How to assess if your property is right for autonomous mowing
Seven-point self-qualification checklist. Walk through it before you call — you'll know upfront whether autonomous mowing fits your acreage, and we'll skip the back-and-forth.
- Your property title (for accurate area in acres / hectares)
- An aerial view of the property (Google Maps satellite works)
- About 30 minutes to walk the steepest sections
Check your mowable area
AutoAcre's Buy + Manage offer is designed for properties from 2.5 to 10 acres of mowable area. Below 0.5 acres, a consumer robotic mower (Husqvarna Automower or similar) is usually a better economic fit. Above 5 acres, you're in commercial-deployment territory and the commercial-grade autonomous mower covers about 8 acres (3 hectares) a day. See vs Husqvarna for the small-property comparison.
Check the slope on your steepest sections
Walk the steepest part of the property. The commercial-grade autonomous mower handles up to 30 degrees — covers virtually any Northern Rivers lifestyle property. If your contractor currently runs a brushcutter on sections because the ride-on can't, the autonomous mower will probably handle them. Genuinely vertical features (cliffs, retaining wall drops) become exclusion zones. See steep block mowing for more.
Check the terrain — open paddock vs heavily landscaped
Open paddock with simple boundaries is the easiest terrain. Heavily landscaped properties with garden beds, ornamental areas, sculpture and water features take more configuration but are still well within range. If your property has no defined boundary at all (open to neighbouring acreage), flag that when you call — boundary mapping is GPS-based but the install scope is slightly different.
Check the grass type and surface
AutoAcre handles all common Northern Rivers grass types — kikuyu, paspalum, couch, buffalo and rye blends. Rough native grasses or persistent woody weeds are a different problem and may need brushcutting before autonomous mowing takes over. The surface should be reasonably flat at the local scale (no hidden boulders or large holes); broad slope is fine.
Check power availability for the charging dock
The mower returns to a small charging dock that needs a standard mains power outlet. If your property has power within reach of an unobtrusive corner — usually near a shed, garage or carport — you're set. Properties with no nearby power are workable but need a different install scope.
Check you're in the service area
AutoAcre services Byron Shire and Ballina Shire in the Northern Rivers, NSW — Bangalow, Ewingsdale, Newrybar, Mullumbimby, Federal, Myocum, Tyagarah, Brooklet, Clunes, Eureka, Nashua, Alstonville, Teven and Tintenbar, plus surrounding areas. Outside this list? Call to confirm — service area expands periodically.
Decide: managed service or DIY ownership?
AutoAcre's Buy + Manage offer is the commercial-grade autonomous mower owned outright plus monthly management — installation, maintenance and repair coordination all handled. If you'd rather own the mower outright and handle maintenance yourself, a consumer robotic mower is the alternative. AutoAcre's value is the managed service wrap on commercial-grade hardware; if that wrap doesn't matter to you, the maths might tilt the other way. See the comparison page for the detailed trade-off.
Common follow-up questions
Related how-to guides: how to prepare your acreage for autonomous mowing · how to switch from a fortnightly contractor.
More: FAQ · glossary · facts & figures · vs consumer robotic mowers · vs ride-on contractor.