinc treatments on the property’s soil
types for many years in a range of crops’, says Mr
Dieckmann.
The trial was set to study side by side responses of
both strip till and deep phosphorus treatments to
sorghum in a dryland farming system that has been
under long term zero tillage. Vanderfield’s Precision
Farming Manager Stephen Hegarty explains: ‘In May
2016, Vanderfield Toowoomba provided a custom 3
row x 40” demo Orthman 1tRIPr which was used to
apply strip till treatments into existing 9 row x 40”
controlled traffic rows. Varying rates of Supreme Z
starter fertiliser were applied through the 1tRIPr at a
depth of approximately 150mm’.
The trial was established as a simple commercial
side-by-side comparison, with various treatment strips
of zero till, strip till, strip till with low rate deep fertiliser
and strip till with high rate deep fertiliser. On 30th
September, the field was planted with grain sorghum
hybrid MR Buster at a target plant population of 60,000
seeds per hectare.
‘We’ve had cooler spring temperatures so far this year,
and this has tested the seedling vigour and survival of
many crops. Predictably, these conditions resulted in
lower than normal established plant population in our
trial also’, says Stephen.
Randomised plant stand counts were taken at 20 days
after sowing and show some considerable variation in
established plant population between the zero till and
strip till treatments. ‘These early assessments show
the average zero till population to be 39,000/ha (65% of
target) and the average strip till population to be
50,400/ha (84% of target)’.
VNET Precision Farming will be continuing plant
assessments throughout the season, including through
high resolution multi-spectral imagery, as the crop
responds to the P fertiliser applied at depth. ‘At the
end of the season, yield maps from the harvester will
be used to calculate gross margin per ha both in the
treatments and the rest of the field'.
If you would like to be kept up to date with the trial,
including potential field day date, please talk to the
VNET Team.
Isuzu UTE Australia has continued its partnership with
the award winning “Stay on Track Outback” road safety
project.
Targeting nomads around the nation, ‘Stay on Track
Outback’ is an awareness program designed to
educate tourists unfamiliar with outback traffic hazards,
as well as the risks associated with driving at night and
fatigue from driving long distances. Police say there
has been a surge in accidents on outback roads, the
majority caused by the inexperience of new nomads –
whose years of urban driving does not necessarily
equip them for long journeys on the nation's outback
highways.
Senior Constable Sarah Grayson, Project Manager,
said “Being prepared for a trip in the outback should be
the number one priority and this includes drivers
educating themselves about all the unique hazards
they may encounter. Some of these include wildlife,
livestock, changing road conditions, unpredictable
weather events, road trains and wide loads.” The
project has been created with driving on outback roads
in mind however the lessons are applicable across the
country. “We hope that people will look at our website
and plan their trip before they leave for some helpful
road safety advice,” Senior Constable Grayson said.
It is the aim of the project to continue implementing
further strategies to assist motorists well into the future,
not only in Queensland but across the country.
For more information visit www.stayontrackoutback.qld.gov.au
HINO HYBRID CELEBRATES
Chris Robinson
10 YEARS AT THE TOP
The Hino 300 Series Hybrid has maintained its
reign as the best-selling diesel-electric light duty
commercial vehicle platform in Australia as it enters
its tenth year of sales.The Hino Hybrid pioneered
diesel-electric trucks in Australia and has been a
sales market leader for hybrid trucks since its
launch in 2007, selling 481 units to date.
Growing fresh produce in the Kimberleys
Oria Orchards and Flowers is a Kununurra business
run by husband and wife team Chris and Diane
Robinson. ‘Our aim is to provide the freshest local
produce and beautiful flowers grown when possible
right here -from the Kimberley to the Kimberley!’,
explains Chris.
‘I arrived in Kununurra in 1988. I come from the
wheatbelt region in the South West of Western
Australia, where I grew up in a dairy farm. My parents
also ran some cattle and they were into horticulture’.
