Blue Mountains City Council is using a robot mower to tackle the steep terrain around roads and parklands to increase safety and productivity across its mowing operations and assist in the maintenance of its waste management facilities.
Council’s Open Space and Recreation service worked with the fleet team to develop a business case for the robotic mower, following safety concerns with operating mowers on steep slopes and embankments.
The Agria 9600 is a leading remote-controlled, self-propelled mower designed for the maintenance of these steep areas.
“We’re constantly seeking ways we can make our operations safer, and more efficient,” CEO Dr Rosemary Dillon said. “This important addition will make Council’s maintenance of certain steep areas much safer and more efficient, especially at Council’s sportsgrounds and waste management facilities.
“It’s crucial that we keep these areas well-maintained and functioning, so this mower is particularly beneficial after the increased wet weather of recent years. It has the additional capability of mowing wet and boggy areas and is more effective in managing areas where stormwater is an issue.”
The robot mower also improves traffic flow across the mountains because there is no need to block lanes when crews are working nearby.
Council’s waste management facilities feature very steep batters and the Agria 9600 mower has the following advantages for these areas:
- The remote-controlled operation makes it safer than the current practice of using man operated plant.
- Keeping the area maintained will help Council identify leachate and gas breakouts which will assist with compliance monitoring and improve environmental outcomes, such as gas management and odour risk.
- Grasses will take better root of the batters reducing the likelihood of landslides
- Stormwater will run more freely and not become polluting leachate, which incurs additional costs to Council.
- There will be a reduced risk of snake bite at the facilities.
