I have 150 acres of mainly steep forested country in Qld, Australia near Dayboro. At present the only tracks down the steep slopes have been made many years ago by dozers to get the timber logs out after tree felling. This activity stopped years ago and the forest growth is thick again.
I want a small machine that will get me access down these slopes so that I can make a series of walking and small bike tracks, so that I can then manage this forest resource properly.
I don't want to push big trees, maybe just saplings. I feel a dozer would be too big and cause too much collateral damage.
I have been looking at small track loaders as an alternative, but all the brochures and literature only show them in flat terrain, backyard landscape type scenarios. This is NOT my application.
A wheeled vehicle is definitely NOT an option as traction and stability would not allow me to do side-cuts on the slopes.
How much traction do the rubber tracks have? Obviously not as much as steel.
How much dirt can you push with one? I mean "ground" dirt, not a load of dumped soil.
How stable are these things in a precarious slope situation?
I feel one with suspension would be best. The mini-excavator type ones would not suit.
Anybody with any stories or actual experience in this type of terrain I would like to hear from.
I want a small machine that will get me access down these slopes so that I can make a series of walking and small bike tracks, so that I can then manage this forest resource properly.
I don't want to push big trees, maybe just saplings. I feel a dozer would be too big and cause too much collateral damage.
I have been looking at small track loaders as an alternative, but all the brochures and literature only show them in flat terrain, backyard landscape type scenarios. This is NOT my application.
A wheeled vehicle is definitely NOT an option as traction and stability would not allow me to do side-cuts on the slopes.
How much traction do the rubber tracks have? Obviously not as much as steel.
How much dirt can you push with one? I mean "ground" dirt, not a load of dumped soil.
How stable are these things in a precarious slope situation?
I feel one with suspension would be best. The mini-excavator type ones would not suit.
Anybody with any stories or actual experience in this type of terrain I would like to hear from.