5 Factors To Consider Before Building in Australia’s Southern Highlands

The Southern Highlands is mix of colourful gardens, leisurely pursuits, diverse landscape, history and heritage. Geographically it sits between 500m and 900m above sea level on the Great Dividing Range. Like other regions along this plateau, such as the Blue Mountains and Australian Alps, the Southern Highlands is known for its cool temperate climate. It also has a reputation for producing some great wine, the high annual rainfall (460mm – 1,883mm) and quality basalt soil being a match made in heaven for viticulture.

Thinking of building in the Southern Highlands? Here’s 5 factors to consider.

1. Bioregion

The Southern Highlands bioregion covers the dissected ranges and plateaus of the Great Dividing Range. The substrate is formed of Palaeozoic granites, transmuted sedimentary rocks and tertiary basalts. The area is characterised by high, flat country, which has been extensively cleared and used for grazing purposes.

Topographically, the dominant features of the bioregion are plateau remnants, granite basins with prominent ridges formed on contact metamorphic rocks. Soils vary across the bioregion in relation to altitude, temperature and rainfall. Limited areas of shallow organic loams are present at high altitude on Canobolos.

Rich in biodiversity and supporting large areas of land of very high conservation value, Wingecarribee Shire Council aims to protect and enhance the region’s distinct and diverse natural environment. Any new development must ensure that there is no loss of biological diversity or ecological integrity.

A flora and fauna assessment allows Council to make informed decisions regarding the likely impacts of your building proposal on the natural environment. It will report on the nature and extent of impacts, addressing plants, mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians.

A flora and fauna assessment is required to be lodged with a Development Application (DA) if your property contains native vegetation, is adjacent to native vegetation, contains sensitive environmental areas likely to contain habitat resources for fauna or contains aquatic habitats.

2. Trees and vegetation

Approvals are required to remove one or more exotic or native trees or patches of native vegetation, including trees and understorey.

Under the NSW Government 2017 Biodiversity Law Reforms, Tree and Vegetation Clearing applications which are not part of, or related to, a development application in the Shire are now handled by different agencies depending on the zoning of your property. Local Land Services will handle your application if your property is zoned as Rural while council will handle your application if your property is zoned as non-rural.

Use Council’s Tree and Vegetation Clearing Guide Map tool to locate your property and obtain specific information on who to contact and what application process may be required.

What kind of kit home is right for you? Take the quiz to see which kit home design is your perfect match

3. Fire and flooding

You don’t have to live right near the bush to be at risk of fire. Fire can affect homes located by bush, grassland, paddocks or near the coast. Check for bush fire prone areas on your local council website or by looking at the RFS Bush Fire Prone Land online tool.

Prevailing weather conditions associated with the Southern Highlands bushfire season (October to February) usually coincide with strong south-west to north-west winds. There are also frequent dry lightning storms that occur during the bush fire season. Risk is generally influenced by drought and rainfall conditions.

Obtain free property information such as zoning, flood risk and minimum lot size by searching the NSW Planning & Environment planning portal.

4. Water & Sewerage

Wingecarribee Shire Council is the local water authority that provides potable water supply and reticulated sewerage services to residents in the Southern Highlands. Council operates six separate sewerage systems, which serve urban areas around the towns of Berrima and New Berrima, Bowral, Bundanoon, Robertson, Mittagong and Northern Villages, and Moss Vale.

The Council’s regular Capital Works Improvement Program is currently underway with a comprehensive water and sewerage improvement plan. The expected completion date for this is February 2019 subject to weather.

5. Council regulations

Building in the Southern Highlands requires the right balance between protecting the environment, supporting a healthy local economy, and providing effective access to community services and infrastructure.

If you intend to make any changes to a building, build a structure, occupy premises or subdivide land in the Southern Highlands, you will need to check whether the proposal is permissible and whether it requires an application. Obtain advice from Wingecarribee Shire Council’s Development Control Branch, where there are planners and duty surveyors available.

Development applications must be made on Council’s Approvals Application form, with full details of documentation and plans required for lodgement. Good engineering practice and a high standard in design, construction and development must be met. You can learn more about engineering standards here.

Kit home designs to build in the Southern Highlands

Prestige – Kensington, Homestead, Richmond Grove

Build a kit home in the Southern Highlands

Want to take the hard work out of building in the Southern Highlands? Download a Kitome brochure today and work with us to design and build your dream Southern Highlands home. All of our kit home designs are 100% flexible. That means you can alter any of our designs how you like to suit your block of land, or we can design a home with you from scratch. Get in touch with our friendly team to learn more today.

