More than 50 goats were recently employed to clean up roadside shrubbery at the Hexham Bypass.
Coast to Coast Goats Fire Hazard Reduction Services has 116 goats and sheep in their herd, with just under half of them sent out to trim down the grass and weeds at the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace last month.
The grazing group was led by stand-out favourites like “Teeny,” “Janice,” and “Little Jonny,” the latter of whom dons a bright orange vest.
It took three days for the goats to strip clear the steep batters either side of the Pacific Highway overpass, successfully accessing areas that are potentially difficult or unsafe for traditional weed control methods.
It’s not the first time livestock have taken to the man-made embankments, with a team of goats and sheep deployed last year to graze the slopes.
Denny Woods, who runs the transient grazier business, began by renting out just half a dozen goats to customers eight years ago.
He was employed by John Holland and the New South Wales Government, who are undertaking the M1 Pacific Motorway extension, but Mr Woods said most of his clientele is in suburbia.
“I had 25 in a backyard last weekend; they cleared it in 24 hours,” he said.
Animal grazing is often used to clear weeds, manage overgrown yards and reduce fire hazards, without the use of manpower and machinery.
During the winter period, these eco-friendly mowers are less in demand. Although ahead of summer and bushfire season, Mr Woods said business is starting to speed up again.
“It’s getting warmer, we’re starting to get people booking us in advance to get their firebrakes done,” he said.
“I did a post on my page telling people that they should be getting their firebrakes done before we get into spring, before we get too busy, or they’ll have to wait in line.”
September to January is typically the busiest period for livestock hire.
The goats’ handiwork came ahead of locals getting their first look at the progress on the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace on Sunday, 16 August.
Hundreds gathered for a self-guided stroll along a 3.5-kilometre section of the $2.24 billion project, across sections of the motorway and viaduct over the Hunter River.
The M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace is expected to open to traffic later this year.
More stories like this:
- ‘Metre by metre’: Newcastle to Sydney high-speed rail closer to reality
- Returning solar program to help Hunter households save $3,800 on power bills
- Hunter locals step onto new M1 Motorway before official opening
Get all the latest Newcastle news, sport, real estate, entertainment, lifestyle and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Newcastle Weekly Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.
