Rural & Acreage Services
Acreage is a different job from mowing a lawn, and most domestic mowing services are not set up for it. Paddocks that have got away over a wet spring, regrowth along fence lines, scrub that needs knocking back before summer: that work needs machinery with the weight and the attachments to handle it, and enough ground clearance to deal with uneven country. We run slashers in several sizes across our Bobcat skid steers, a flail mower on the excavator and a compact tractor, which covers most of what a rural block around the Central West throws up.
Our equipment is built for the bigger properties that standard mowing services can't handle: acreage mowing, slashing, tractor work and general grounds maintenance for rural landholders, plus property clearing and fire hazard reduction ahead of the fire season.
- Acreage Mowing
- Slashing
- Weed Management
- Property Clearing
- Grounds Maintenance
- Tractor Work
- Earthworks
- Fire Hazard Reduction
- Rural Property Maintenance
Slashing and acreage mowing
How a paddock gets cut depends on what is in it and how long it has been left. Grass that is simply long is straightforward. Ground that has been left through a wet season and gone to woody regrowth needs a heavier slasher and a slower pass, sometimes two at different heights. We match the machine to the block rather than the other way round: slashers in various sizes across the Bobcat S770 and S650, a flail mower on the excavator for rougher edges and drains, and the compact tractor for open country where speed matters more than manoeuvrability.
Fire hazard reduction before the season
Fuel load around buildings, along fence lines and through the paddocks is the practical reason most rural landholders call us, and the timing is not flexible. Cutting back needs to happen while there is still enough moisture in the material to cut cleanly and well before conditions make machinery work unwise. Around the Central West that usually means booking through spring rather than waiting for the first hot week, when everyone rings at once and the window has already closed.
Property clearing and regrowth
Blocks that have been left for a few seasons need more than a slasher. Woody regrowth, scrub and small saplings are handled with a forestry mulcher on the skid steer, which cuts and mulches in one pass instead of leaving material to be raked and burnt afterwards. For heavier clearing the excavators with grabs and buckets deal with stumps and larger material, and the tipper and tray trucks take away whatever has to leave the property.
Access, terrain and what we can reach
Not every part of a rural block is reachable by every machine, and wet ground changes the answer week to week. We run the skid steers in both tracked and wheeled configurations for that reason: tracks spread the load on soft or sloped ground where wheels would dig in or lose traction, wheels are faster and gentler on established surfaces. Worth mentioning gates, creek crossings and soft patches when you call, because they decide which machine comes out.
Common Questions
Rural & Acreage Services, answered.
How large a property can you handle?
Anything from a few acres up to substantial rural holdings. The size matters less than the terrain and what has grown on it: a flat 50 acres of grass is a quicker job than 10 acres of steep, wooded regrowth.
When should paddocks be slashed for fire season?
Through spring, while there is still moisture in the material. Waiting until conditions are already hot and dry means the window for safe machinery work has largely closed, and it is also when everyone else rings.
Can you work on steep or wet ground?
Often, yes. We run the Bobcat skid steers in both tracked and wheeled configurations, and tracks spread the load on soft or sloping country. Tell us about soft patches and creek crossings when you call so the right machine comes out.
Do you do one-off slashing or only ongoing work?
Both. Plenty of rural work is seasonal and one-off, particularly fire hazard reduction. Some landholders put it on a recurring schedule so it happens without having to be organised each year.
What areas do you cover for rural work?
Bathurst and Kelso primarily, extending across the Central West to Orange, Lithgow, Oberon, Blayney, Portland and Wallerawang depending on the size of the job.
Where we do rural & acreage services
Bathurst and Kelso are the core of it, and we cover the wider Central West from there. Conditions change quickly across the region, so the schedule and method follow the district rather than a single regional calendar.
Also serving Bathurst, Kelso, O'Connell, Portland, Wallerawang and the surrounding Central West NSW districts.
Other Services
More ways we can help.
Residential Services
Lawn mowing, garden maintenance and property upkeep for homes and weekenders across the Bathurst region.
Learn moreCommercial Grounds Maintenance
Scheduled grounds maintenance for schools, education campuses, aged care, strata and industrial sites across the Bathurst region.
Learn moreLandscaping
Landscape renovations, garden beds and property makeovers for residential and commercial sites.
Learn moreWeed Management
Weed control and herbicide application for rural, commercial and noxious weed management needs.
Learn moreEarthworks & Excavation
Bobcat work, trenching and site preparation for small and large earthworks projects.
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See the full list of what Markwicks can help with.