‘Work brought us here and Diane, who is a biological
scientist, and I looked for a block of land where we
could farm. We found the perfect spot to grow our
produce and tropical flowers in Packsaddle Road and
have the retail outlet in town, 15 minutes away. We
developed our business from scratch’.
‘You’ll find that things change on a regular basis here in
Kununurra, and we’ve had a go at growing all sort of
crops over the years. We are very flexible in the way we
operate, and I think you have to be’.
‘At the moment, we grow mangoes, which we export to
the Perth market throughout the October-November
season, paw-paws, which have to be replanted every 2
to 3 years, and dry season produce, including lettuce,
tomatoes, melons, herbs and other vegetables and
fruits. We also supply frozen mango, dried fruit, and
grapefruit juice. Apart from the flower shop and Perth,
we supply the local markets and sell directly to local
restaurants’.
‘With the flowers, we specialise in heliconias and
gingers, which are tropical, but we also offer a variety of
dry season annuals grown right here’.
‘When we were looking for a new vehicle, we turned to
the local Toyota dealer, Vanderfield Kununurra. We’d
had a very good experience with our original Toyota
Hilux, and the Fortuner we chose suited our specifications very well’.
‘Vanderfield also supply us with the agricultural
machinery and parts we need for our business. We are
really happy with the service we get from Lloyd Morley
and his team; they are always helpful, and made the
car purchase very easy’.
Vanderfield are the Katherine and Kununurra Toyota
dealers. Call 1300 VANDER from those areas to find
out about our current Toyota end of year specials.
Hino Australia has launched a marketing campaign
highlighting the economic and environmental
advantages of the Hybrid. Hino Australia chairman
and chief executive officer Steve Lotter attributed
the robust Hino Hybrid sales to a growing demand
for fuel-saving and environmentally-friendly options
in the trucking industry.
"Global demand for a low greenhouse gas emission
truck gave us the perfect opportunity to provide our
proven hybrid solution to Australian businesses,"
Mr Lotter said. "We stepped into a truck market
unfamiliar with diesel-electric technology and
implemented the world's best hybrid system thanks
to our Toyota Group connection. "The research and
development by Toyota and our global Hino
counterparts ensured our product delivered on our
promise of quality, durability and reliability. "For our
local customers, recognising that the Hino Hybrid
helps save fuel and increase the bottom line has
made it the preferred choice for fleets of all sizes,"
Mr Lotter said.
The electric motor in the Hino 300 Series Hybrid is
derived from the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive
system featured in the Toyota Prius and other
hybrid variants such as the Camry Hybrid and
newly-revealed Corolla Hybrid.
Independent testing of hybrid commercial vehicles
in 2012 showed a 21 per cent average saving in
fuel, CO2 emissions and costs for a pick-up and
delivery operation in the Sydney metropolitan area.
The average savings over a conventional diesel
vehicle were calculated to be approximately 6.66
litres of fuel and 179.35 grams of CO2 emissions per
100 kilometres. The Hino Hybrid is available in eight
variants and is suitable for a range of applications.
The latest Hino Hybrid combines a 4.0-litre
110kW/420Nm diesel engine with a 36kW electric
motor which run in parallel and are mated to a Hino
ProShift 5 Automated Manual Transmission.
DARWIN 08 8932 4200
TOOWOOMBA 07 4631 4800
Chris Robinson with Lloyd Morley
PLANTER SERVICE
“Hitting your desired plant population does not
mean much if you’ve got skips and doubles in the mix.”
We test your row units.
(using your seed and vacuum settings if available)
Before and after maintenance, to highlight the
gains available of a correctly adjusted and
maintained planter.
$
We document Seed Singulation,
Coefficient of Variation (CV), Average Seed Spacing,
Doubles, Skips and Vacuum Levels.
90
nit
plus gst per row u ed
excludes parts us
Maintenance items include:
Seals, brushes, bearings, plastic mouldings, seed disk wear, scrapers,
knocker wheels and seed sensors.
