Published on 28 October 2025
A woodchipper purchased two years ago for the Parks and Gardens team is delivering major savings and environmental benefits for Mansfield Shire.
The chipper saves an estimated $5,000 a year, as Council no longer needs to buy mulch for its garden beds. The team also saves significant time on pruning jobs, allowing them to complete more work across the Shire.
Mayor Cr Steve Rabie praised the team for finding a smarter, more efficient way to work.
"This chipper is a perfect example of a wise investment that delivers real bang for your buck," said Cr Rabie.
"It has been a complete game changer. We're saving ratepayer money on mulch and staff time, which frees up our crews to get more pruning work done across the shire. It's a fantastic outcome for the community."
Before the chipper, staff had to load all prunings onto a truck, tie it down, and take it to the Resource Recovery Centre. A pruning job in a single street would take triple the amount of time it does now.
"This new process is also much better for our staff, who no longer have to lift and throw heavy branches onto a truck," said Cr Rabie.
"Because of this efficiency, the team completed 94% of their scheduled street tree pruning this year, a result we have never achieved before. We aim to continue improving on this each year."
The environmental benefits are also significant. All mulch from the chipper is reused on Council’s garden beds and trees, which helps keep moisture in the ground and suppresses weeds. This was particularly valuable during the hot, dry conditions of last summer.
"This isn't just about financial savings, it's a more sustainable process. We are turning green waste into a valuable resource that improves our parks and gardens. We have also been able to share surplus mulch with local community groups." said Cr Rabie.