Macadamia Farm Vegetation Management Guide
A one-page practical guide on under-tree mowing timing, groundcover species, NSW RFS fire-break requirements and equipment specs for wet-season sloped blocks. Written for Northern Rivers growers, not generic ag advice.
What's inside
- Under-tree mowing timing through the season — when, how often, what height
- Groundcover species that work in this climate (and three to avoid)
- NSW RFS fire-break requirements for orchards in Byron, Ballina and Lismore shires
- Equipment specs for wet-season, sloped Northern Rivers blocks
- A pre-fire-season checklist you can stick on the shed wall
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Why the generic mowing advice doesn't fit here
Most under-tree mowing guides are written for orchards in drier climates. The Northern Rivers wet season changes the calculus — groundcover grows faster, mud bogs lighter equipment, and the window between "fine" and "fire risk" is shorter than the textbook suggests.
This guide skips the textbook stuff and goes to what actually matters here: when to mow, what to plant under the trees, how to stay on the right side of NSW RFS, and what equipment specs hold up in this climate.
Wet season growth is aggressive. You'll mow more often from December through March than growers further west.
Who it's for
Macadamia growers around Byron, Bangalow, Alstonville, Ballina, Lismore and the wider Northern Rivers. Useful whether you're managing one block or a multi-property operation, and whether you currently mow yourself, contract it out, or are weighing autonomous options.
Who wrote it
AutoAcre is the Northern Rivers' independent multi-brand dealer for commercial-grade autonomous mowing equipment. The guide pulls from on-the-ground experience across local orchards. There's no pricing in it and no sales script — it's the kind of resource we wanted to find when we were sizing up local conditions ourselves.
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