CONTACT YOUR BRANCH
FOR MORE INFORMATION
1300 VANDER
vanderfield.com.au
Nathan McCartin
SLASHER
Nathan McCartin was born in the Sunshine Coast town
of Nambour but work took him to Western Australia,
first Kalgoorlie and then Port Hedland. As he explains:
‘I’ve been doing earth moving for many years, in
different mines, and have also worked in desalination
plants’.
Ashley, David, Nathan and Leyton Petersen
SIX GENERATIONS OF IMPROVEMENTS
IN SUGARCANE GROWING
‘I was made redundant in 2013 when the iron ore fell,
so I came to Gympie. I’ve got family not far away, and
this is a fantastic area to live in: it offers a great lifestyle
and people are really friendly’.
With many years’ experience in soil and earth moving,
Nathan decided to start up a slashing business, A1
Slashing Gympie. ‘I got busier and busier and can now
employ another person regularly, plus casual help if
needed on top of that’.
A1 Slashing’s equipment allows them to do a variety of
jobs. ‘We obviously do slashing, also mowing, and can
handle banks. We do tree removal and mulching up to
4 inches’ diameter’.
‘In addition, A1 Slashing offers an earthmoving service,
weed spraying, tipper hire and rubbish removal. We
can also protect our clients’ properties by creating
firebreaks, and we do land clearing. We have a wide
range of residential and commercial customers and
any size block. Slopes are not an issue, as we have
machinery that can handle steep blocks’.
A1 Slashing Gympie are fully equipped with John
Deere 4WD tractors and mowers, as well as an 8-tonne
tipper and 4-tonne excavator, levelling bar,
weed-spraying units, offset disc plows and 8ft chisel
tynes. ‘We use these for plowing the ground up so we
can cater for customers looking to aerate the soil for
improved pasture’.
‘I’ve recently purchased a new 6105M John Deere
tractor. It’s important for me to have a good relationship
with my dealer, and to receive good service. I’ve been
a customer of Vanderfield Gympie for a while and am
very happy with how they look after me, and you could
say I look after them too: I’ve managed to sell a few
John Deere 758 4WD ride on mowers’.
‘I use a 758 4WD because they are really good for
steep hills. My customers see me operating them on
their slopes, ask me questions, I show them and they
end up at the dealer’s. I find John Deere machinery to
be great quality and very reliable’.
A1 Slashing Mowing and Excavation take all the hard
work out of block maintenance and earthmoving, and
no job is too big or small for them. If you are in the
Gympie Shire, including Noosa Shire, through to
Eumundi and Tin Can Bay, and want a no obligation
quote, call Nathan on 0407 451 603.
Austin, 7th generation Petersen farmer
James Cook is the first recorded European to have
sighted the area he named Hervey Bay in 1770,
although he did not set foot on it, being, according to
his ship’s log, about 11 kilometres off the land. Not
quite a century later, Hervey Bay was part of the
Toogoom Run, a cattle station settled in 1854, and
records show that it became a dairy farming area in the
1870s before the introduction of sugarcane in the next
decade.
Local farmer David Petersen reckons that it was about
that time that his ancestors arrived in the area. ‘We’ve
been here for six generations now, with my son
Nathan, brother Ashley and nephew Leyton and myself
all currently in the family operation’.
‘We have little parcels of land that the family has been
buying over the generations, all fragmented. We grow
sugar cane and pineapples, with soy beans in our
fallow ground, and have some cattle, and we also do
contract cane harvesting’.
‘Our harvesting is a 20-24 hr operation doing approximately 2,000 engine hours over 16-20 weeks. We
anticipate to harvest between 120 and 150 thousand
tonnes of sugar cane per season, including 30 to 40
thousand of our own, depending on the weather
because we are not 100% irrigated’.
industry, there is a bit of diversity in the way we plant;
for us, it is a dual row system on 2 metre beds. We
used to have 1.5m beds, but changing to 2m meant a
one-third reduction in the distance travelled and turn
arounds. Significant time (and, therefore, money) is
saved. We have found this to be the most efficient way
to operate’.