The post 5 Factors To Consider Before Building in Australia’s Southern Highlands appeared first on Kitome.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230377 https://ift.tt/2ERv6ri
via IFTTT

Touchdown Turf: Survey Studies What It Takes To Have A Winning Season

In a recent survey of lawn and landscape professionals, Environmental Science, a business unit of Bayer Crop Science, garnered data that emphasized what nearly every lawn care company is struggling with — a lack of qualified folks on the field.

According to the survey findings, maintaining strong customer satisfaction doesn’t appear to be a key challenge for lawn and landscape companies. In fact, nearly six in 10 survey respondents noted that they have die-hard customers. And to further underscore that confidence, 42% of the respondents also ranked “an unhappy fan base” as having the least impact on whether or not their business is winning. The challenge with the most impact, according to more than four in 10 survey respondents, is “a shallow bench” or not enough team members.

“The lawn and landscape industry is built on leaders who understand what it takes to satisfy customers and to rally teams that can deliver on that,” says Rob Golembiewski, Ph.D., Green Solutions Team specialist for Bayer. “It’s a classic story of finding the right talent to get the job done — to push through the last yard, to win the next new account or to beat the elements and keep your fans happy.”

According to the survey, the ability to build and operate a team likely comes second-nature to lawn and landscape professionals — with 84% of respondents reporting that they played a team sport in high school or college.

“As the Bayer Green Solutions Team, our goal is to get in the huddle, so to speak, to provide lawn and landscape companies with the tools and training they need to succeed,” Golembiewski says. “When customer expectations are high and teams are lean, building a strategy that improves efficiency and keeps lawn and landscape professionals ahead of the game is critical.”

Playing too much defense was also a common concern among lawn and landscape professionals. Survey respondents reported that they are typically taking on curative or reactive activities about 37%t of the time, but they would prefer it to be even less (closer to 27%).

“It’s easy to understand why this preference for a strong offense is top of mind,” Golembiewski says. “With the right product portfolio and the right strategy at the right time, there’s a lot lawn and landscape companies can do to reduce repeat applications, callbacks, and other activities that increase costs in the long-run.”

Visit the Bayer website to view full stats from this survey and to learn more about addressing these business management challenges.

The Bayer Lawn & Landscape Survey was distributed to 4,437 green industry representatives who have opted in to receive email communications from Bayer. Of 537 total survey respondents, 220 were qualified and analyzed in these findings. 

The post Touchdown Turf: Survey Studies What It Takes To Have A Winning Season appeared first on Turf.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230377 https://ift.tt/2F4tDhF
via IFTTT

Is Ground Cover the Right Choice for Your Yard?

A lush green lawn is most people’s go-to image for a gorgeous and well-maintained landscape. However, there are some landscapes where consistent grass coverage is particularly difficult – perhaps parts of the lawn are too shady or too dry for healthy grass to grow. If your landscape is struggling with grass coverage, an attractive solution could be planting some ground cover over these trouble spots.

Ground cover typically consists of mostly low-lying plants that provide a layer of protection for your topsoil. In addition to providing a more dynamic and colorful look to your landscape, ground cover can also be simpler to maintain than grass once it’s been established. Some ground cover plants, such as Bugleweed, Heartleaf Foamflower, or Orchid Frost, require less water than grass. Others, such as English Ivy or Pachysandra, can thrive in darker and shadier areas.

Ground cover also requires less trimming than grass. Some homeowners plant ground cover over steep, hilly parts of their landscapes for this very reason, as is it more difficult to run a lawnmower over a hilly landscape than a flat one.

Fall is the best time of year to plant ground covers, as they will more easily establish themselves in cooler temperatures. If you’re interested in a ground cover for your landscape, the best place to start is Borst. We can help you choose the ideal plants for your lawn, and craft a beautiful design to complement your unique landscape. Contact the experts at Borst today to get started.

The post Is Ground Cover the Right Choice for Your Yard? appeared first on Borst Landscape & Design.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230377 https://ift.tt/2OSMHDM
via IFTTT

Get Your Free Subscription To Turf

We’re excited to announce that Turf magazine will relaunch in the first quarter of 2019, and free subscriptions are now available for lawn and landscape professionals. To sign up for your free subscription to Turf, please click here.

With a fresh editorial focus and a mission to help build better landscape businesses, Turf will provide industry professionals with product news, business management advice, and strategic insight.

Special reports in 2019 include: The Mowing Issue, how to secure government and municipal clients, top business owner issues and concerns, and snow & ice management. Plus, each issue will feature articles on Customer Service Solutions, Operations, Add-On Services, and Product Focuses.

Be a part of this exciting new chapter in Turf’s history. Sign up for your free subscription today.

