Start a commercial robot mowing business in Australia. Learn from an operator in his first year.

I'm Ben. I run AutoAcre, a robot mowing service in the Northern Rivers, NSW. This guide is my working notes, written up so you can skip my mistakes.

Who this is for

• You mow, garden or run a property business & want to add robot mowing.
• You're new to mowing & want a business that doesn't rely on you pushing a mower all day.
• You manage land, like a school, caravan park or body corporate, & want to understand the model.
• You're in Australia & want advice that fits Australian conditions, rules & insurers.

This isn't for you if you want a done-for-you business. It's also not for anyone expecting a promise of income. I won't make one.

Why I wrote it

When I started AutoAcre, I looked for an Australian guide to commercial robot mowing. I couldn't find one.

Most lawn business guides are about petrol mowers. Most robot mower advice is for home lawns.

Commercial sites are different. Bigger areas. Public access. Contracts. Insurance questions nobody had a clear answer to.

So I started writing down everything. What I checked. What I paid. What went wrong.

This guide is those notes, cleaned up.

The honest part

AutoAcre is in its first year. I'm not going to show you income screenshots. I don't have a big client list to point to.

What I have is a live business, open books on my setup, & a record of each decision as I make it.

That's what you're buying. A founder's notebook from year one, while it's still fresh.

What's inside v1

Part 1. Is this business right for your area?

• How to size up your local market before you spend a dollar.
• The sites I think suit robots, & the ones I've walked away from.

Part 2. Setting up in Australia

• ABN, business name & structure basics.
• Public liability insurance: the questions I asked insurers about robots on commercial sites.
• Council, strata & site-access points to check before you quote.
• Record keeping from day one.

Part 3. Equipment

• How I shortlisted machines, with my actual criteria.
• What I spent on setup, itemised in AUD.
• Security, theft & weather: what I've done so far.
• Charging, storage & site infrastructure.

Part 4. Pricing & quoting

• How I build a quote for a commercial site.
• A pricing worksheet you fill in with your own local numbers.

Part 5. Finding your first commercial clients

• The approach I'm using in the Northern Rivers, including the pitch.
• What property managers asked me, & how I answered.

Part 6. My running log

• Month-by-month notes from AutoAcre's first year, up to the v1 release date.
• Mistakes, costs & fixes, written down as they happened.

A guide that grows

This is a living guide. It follows AutoAcre through its first 12 months.

When v2 comes out, you get it free. Same email, no extra charge.

v2 will add what I learn after v1, like later months of the log, updated costs & anything I got wrong in v1.

What you get

• The AutoAcre Guide v1 (PDF, 60 pages).
• The pricing worksheet (spreadsheet).
• The site assessment checklist (PDF).
• Free v2 when it's released.

Price: A$197 (AUD), one-off. No subscription.

What this guide won't do

It won't promise you'll earn a set amount. I don't know your area, your hours or your costs.

It won't replace advice from your accountant, lawyer or insurer. It'll help you ask them better questions.

About Ben

I'm Ben, founder of AutoAcre in the Northern Rivers, NSW.

I studied Digital Media at Massey University, then worked in exploration drilling in Western Australia & spent two years operating Komatsu 830e & 930e haul trucks for Rio Tinto & Yancoal. I've been a gardener since 2016 & mowed acreage across the Byron & Ballina hinterland since 2023. The idea for robots came from watching a robot vacuum cross my kitchen floor while half a kilometre of grass needed mowing outside. I set up AutoAcre in 2026.

I'm writing this in year one on purpose. By year five I'd have forgotten the small stuff that trips you up at the start.

Guarantee

Read it for 30 days. If it's not useful, email me & I'll refund the full A$197 (AUD). You don't need to give a reason.

Questions

Do I need to own a robot mower already?

No. Part 3 covers how I chose mine & what to check first.

Is this only for the Northern Rivers?

No. My examples come from here, but the setup, insurance & quoting steps apply across Australia. Where rules vary by state or council, I say so.

Is this a franchise or licence?

No. It's a guide. You run your own business under your own name.

When is v2 coming?

When AutoAcre's first 12 months are done. You'll get it by email.

Are prices in Australian dollars?

Yes. Every price on this page is AUD & includes GST.