‘My father and his father always had pineapples as far
as I can remember. We now have about 120 acres
planted and they’ll yield approximately 2,000 tonnes
per year. They don’t need irrigation and their cycles
work well with the sugar cane.’
‘We don’t breed cattle, but we run about 400 head of
male cattle for the meatworks or feedlots.’
‘We get excellent support from Vanderfield Bundaberg,
and almost 100% of our machinery is John Deere now.
We’ve recently got a new cane harvester, a CH570, but
we also have Deere tractors and a sprayer. We know
we’ll get great results.’
‘We used to have little supplement dams for our
irrigation, but 16 or 17 years ago we set up a reliable
system with decent water storage from Hervey Bay
City Council using treated effluent water for our central
pivots’.
‘We’ve been able to go on overseas trips with John
Deere, to America and Brazil. The size of the Brazilian
operations was amazing, and it was good to see how
controlled traffic and other practices are also used to an
advantage elsewhere in the world. I enjoyed visiting the
John Deere factories and seeing how tractors are
made, and their newest harvesters and innovations.’
‘Similarly, when Vanderfield hosted an Asian dealers’
delegation earlier this year, we were proud to be one of
the local producers involved, showing them how we
harvest sugar cane. These are great experiences’.
‘In 2000 we introduced controlled traffic, perhaps a bit
of a novelty in this area back then. In the sugar cane
Call Vanderfield on 1300 VANDER to learn more about
how our range of products and services can suit you.
Ross Uebergang of Uebergang Agriculture, along with
his wife, Ingrid, and his parents, David and Margot, are
the recipients of the 2016 Vanderfield Grower of the
Year award from the Darling Downs Cotton Growers
Association. ‘I honestly was not expecting the award,
but it is an encouragement and serves as an incentive
to keep trying to get better at what we do’, says Ross.
Their property, Tinobah, lies 30 kilometres outside of
Miles. It is about 2200ha all up, with about half of that
set aside for farming, including 600ha of irrigated
cropping and pasture. It was first settled by Ross’s
grandfather, John, in 1949. He cleared the land and
grew wheat, and some oats for his cattle.
Ross and Ingrid Uebergang
Luke Bradley
Luke Bradley
The Nuffield Foundation owes its name to William
Morris, Lord Nuffield, who founded it in 1943 with
substantial funds from his Morris Motors company.
Shortly after the end of World War II, it began awarding
scholarships for farmers wanting to study overseas.
The idea was to reward those who had made efforts in
food production during the war and to learn about
agricultural developments in other parts of the world.
A parallel scheme started in Australia in 1950, and
Australian resources have funded it since 1976. One of
the 2017 awardees, Luke Bradley who is funded by the
GRDC, is the third generation operating Wool-a-Roo
Pty Ltd with his wife Sophie and parents, Peter and
Kerrie Bradley.
Luke spent 7 years as an electrician before deciding to
return to agriculture. The family is now based at Lindley
Downs, a 5300ha leased farm in the Springsure area,
and they also undertake some contract farming.
‘We mostly grow dryland sorghum and chickpeas, and
we run a 350-head breeder herd. We have a holistic
plan to improve the property, and have already taken
effective steps to manage precipitation and minimise
erosion.’
The plan involved investing in precision agricultural
equipment. ‘We accessed funds through the FBA after
undertaking BMP workshops to help co-fund
investment into upgrading our GPS guidance, section
control and software systems, including installing
TerraCutta and iGrade. Contour redevelopment and
adjusting our control traffic tram lines utilizing elevation
layer data is helping us to farm water better’.
‘I’ve always been big on rate controllers. With 425ha of
Simplifying and adapting
technology in Springsure
headlands on Lindley, precision planting and row
control translates into significant savings and, to a
greater, extent higher gross margins. I believe it is part
of my stewardship as an operator of this land to ensure
what I put on my paddocks stays there.’
Luke sees managing costs as a key way to increase
profit, and he plans to use his Nuffield scholarship ‘to
study where farmers will be investing in agricultural
technology into the future. Different scale operations
have differing requirements; it is vital that we continue
to adopt technology relevant to our operations to
maintain profitability. I’m interested in simplifying the
use of this technology and exploring the possibilities
that data sharing amongst growers can bring through
benchmarking’.
