The first John Deere 9RX Series tractors arrived just in time to plant 55,000 hectares of wheat and chickpeas near the New South Wales-Queensland border
Cleveland Agriculture is the first farm operation to get delivery and put John Deere 9RX Series tractors to work in Australia.
It was a formidable sight when two tractors that Cleveland Agriculture has purchased, a 9RX 710 and 9RX 770 with respective rated engine power of 522 and 566kW (710 and 770hp), were joined by a demo model of John Deere’s most powerful tractor, the 9RX 830, with rated engine power of 610kW (830hp).
As soon as the tractors arrived from the US, they were hooked up to 36m (120ft) direct drills and went to work planting down 55,000 hectares of wheat and chickpeas on Cleveland Agriculture’s properties near Mungindi on the border of New South Wales and Queensland.
The tractors never missed a beat, and Cleveland Agriculture Farm Manager, Craig Sykes credited the 9RXs with an increased planting speed of 6 to 8kph over the previous planting rig.
Operators were seeing these models for the first time became almost overwhelmed by the speed and performance of these giant tractors, with experienced farmers saying they were an eye-opener as to the overall productivity and efficiency available.
The impressive strength and greater hydraulic capacity of the 9RX Series enable large broadacre farmers to get their crop in quickly and efficiently, while multiple track widths and tread spacings allow the 9RX to perform for both row crop and broadacre applications.
Cleveland Agriculture Farm Manager, Craig Sykes, explained, “We’d heard a lot about the 9RX machines before we got them, and they lived up to our expectations and more. They’re very user-friendly, and the extra power enabled us to plant faster. We have a better chance of growing a good crop if we get it in on time.
“The other big thing is that the tractors have four tracks. In this country, we’ve got a lot of red and black soil, and the black is always wetter. It’s a big advantage that the 9RXs give us more traction with the four tracks,” Craig Sykes added.
Prelude to 9RX 830 launch
As impressive as the 9RX 710 and 9RX 770 were, they were a prelude to the biggest tractor to grace our shores, the 9RX 830, delivering a market-leading rated engine power of 610kW (830hp), with a maximum boost to 672kW (913hp).
The 9RX Series has been developed with input from another local farmer, who travelled to the US at their design stage, Simon Doolin, of Doolin Agriculture, located at North Star NSW.
Six years ago, Simon Doolin was chosen to represent Australian farmers at John Deere’s USA facilities, where a group of 12 provided feedback on the design of the 9RX Series, including transmissions and motors, the types of speeds they wanted to achieve, optimal hydraulic flow and the comfort of the cab. See development story here.
The collaboration culminated in three high-power, four-track models fitted with a JD18 engine, consisting of the 9RX 710 rated at 522kW (710hp), the 9RX 770 rated at 566kW (770hp) and the behemoth 9RX 830 rated at 610kW (830hp), with a maximum boost to 672kW (913hp).
At the time, Simon Doolin said that seeing a 3D virtual reality of the 9RX design was impressive, but it didn’t compare with seeing the tractor in real life on his home turf in 2025.
“Seeing the 9RX hooked up to the planters that we use made me realise how much better this new model is. It’s a fantastic package. All of the build points are in the right place, it has a great power-to-weight ratio, with all the creature comforts in the cab and current autonomy,” Simon Doolin outlined.
“Efficiency is one of the only ways we can make gains in agriculture these days, and machines like these 9RX Series, with industry-leading technology, are a massive part of achieving that,” Simon Doolin concluded.
9RX Series brains and brawn
Precision Ag offerings include the integrated StarFire™ receiver, G5 Plus display and improved cornerpost display for better visibility and more processing power to enable more applications, such as AutoTrac™ Turn Automation, AutoPath™, AutoTrac™ Implement Guidance, Machine Sync and in-field data sharing.
The e21 transmission delivers smooth shifting and intuitive controls built to handle sudden, high-torque power loads while maintaining responsive, quick and smooth shifts.
The 9RX Series also introduce a unique in-cab experience, with the CommandView 4 Plus cab delivering a 20% improvement in visibility and a quiet, smooth ride over varying paddock conditions.
It also has a 15% increase in floor space that provides more leg room, and a swivel seat with massage capability for optimal operator comfort.
For product launch information and availability of John Deere 9RX Series tractors, see your local dealer on this link.
To watch the arrival of the first 9RX 830 to Cleveland Agriculture near Mungindi QLD view the exclusive video now.