The post Get Your Free Subscription To Turf appeared first on Turf.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230377 https://ift.tt/2PpcGSV
via IFTTT

Ferris Adds Commercial Turf Care To Product Lineup

Landscape professionals can now rely on Ferris® for turf care product offerings. At the GIE+EXPO in Louisville, KY last week, Briggs & Stratton Corporation showcased the new corrosion-resistant stand-on spreaders, stand-on spreader/sprayers, and stand-on blowers. Ferris will become a larger part of the commercial cutter’s trailer with these stand-on products, and will allow landscape professionals to expand their service offerings into turf treatment and debris management with the level of increased productivity they find with Ferris commercial mowers.

“Commercial landscapers can now visit qualified Ferris dealers and choose products beyond just mowing,” said Dan Roche, marketing director, commercial products at Briggs & Stratton. “Professionals have come to trust and demand the highest quality from our commercial mowers, and they can expect the same level of performance from our stand-on blowers, spreaders and spreader/sprayers.”

Rover Series Granular Spreaders

The Ferris Rover FS1100 is a compact stand-on granular spreader with a 100 pound capacity hopper for maximum coverage of over half an acre. The Rover FS1100 is optimal for residential areas where maneuverability around objects such as trees and flower beds is critical. For bigger jobs, the Rover XC FS1200 has a 200 pound capacity hopper for maximum coverage of 1.1 acres. This unit is capable of handling large acreages or commercial sites, covering more ground between refills. Additional Rover Series features include:

• Corrosive Resistant: A Peerless 855 Series coated transmission, stainless steel frame and well-placed cables, hoses and wires, increase the Rover’s durability to withstand consistent chemical with each application.
• Low Friction Sulky: The dual-pivot sulky has a ¾ inch tapered roller bearing which delivers a smooth ride at 5 mph.
• Easy-to-Operate Controls: Operator controls are optimized to position the dry pattern and throttle on the right, and the spreader gain and gate control on the left.

Pathfinder Series Spreader/Sprayer

The Ferris Pathfinder Series stand-on spreader/sprayers release both dry and liquid fertilizers. This unit is ideal for residential communities where navigating obstacles is important. Its low center of gravity enables the unit to hug sloped terrain while its compact 36 inch width allows easy access to smaller backyards. The Pathfinder XC FS2200 is ideal for larger properties or commercial sites. Additional Pathfinder Series features include:

• Adjustable Spray System: Operators efficiently change the depth of spray to 3 feet for trim and 10 feet for broadcast coverage.
• Coverage and Capacity: The Pathfinder FS2100 has a Spyker® Hopper that is capable of holding 100 pounds for over half an acre of maximum coverage. The Pathfinder XC FS2200 has a Spyker Hopper with a 200 pound capacity for 1.1 acres of maximum coverage.
• Large Spray Tank: The onboard spray tank on the Pathfinder FS2100 can hold 12 gallons of liquid fertilizer for maximum coverage of 1.1 acres while the Pathfinder XC FS2200 has a liquid capacity of 16 gallons for a maximum coverage of 1.4 acres.

Venture Series Zero-Turn Spreader/Sprayer

The Ferris Venture FS3100 and Venture XC FS3200 are powered by a rugged 18.0 gross horsepower  Vanguard® V-Twin engine and are equipped with a Hydro-Gear® transaxle, providing excellent zero-turn performance and quiet, smooth operation. Designed to tackle the largest jobs, these models make quick work of expansive properties. Additional Venture Series features include:

• Three-section breakaway boom: With an adjustable spray width of 2 feet, 4 feet, 6 feet or 8 feet, the Venture series models allow the operator to customize coverage to the site and conditions.
• Dual Spray Tank: The Venture Series models feature two 12 gallon spray tanks, providing a maximum liquid coverage of 2.2 acres.
• Granular Coverage and Capacity: The Venture FS3100 features a Spyker Hopper that has a 100 pound capacity, providing maximum coverage over half an acre, while the Venture XC FS3200 has a Spyker hopper with a 200 pound capacity, providing maximum coverage of 1.1 acres.