Bruce Vandersee
with student
Luke relies on Vanderfield Emerald for the supply of
agricultural equipment. ‘Dad started dealing with
Vanderfield at St George, and when Bruce took over
from Centracks we didn’t hesitate. We value the
expertise, service and support provided by Mark
Tosswill’s team, and love our John Deere equipment’.
The scholarship will take Luke to the USA, Argentina,
Brazil, the Netherlands, Italy, China and New Zealand,
and he’s looking forward to sharing his findings with
others when he returns. ‘This is a great opportunity; for
instance, in the Netherlands I will see some of the
world leaders in Horticulture and learn about their
integrated pest management systems. It is important to
be researching these types of practices now so that
when it’s cost effective we can adopt them quickly’.
Let your local Vanderfield team help you reach your
goals. Call us on 1300 VANDER.
‘We started growing cotton in 1991, and we now have
350 irrigated ha. We also grow sorghum, and a bit of
corn in the summer. We run some cattle on the
property, the progeny of breeders we have out West.’
Ross always wanted to be a farmer. After completing a
three-year farm business manager course, he returned
to Tinobah in 2008 and began to work on diversifying
their operations. ‘We got into irrigation, and we now
have a centre pivot system that works well for us.’
Darling Downs Cotton
Grower of the Year
‘We’ve focused on doing simple
things properly: good nutrition and
the best water and fertiliser use that
we possibly can. Having the pivot
system is great because they allow
us to fine-tune their application.’
The Uebergangs use John Deere agricultural
machinery for their operations, with Ross admitting
having liked Deere products since he was little. ‘We like
to keep our gear properly turned over so it is always in
top shape. We have recently bought an R4023 self-propelled sprayer and have ordered an 8320R tractor from
Vanderfield Chinchilla. We do our own maintenance,
but know that the guys are there to get us out of any
sticky issues if they ever came up’.
Vanderfield specialised staff can help you find solutions
too. Ring your closer dealer on 1300 VANDER to find
out how.
Showcasing the ag industry
TO MACKAY STUDENTS
At Vanderfield, we know how important a healthy and
vibrant community is and we have a long history of
supporting local communities through 50 years of
successful business. On the 16th of September, Shane
Madeley, from our Mackay branch, teamed up with
other local businesses and organisations to give a
group of 17 high school students and some of their
teachers information and experience on Ag Management.
‘I hosted the high school group and Ali Briggs, from the
unique AgForce’s School to Industry Partnership
Program, in conjuction with the Bowen Gumly Growers
Association (BGGA)’, explains Shane.
With the assistance of Paul Rogers from Farm HQ and
two of his workers, Russell and Jahn, the event was
held on a Proserpine farm off Glen Isla Road. ‘Our goal
was to help show and explain Ag Management and the
part it plays in the agricultural industry as well as to give
the students some hands-on experience’.
To begin with, Paul gave an introduction talk, and gave
examples of how he utilises Ag Management in his
Business Farm HQ and on the farm he manages.
‘We discussed the importance of cost control,
recording chemical use, section control, and basic
guidance before splitting the group into two smaller
ones to see some machinery in operation’.
Some of the students went through the John Deere
4630 Sprayer and saw the way the screen assists the
application of chemicals while the second group got to
go for a ride in a John Deere 6930 with RTK Guidance
to see how the tractor could drive itself in an actual
ground working situation. After half an hour, the two
groups switched over.
‘The students and teachers enjoyed their time and
were given some information handouts and Vanderfield
merchandise, which went down a treat, but our hope is
that the experience will ignite some interest in these
students and get them to see the agricultural industry
as a long-term and forward-thinking industry with
plenty of opportunities for employment’.
Shane would like to thank everyone involved for their
contribution. ‘Without the time and effort they invested,
the event would not have had so much success’.
