The Corowa based irrigation manufacturer has introduced its newest range of Australian designed and built linear move irrigators.
The new irrigators are offered as either a low profile variant which gives a crop clearance height of 1.8 metres or a higher clearance version which gives an under pipe clearance of 3.2 metres.
The irrigators will be available with a number of different options including a hose drag water feed or a self-contained and carried pump system that will access a parallel channel feed water supply system.
In addition, the irrigators are designed to be towable from one watering position to the next and are also capable of pivoting if required.
Upton designer and builder Paul Upton says he has made extensive use of non-corroding materials including high grade aluminium and stainless steel pipe work.
Upton adds that two of the new irrigators are already in use.
“One is working at the All Saints Winery adjacent to the Murray Valley Highway at Wahgunyah,” Upton says.
“It is currently watering the pasture of the area that All Saints use as their polo field and to host their major events including their Days on the Green music events,”
“This irrigator is watering an area with dimensions of 126 metres in width by a length of 260 metres or about 3.3 hectares per run, but the machine is then pivoted to water an adjoining identical area,” Upton adds.
“The second new Upton Linear Move is being used by a specialist vegetable grower who concentrates on spring onion production at Tocumwal.”
“It is watering a field area of 75 metres in width by 410 metres in length and the grower can reverse it back over the same ground as well as towing it to two more adjacent blocks of the same size.” Upton says.
Both of the machines are currently using a low pressure Nelson Sprinkler that has been designed to give a wide throw watering pattern.
Upton adds that the new irrigators use industry proven products with a high emphasis placed on creating a product that’s right for the Australian market.
“We have elected to build a Linear that uniquely meets the features our growers want and at an affordable price in $AUD whereas imported machines priced in $USD have always been expensive and with their purchasers often exposed to exchange rate variations” Upton says.