A wide variety of agricultural machinery was on show at FarmFest, which celebrated its 50th anniversary of being Queensland’s go-to field day
The 50th anniversary of FarmFest once again saw thousands of visitors head to Toowoomba for Queensland’s largest agricultural field day.
Held over three big days from June 3-5, the event returned to Kingsthorpe Park in the heart of the Darling Downs, a renowned pastoral and agricultural region and one of Australia’s major agricultural machinery manufacturing locations.
FarmFest attendees were greeted with sunny weather on all three days and had the opportunity to explore an extensive variety of agricultural products.
Here are some of the highlights from exhibitors at the event:
Rata Equipment
Well known for its tractor attachments, Rata Equipment showcased its popular Power Claw models, which can be fitted to various machines including tractors, front-end loaders and skid steers.
Thanks to the claw’s shape and strength, the attachment is highly versatile and can tackle a wide range of tasks, such as picking up trees, logs, hay bales, and more.
The Standard Power Claw models are offered for tractors 75hp and above and in sizes from 1.6m up to 2.6m.
Other sized Power Claws include the compact models (which suits tractors between 25-45hp) and the mid-range (designed for 45-75hp tractors along with small loaders).
Clark Equipment
A wide range of Bobcat equipment and McCormick tractors featured at Clark Equipment’s stand – the national distributor of both brands.
Among the McCormick offering was the 225hp (165.5kW) X7.690 tractor, boasting three drive modes, a deluxe air-conditioned cabin and an air-suspension seat.
The Italian built machine is also ISOBUS-compatible and has autosteer integrated.
Standing tall in the Bobcat section of the stand was the 130hp (95.6kW) TL43.80HF Agri Expert telehandler.
Weighing just over 8-tonnes, this telehandler can lift up to 4,300kg and to heights of up to 7.5m.
As the natural step up from smaller machines, Clark Equipment says this model is referred to the ‘beast’ of the Bobcat telehandler range.
Hercules Machinery Group
Having recently rebranded from Brisbane Mini Excavator Sales, Hercules Machinery Group showcased its cost-effective Hercules range, including its telehandler and wheel loader models, which have proven to be popular in the agricultural industry.
One of the newest additions to HMG’s offering is the Hercules T-3 telehandler model, which has been introduced due to high demand from customers.
Having previously not offered telehandlers, the T-3 model weighs 8.5 tonnes, boasts a 100hp (73.5kW) Cummins engine, and features a 7m maximum reach.
With a rated load of three tonnes, the T-3 also comes as standard with a ROPS/FOPS cabin to keep farmers safe when in paddocks.
Kerfab
Attachment manufacturer Kerfab showed off one of its most popular products, the Skid Steer 4 in 1 Bucket.
Whether you’re scooping, grading, dozing or grabbing, the Skid Steer 4 in 1 bucket can do it all with the quality expected of a Kerfab attachment.
Featuring 20mm 450 Grade Q&T steel base for extreme weather resistance and one-piece 6mm GR350 steel back skin for superior strength, this product is built to last in demanding applications.
A lock valve ensures the bucket jaws remain in the position the operator left them, preventing loss of material or clamped objects dropping from the bucket.
CJD Equipment
CJD Equipment – the Australian distributor of Volvo Construction Equipment – displayed a variety of Volvo machinery suited to on-farm applications.
One of these was the 12.36-tonne Volvo L60H wheel loader, boasting a 166hp (122kW) engine and a 2.1 cubic metre bucket capacity.
Volvo’s 1.8-tonne ECR18 electric mini excavator was another highlight, a machine that is becoming popular in vineyards, due to a lack of emissions and noise produced.
It features a 2.34m maximum dump height and has a two to five hour run time depending on the application.
JSG Industrial Systems
An SKF group brand and a Lincoln lubrication systems distributor, JSG’s stand had a heavy focus on automatic lubrication.
This included the Lincoln automatic lubrication kits and systems, which can ensure machine reliability and machine downtime as well as maintenance costs.
Kits can deliver precise amounts of grease to critical moving parts, helping ensure a longer lifespan, and come with pre-assembled components to enable quick installation.
Systems are more than capable of lubricating while a machine is running and can connect to an internal or external controller, enabling precise and reliable lubrication.
Achmea Farm Insurance
In something a little bit different, Achmea Farm Insurance was on deck to educate attendees about the importance of farm insurance.
As an insurance specialist, Achmea is a local and direct farm insurer, dedicated to its purpose of keeping farmers farming.
Built on more than 200 years of heritage, the business has over 10 million clients worldwide and is completely dedicated to the Australian market.
Partnering with Achmea is a personal experience, with a local Farm Insurance Specialist willing to walk your farm as part of the company’s on-farm visit.
Customers can also tailor Achmea’s All-in-One Farm Pack specifically to their farm, giving them greater control over their premiums.
Merlo
A host of telehandlers were on display at Merlo’s stand, represented by dealer South Queensland Materials Handling.
The Merlo P27.6 compact telehandler was one of the products showcased, featuring a 75hp (55.2kW) engine, 2.7-tonne load capacity and a six-metre lifting height.
To ensure simple and easy access to the cab, the door of the P27.6 can be opened by up to 180 degrees.
In addition, the cab provides 360-degree visibility, increasing safety both for the operator and those in the surrounding work area.
Three different steering options are available for specific applications, including front wheel steering, pivot steering and crab steering (for lateral movements).
