The Queensland Wet Season: Timing Earthworks and Keeping a Machine Alive
From Gympie north the year has two halves. When to dig, when to stop, and how heat, humidity and flooding change the way a mini excavator is run and stored.
South of Brisbane the seasons are a suggestion. North of Gympie they are the calendar. The wet, roughly December to April, brings monsoonal rain, flooding, cyclones and heat; the dry brings clear skies, hard ground and the months when most earthworks get done.
When to dig
April to June is the best window across most of the state. The soil is moist from the wet but the rain has stopped, the ground carries a machine and clay cuts cleanly. July to October is dry and firm; black soil and hardpan turn to concrete and want a ripper. November is the last chance before the storms. December to March is for jobs that can stand water: drainage, clean-up, and work on well-drained sand and gravel.
Flooding
Low-lying blocks on the cane flats, river plains and coastal wallum go under. Do not leave a machine on low ground over the wet; move it to a shed or a rise before the first big storm. If it does go under, do not start it. Drain and flush the engine, hydraulics and electrics first.
Heat
Hydraulic oil thins as it heats, pumps work harder and the machine gets sluggish. Keep the radiator and oil cooler clean (daily in dust or cane trash), fit summer-grade hydraulic oil if the manual allows, start early and stop in the heat of the day. A cab with air conditioning, as on the R32 PRO, is worth every dollar in the north.
Humidity and rust
Everything rusts faster in the tropics. Wash the machine down after work, grease every pin so water cannot sit in the bushes, keep the fuel tank full to limit condensation, and store under cover. Electrical connectors benefit from dielectric grease.
Cyclone preparation
When a warning is issued: fuel up, move the machine to the highest hard standing available, drop the boom and blade to the ground, engage the locks, remove the key and chain the machine to something solid if it is in the open. After the event, it will be the busiest tool on the property; a grapple and a rake turn it into a clean-up crew.
Storage between seasons
If the machine will sit through the wet, change the engine oil, fill the tank, grease everything, disconnect the battery and park on timber under cover. See storing a machine and the running cost estimator for a servicing budget.
Machine choice for the north
Weight for the clay, a cab for the heat, and rubber tracks that can be cleaned. The R22 PRO and R32 PRO are the machines most north Queensland buyers settle on; see them on the compare page.