Paul Rogers
The Queensland seafront town of Seaforth lies about
30 minutes north of Mackay. A very popular fishing
destination, its all-tides boat ramp at Victor Creek also
serves as starting point for exploring the beautiful
Newry Islands. It was while fishing in those sparkling
turquoise waters a couple of years ago that Don
Griffin’s brother suggested he should have a look at
Seaforth Pines, an outdoor education and conference
centre the Queensland Government had for sale.
Having been born in Mackay, where his two brothers
still reside, Don loves the area and decided to take the
plunge. His offer was accepted, and the centre is
already an extremely popular option for schools and all
sorts of community groups to hold events.
Don, his wife Trish and their five children are all
qualified accountants and directly involved in the family
accounting businesses Etax Accountants and Etax
Local. Don’s vision for these businesses was ‘to deliver
kind, calm and professional service while striving for
the highest levels of accounting excellence, independence and confidentially’, and that is what the large
team at Etax has been doing for almost 35 years. But
Seaforth Pines was a completely new business
venture.
‘The Centre had been closed for four years, and there
had been talk of changing it to a motel/hotel type of
venue. However, I wanted to keep it as an outdoor
education and conference centre and to run it as a not
for profit organisation so that children and community
members from all walks of life could have the opportunity to access our services.’
The Centre came with 21 acres of land, and Don has
recently acquired an additional 1000 acres. While the
centre already offers excellent facilities for indoor
sports and numerous outdoor activities, this expansion
will allow Seaforth Pines to offer abseiling, orienteering
and trekking activities. There are also plans in place for
a water slide and a rock-climbing wall. ‘We are here for
the long haul, and we want to do things right’, says
Don.
‘I’ve had to learn about many new things in order to
have the Centre where I wanted it to be, from getting
approval for compliances and risk management to
managing the maintenance of buildings and grounds,
but I have had the support of some great people. The
Centre’s manager, Katie, and her team of six local
women do a fabulous, enthusiastic job and keep
acquiring new skills, the most recent being abseiling
instructor qualifications. And the local community, from
the local police and fire brigade to the Seaforth
Progress Association, has helped greatly. Even the
local Bowls Club allowed us to use some of their
catering facilities when we needed them in the early
days.’
Don has also received support from Vanderfield
Mackay. ‘We purchased a John Deere 5055E tractor
with a slasher and have recently added a front loader to
it. We chose Vanderfield because they are a local
business offering great products and service; any
issue, they are right there to fix it. The tractor is just
fantastic for our landscaping and maintenance needs,
and David Pace has been great’.
Seaforth Pines is an excellent choice for your group
event, from extended family reunions to school, church
or community group gatherings. Find out more on their
website, www.seaforthpines.com.au/, or by emailing
[email protected]. If you are looking for
a secure and convenient way of lodging your, or your
business’, tax return through a fully-accredited
accounting firm qualified to give high-level tax advice,
check out www.etax.com.au. And talk to your local
Vanderfield team on 1300 VANDER about options
available for your grounds maintenance.
SEAFORTH PINES
Group getaway venue at the
gateway to the Witsundays
Don Griffin
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John Deere netwraps reduce baling time and help
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Making light work of grounds
maintenance on 4WD
Aaron and Carly Kiely
Meghan and Griffyn on top
Simon Rooks
SEIZING OPPORTUNITIES
FOR GROWTH IN EMERALD
Simon and Leonie Rooks and their three children live in
the beautiful Cooloola Cove area of the Wide Bay-Burnett region of Queensland.
‘I’ve lived in the Cooloola Cove / Tin Can Bay area my
whole life, and I love it. Apart from its beauty, it’s got the
best weather all year round’.
Simon is a ship engineer who used to work as a
fisherman. ‘I’ve been doing my current job for 1 year,
and was based in Gladstone and Mackay for quite a
few years before that’.
‘I’ve always wanted to have a little bit of land, so we got
our 30-acre block and the whole family loves hanging
out together and also doing our own things. The kids
have plenty of space for their motorbikes and whatever
else they want to do and I get to do a bit of grounds
maintenance’.