Stand-on Blowers

Powered by a trusted Vanguard engine, the Ferris FB2000 and FB3000 have a patented Dual Deflector Air Flow System that is capable of blowing air left, right and forward at an air speed of over 165 mph. A torsion-mounted front axle assembly and Hydro-Gear ZT-3100® transaxles provide a zero turning radius and added stability to easily navigate sloping terrain and obstacles. The Ferris FB2000 provides airflow of 6,500 cubic feet per minute while the FB3000 provides airflow of 8,500 cubic feet per minute. An air shut down system on all three blower discharge chutes and an automatic parking brake allow the operator to quickly power down the blower to safely pick-up large debris or trash. Additional FB2000 and FB3000 features include:

• LED Lights: Operators can extend cleanup hours well into dusk with a bright, energy-efficient front L.E.D light.
• Quieter Experience: The FB3000 operates at 2600 rpm, resulting in less noise output for the operator and work crews.
• Easy to Navigate Dashboard: An ergonomically-designed patented Quad Control Handle System increases driver comfort and ease of operation.

Landscape professionals looking to find their local authorized Ferris dealer, or schedule a demonstration of the stand-on spreaders or stand-on spreader/sprayers can visit the dealer locator on the Ferris website. The stand-on blowers will be available in January 2019.

The post Ferris Adds Commercial Turf Care To Product Lineup appeared first on Turf.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230377 https://ift.tt/2CHOqEP
via IFTTT

New John Deere Mulching Head Shreds Wood In Minutes

John Deere continues to provide best-in-class vegetation management with the addition of the MH60D mulching head to its Worksite Pro lineup. Designed to remove 8-inch (203-mm) trees and 12-inch (305-mm) stumps with ease, the MH60D model shreds underbrush and woody materials into beneficial mulch in minutes. Like all Worksite Pro attachments, this mulching head is optimized to work with John Deere skid steer loaders and compact track loaders, as well as most competitive models.

“With 30 double-carbide tipped teeth, our new mulching head attachment is a job site beast that easily takes big bites out of trees and stumps,” said Jessica Hill, global program manager, attachments. “It’s an invaluable tool for customers who need a powerful mulching solution, no matter the tree type or location.”

Delivering superior large-material knockdown, the MH60D also works well below soil level for chewing out difficult stumps. A two-speed hydraulic system efficiently uses available horsepower. When the preset pressure level is attained, the motor automatically shifts to a higher displacement, increasing torque for reduced stalling and faster rotor-speed recovery time. A prominently positioned pressure gauge allows operators to easily monitor hydraulic operating pressure.

The mulching head was developed to deliver exceptional job site performance. A 1,524-mm (60-inch) high-capacity, smooth rotor design reduces material drag and horsepower requirements. The rotor is balanced for smooth operation, and oversized 64-mm (2.5-inch) sealed rotor bearings deliver long-term durability. A redesigned mulching chamber enables more efficient material flow and reduces wear points for optimized shredding performance. Internal counter-combs help shatter incoming material, creating finer mulch. Optional knife tools allow smoother cutting and finer chip size.

For added durability, the attachment’s three-position heavy-duty push bar helps protect the carrier while toppling tree or brush. The door cylinder inside the frame body is better protected, while the enhanced frame construction and bolt-on skid shoes reduce debris buildup, extending wear life.

The new mulching head attachment is backed by John Deere parts, service and warranty coverage.

The post New John Deere Mulching Head Shreds Wood In Minutes appeared first on Turf.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230377 https://ift.tt/2yZKUCa
via IFTTT

Bringing Luxury Design to Your Landscape

Putting some extra care into designing your landscape can make your home’s outdoor living spaces feel like luxurious getaways. There are plenty of different directions you can go in for a more inspired backyard – but whether you’re planning a complete overhaul or just an update of your current space, these tips will help bring the most out of your home.

One thing to keep in mind for a more comfortable outdoor space is to think of your yard as an extension of your living room. This can be accomplished through carefully arranged lighting, which can add warmth, dimension, and a relaxing ambiance. Adding a fire pit or fireplace can also contribute to this sense of warmth (literally and figuratively), and provide an attractive focal point for a lounging area.

Another exciting way you can bring the indoors outside is to build a full-service kitchen and bar onto your patio. Cooking in your outdoor space allows you to remain more engaged with any guests you may be entertaining, and can lead to a more fun, free-flowing, and interactive type of dinner party. To take it a step further, an attractive organic garden can even provide fresh and readily accessible ingredients to whatever you’re cooking up.

Despite the warmth that may come from making your yard feel like an indoor space, it’s still important to keep some semblance of outdoor living (otherwise, what’s the point?). Water features such as fountains can capture this perfectly, combining elegant stonework with the almost meditative quality that water provides.

If you’re interested in enhancing your outdoor space, Borst is here to help. Our expert designers will work with you to create the perfect layout for your unique landscape, and transform it into your favorite place to spend time. Contact Borst today to get started on your brand new backyard getaway.

 

The post Bringing Luxury Design to Your Landscape appeared first on Borst Landscape & Design.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8230377 https://ift.tt/2ELBAb5
via IFTTT