Local sprayer manufacturer Goldacres marked its 40th anniversary with a major Expo at the company’s Mitchell Park production facility just outside Ballarat Vic.
Prospective buyers lined up to view and test drive over 80 Goldacres’ products over the two-day event in February. A shuttle bus was on hand to spirit budding operators to a nearby paddocks where ‘ride and drive’ testing began in earnest.
Factory Expos were first started by Goldacres in 2009, but this was the first to be held in some time, according to Stephen Richards, Goldacres’ Sales and Marketing Manager. “We had our last Expo about five years ago,” he said.
Prospective buyers made the most of it, and welcomed the chance to see and test some of the more recent Goldacres’ releases including the G8 Super Cruiser track model with an 8000-litre product capacity.
The testers found there was plenty to like about this go-anywhere at any-time track model and found it had plenty of power from a Cummins QSB 6.7-litre, 6-cylinder Tier 3 emissions engine that produces 191kw (260hp),
Operators also noticed that due to the cabin being mounted high on the chassis it gives a completely uninterrupted view out front. While there is also an unrestricted view of the boom through the side and rear windows
Another big hit from the self-propelled range was Goldacres’ four-wheel drive, four-wheel steer GV4 model that has been purpose built for the horticultural market.
There are two models in this range, the G3 with a 3000-litre capacity tank and the G4 with 4000-litres on board. Both offer a boom widths up to 36m selecting from a Goldacres Delta Plus or Tritech boom.
Many found the G4V gives a solid performance as it gets its push from a 121kW (165hp) QSB 4.5-litre Cummins engine driving into a unique hydro-mechanical drive system. And for the ultimate in a self-propelled horticultural sprayer wheel tracks can be set from 1.84 to 2.39m, with up to 16 track width variations in all.
The G4V Crop Cruiser offers the choice of two boom designs. The Delta Series flat folding boom matches most tasks an operator coming from a trailed model would require with an 18 to 24m range. While a TriTech Series flat folding boom designed with mild steel inner wings with aluminium outer wings and breakaway run out to 24 or 36m (120ft).
For testers at the Expo it was the G4V fitted with a TriTech Series boom that starts to reveal why this sprayer will also work its way into some of the bigger contractor outfits as while it is a very appealing unit for hi-yielding vegetable and cotton growers as it is built to handle all specialist broadacre operations.
It is much lighter than many others because of its mechanical drive, and it can run on a lot less fuel than most and move quicker around the paddock. When you add the precision and wide coverage it can offer, the G Series has accelerated more interest in self-propelled sprayers due to its appealing entry level price bracket.
With a proud 40-years of history to recall, the video documentary that took us back to where Goldacres’ began in St Arnaud Vic in 1978 just about wore out the video as every one of the 500 attendees enjoyed this trek back in time that reveals a local success story.
There was plenty to interest old machinery buffs as well. On display were three history drenched models made by Goldacres. These included the first Crop Cruiser built, the sixth trailed sprayer made in 1978, plus an old 3pl model from the same era.
The current product line-up from Goldacres includes 12-volt and three-point linkage sprayers, a trailed line with capacities up to 8500-litres and an impressive self-propelled range offering 8000-litre tanks with boom spans out to 48m (160ft).
The components Goldacres use in their models were also on full display and you start to see why the range is so reliable with international names such as Cummins, Allison Transmission, Hydac, Trimble, Teejet and Raven all playing their part in a Goldacres build.
Goldacres sprayers with product capacity more than 3000-litres are manufactured at the Mitchell Park plant at Ballarat Vic where around 140 staff work, while the original St Arnaud plant with 30 staff makes the compact models and handles all aluminium fabrication.
Goldacres has built up a strong bond with its customers over the past 40 years by producing a Sprayer range that competes with the best in the world. Call Goldacres for your nearest dealer on tel: 03 5342 6399 or go to http://www.goldacres.com.au/
