Eyes for the legs

Leica Geosystems tools are proving to be the perfect complement for the specialist land clearing tasks of a Victorian terrain management company.

Menzi Muck walking excavators are a sight to behold when seen in operation on steep and inhospitable terrain.

Often referred to as spiders because of their extendable and articulated arms, their ingenious high-tech chassis make them widely used in sectors such as construction, specialist civil engineering, forestry, gardening and landscaping, municipal technology, drilling technology, and more.

One company that has been making the most of the machine has been Vertx Civil, a subsidiary of Hicks Mining Australia, which focuses on supplying consulting and specialised labour.

As Managing Director Nathan Hicks explains, Vertx Civil is based in north east Victoria within the Kiewa Valley near Albury-Wodonga.

“We are a small company specialising in mining, quarrying, and civil projects that require a specialist approach or change of day-to-day conventional methods,” Nathan said.

“These are usually projects that are restrained by geology, limited access, steep terrain, emergency situations and surrounding infrastructure. We offer skilled support personnel and equipment that ensure the project is completed to high standards and overcome the limiting constraints.

“This may be ground support (above and below ground), landslip remediation, bush firefighting and hazard reduction, infrastructure installation, pile installation and limited access excavation/underground development.”

With 19 years’ experience in the mining and civil industries home and abroad, and with knowledge of methods of specialised work used in many different countries, Nathan realised there was a lack of machines within the local region that could undertake work in inaccessible areas without disturbing the surrounding habitat or infrastructure.

So when Vertx was formed, the first item procured was a Menzi Muck M5x, which could handle a range of applications.