The Wattle Range Council covers a vast area from the SA Coast to the Victorian Border, including charming seaside towns like Beachport and Southend. It reaches inland to Millicent, which serves as the primary hub, and extends eastward to the historic town of Penola and the globally acclaimed wine region of Coonawarra.

With an estimated population of 12,026 and 2,440 kilometres of sealed and unsealed roads, the council is responsible for maintaining a vast area. Routine maintenance programs are in place for all roads, including roadsides, playgrounds, and general landscaping. The council's equipment fleet consists of one excavator, five front-end loaders, and one backhoe. The backhoe is primarily used with a grab for tree removal, but it also serves as a multi-purpose digger and is utilized to load trucks in the quarry with mulch and rocks. Recently, we had a chance to interview Mark from Wattle Range Council regarding their acquisition of a HMK102S Backhoe Loader.

Mark chatted to us about the old Backhoe loader they had, which required replacing. This led to the council putting it out to tender. As the council were unfamiliar with Hidromek brand, they were a little hesitant to purchase initially. However completing their due diligence, they followed up on the Hidromek and the opportunity to trial the Hidromek HMK102S was arranged. Mark said, “The initial attractive feature of the machine was its price, but the team soon found out that there were no major differences in the quality or power of the machine compared to more expensive brands. It had all the features of the more expensive machines and looked well built with thicker steel.”

Since acquiring the machine from Onetrak, Mark mentioned that the operators are pleased with the HMK102S Backhoe Loader. Mark noted that, “it has plenty of power in the hydraulics and pushes pretty hard”, he said. “The cab design is comfortable and quiet with the controls well positioned.”

Mark’s final words were, “Hidromek make great machines! We also considered the Hidromek HMK110 CS Compaction Roller in another recent tender and it came in 2^nd out of the 8 we looked at. Onetrak has been easy to deal with and Callan, Onetrak’s Territory Manager has been very responsive and accessible. The Technicians that came to site were also good and completed what was needed.”

In conclusion, the Wattle Range Council is open to considering Hidromek equipment and collaborating with Onetrak for future tenders, expressing satisfaction with the purchase of the HMK102S Backhoe Loader.

Onetrak is the official dealer for Hidromek equipment in Australia. Visit www.onetrak.com.au or call 1300 727 520 to get in touch with Onetrak and the team.

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