A remote-controlled robotic lawn mower is rolling out in Warrnambool.
The first of its kind in the city, it will be used to mow areas that are either difficult or dangerous for people to mow, such as grassy embankments.
Warrnambool Mayor Cr Debbie Arnott said that the new mower would help improve safety while freeing up council staff to maintain other areas.
“Number one is the safety aspect. When you have steep embankments where it’s hard to operate a traditional mower, it means our workers that are looking after our beautiful park areas are working in a much safer environment. Above all we need to look after our workers,” she said.
“Then there is the productivity aspect. Embankments like the one on Grafton Road near the Japanese Gardens, for example, could take a team of four workers all morning to cut with brush cutters. Now, one person using the robo-mower can get it done in an hour, which frees up staff to go to other areas.
“We are a city that takes pride in the appearance of our public spaces, and with this piece of equipment we will be able to better maintain areas that were challenging to access before.”
Cr Arnott said council had investigated multiple sites throughout the municipality where the mower might be used.
“With technology moving on, something like the robo-mower has become a viable option to get the job done while keeping our staff safe,” she said.
“There are also some areas that will be planted out, removing the need for mowing in some areas. There’s a lot of diverse terrain throughout the municipality and we are looking at how we can keep our public spaces looking their best while looking after our staff.”
The mower, which is a McConnel Robocut S300, has been dubbed “Mo”.