Simon’s experience with John Deere led him to
purchase a 1025R tractor earlier this year. ‘I’ve had a
John Deere ride-on mower for 14 years and it’s been
absolutely great. Never missed a beat, apart from the
usual wearing out of a few bits, so choosing a Deere
tractor was easy. I also got a Howard loader and 4-in-1
bucket, a 60D mid-mount mowing deck and a
FieldQuip Sabre 1200 slasher’.
‘The main thing for me with the tractor is that it’s 4WD.
Our block has a slope, and the ride-on used to struggle
a bit at times going up and down because it does not
have the same traction. My 1025R, though, goes up
that hill like it’s not even there.’
Simon does all the maintenance of his machines, but
gets John Deere parts from Vanderfield Gympie when
needed. ‘I’ve always found Tod Fleming and the team
to be great to deal with. The tractor was delivered on
time and I was given a good run-down on how it
operates and how things work. They do a great job’.
Vanderfield staff can offer you great ground
maintenance options. Call us on 1300 VANDER.
Emerald cotton grower Aaron Kiely moved to Emerald
from St George in 1987. His parents, Denis and Liz,
saw potential and bought into the area when he was six
years old. ‘I studied primary at St Patrick’s Catholic
School in Emerald and then secondary at St Brendan’s
College in Yeppoon. I’ve got a Certificate III in Rural
Operations and have been farming since I left school.’
Aaron started in his parents’ family business. ‘My
parents own Deneliza Downs, where we grow a
cotton/corn rotation, plus purple wheat, mungbeans,
chickpeas and peanuts. The farm is predominantly
flood irrigated, with the addition of two Centre Pivots.
My parents purchased Emerald Cabin and Caravan
Village in early 2005, and my wife Carly and I took on
the challenge of managing the park for two years’.
Aaron and Carly have two children. ‘Carly moved to
Emerald with her family from Bundaberg in 1995 when
her parents, Bob and Gail, opened Lindsay Rural, a
business that supplies the agricultural industry with
fertilizers, chemicals, irrigation and transport. Carly and
I now operate two centre pivots, focusing on peanuts
and other crops’.
‘Having the right machinery and good back up is very
important to our operations. We have always relied on
John Deere for their quality, and we get excellent
service from Vanderfield Emerald. Branch manager
Mark Tosswill and his team, including parts and
operations manager David Sheridan, service coordinator Bronwyn Tanzer and receptionist Gayle Kruger, are
all great people to deal with, and they know their
business well’.
Aaron and his family support their community in
different ways, including being a member of the Central
Highlands Cotton Growers and Irrigators Association
and serving as past treasurer and current vice
president.
‘I’d tell everyone in the primary industries, and
especially young people, to go out and grab with both
hands any opportunity they are given: to serve, to lead,
to learn or whatever it may be. I am currently part of
The Australian Future Cotton Leaders Program, an
initiative of Cotton Australia in partnership with the
Cotton Research Development Corporation. It has
taught me self-awareness, how to deal with different
personalities and to develop my leadership skills. It has
also been very valuable for gaining industry connections through networking; I definitely recommend it’.
‘I’ve also participated in the inaugural GrowAg Summit,
supported by the Rural Industries Research &
Development Corporation, the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources and several businesses.
One hundred delegates from all sectors of the agricultural industry met for three days and learned about
global opportunities, technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, education and leadership. Again, fantastic for
professional development and networking’.
‘Going through any application process takes a bit of
time and effort, but I’d definitely like to encourage
young people in agriculture to go for it; the results are
well worth the effort’.
Aaron is committed to the land and has a vision for the
future. ‘I’d like to keep on learning so I can improve our
family business to the best of its potential and hopefully
develop my own agricultural enterprise’.
To find out how Vanderfield can take part in your
operation, call us on 1300 VANDER.
Aaron Kiely
Staff at Vanderfield have been offered the opportunity
to participate in Stepathlon, a program aimed at
increasing fitness levels and healthy lifestyles through
an innovative approach. ‘This is a 100-day ‘race’ where
participating employees form groups of five. The
employer then registers them into the program, and it is
a kind of virtual competition where your team races
against teams in your own and other participating
companies’, explains Vanderfield Human Resources
Manager, Jackie Doyle.
Participants track their daily steps as counted on their
own wearable device or a hired device through
Stepathlon, and those steps are entered into the
Stephatlon website and converted into kilometres as
teams engage in an online race around a ‘virtual world’.
‘Actually, a variety of activities count towards acquiring
points for your team, including walking, running,
cycling, swimming, karate, yoga, workouts at the gym,
rowing, surfing, roller skating, rock climbing, and even
snow skiing!’.
The race started September 7th, and it lasts 100 days.
‘It takes 66 days for a new habit to become automatic.
We thought of participating because many of us have
very sedentary jobs, and this is a fun way to find the
motivation to increase your activity level. You track your
own progress, but also, for those interested, there is a
race leader board and a race map showing how far
your team has travelled’. Other motivational tools
include daily emails, weekly newsletters, contests and
prizes and challenges and a website with continuously
updated contact, including expert advice and expert
articles.
Many participants report benefits like improved quality
of sleep, reduced stress levels, increased energy
levels and frequency and duration of exercise, and
weight loss. ‘We are over half-way into the race and I’m
already noticing some of the benefits. The main thing is
that I’ve become more aware of opportunities for
movement, and I’m taking advantage of many of them.
I look forward to these new habits becoming automatic
so I can enjoy the long-term effect of my participation in
the race’.
www.stepathlon.com
OUTFIT YOUR WORKSHOP
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the complete range of John Deere paints, chemicals and maintenance products,
as well as the Loctite® range of adhesives and sealants.
The precision Planter specialist
Vanderfield are pleased to announce a dealer
agreement to supply and service Monosem planters to
Vanderfield Customers.
This is a significant addition, complimenting our
existing planter products, offering Horticulture farmers
the latest technology in seed placement and flexibility
in row configuration.
Several months ago John Deere purchased Monosem,
no doubt seeing the company and products in an
industry leading position.
Pneumatic planter for market gardening crops
With the MONOSEM experience in precision planters,
the MS range has been specially designed for sowing
small seeds.
Simplicity, reliability, precision, robustness and
versatility have, for over nearly 20 years, made the
reputation of the MS range. This quality of
manufacture, together with the advice from the
MONOSEM specialists and the wide choice of
equipment, will enable you to plant with a planter which
meets perfectly with your requirements.
An application that can be downloaded FREE
NOW SELLING
AND SERVICING
MONOSEM
This application, that can be downloaded free of
charge and is available for Android Tablet/Smartphone,
enables you to rapidly know the gearbox adjustment
according to the required seed population. Once the
adjustment is made and the planter characteristics are
given (model of planter and gearbox, inter row spacing
and number of holes on the discs), the user has to just
indicate the required seed population (population/ha or
distance between seeds) to know the appropriate
gearbox ratio. The application proposes the ratio
corresponding exactly to the required adjustment or the
upper or lower ratios nearest to the required
adjustment. Then the user just has to adjust the
planter. All the data will be kept in memory for future
use and it is also possible to save several adjustments.
This application proposes, in the same way, the
adjustment of the fertilizer and the Microsem.
With this application, MONOSEM offers customers a
user-friendly tool for the majority of MONOSEM
planters in service. The app can be downloaded on
Google
Play
and
the
AppStore.
The display, available in 5 languages (French, English,
German, Russian and Polish), can be used by the
majority of MONOSEM customers regardless of how
recent their planter is.
Your true
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Your true
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Plan to start your next harvest season with a
combine harvester that makes it easy for you to
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your next harvest by talking to us now to ensure
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WKDW\RXEHQHƟWIURPWKHEHVW(DUO\2UGHURIIHU
including our exclusive Plus Parts Package to see
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* Conditions apply. Finance available through John Deere Financial Limited to approved commercial applicants only.
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