Talkin’New Coolabah Turf Product Range: To assist with your decision making process to influence customers’ appropriate turf selection, please find below a short summary of our new streamlined product range outlining specific grass varieties for their most appropriate use:

Sir Walter – will continue to be our number turf option for residential home yards, and all shaded environments, while;

Village Green – is best suited for large green space corridors, nature strips, public parks and gardens, second tier sporting fields, reserves, school ovals and residential home yards without available water.

Santa Ana Couch – is ideal for sports turf environments or for budding, backyard sporting heroes who need the ball to bounce!

Fresh is best!All Coolabah Turf instant lawn varieties are harvested fresh daily from our Echuca farms straight to your jobsite – all in less than 24hours. Cancellation of pre-booked turf orders must be within 24 hours of the scheduled delivery time. One of our sales team will give you a courtesy call the day prior to delivery to let you know an ETA and to assist with any last minute site preparation questions you may have. If our trucks are fully booked on your preferred day of delivery – we have a great network of transport links with independent carriers enabling us to supply daily to all regions.

Turfwith the Coolabah Crew

A lasting legacy.

Autumn/Winter 2011 Edition

Whether your role is to spec, supply or install landscape solutions for customers or councils – make sure your landscape contribution to our community is forever lasting.

With the easing of lawn watering bans state wide, we have been inundated with inquiries regarding appropriate turf choices for large commercial and smaller backyard landscape projects.

Despite the recent increase in the state’s water storages, we would like to continue our environmental message to our green industry peers and the broader community to water lawn areas on an as needs basis only and continue to preserve our precious water resources to prevent future cycles of lawn watering bans which we have all battled during the past 8-10 years.

Coolabah Turf is proud of its reputation as proactive turf producers specialising in the exclusive supply of water efficient turfgrass varieties for the future.

It is critical our region’s landscape industry groups join forces with a united message to capitalise on the good watering habits which homeowners, council parks and garden staff, and managers of our community sporting facilities have adopted through drought.

Our team of turf professionals are keen to assist you in your role to influence and educate decision makers about appropriate turf varieties to protect our communities’ investments in green space.

It is up to each and every one of us to start preparing for our next drought cycle NOW – not once it is upon us.

Happy turfing!

Regards,

Brad & Suzie Shearer and the Coolabah Crew

Free

lawncare adviceWhen you choose to purchase premium quality slab cut turf from Coolabah Turf, your landscape investment also buys you free lawn care advice for the life of your lawn – not just on the day of delivery!

Our back up support team of professional turf managers will GUARANTEE our commercial and residential customers always have the best looking lawn in the street!

If, as a landscaper, you have a customer you have installed turf for that is experiencing a management issue – give us a call or give them our number to deal with direct. Part of our GREAT GRASS GUARANTEE means we will troubleshoot management issues via email, or if necessary – we’ll have one our qualified turf professionals visit their site and provide a maintenance program to help repair their green space investment – it’s all part of the service.

Bloody GREAT GRASS – Guaranteed! The Coolabah philosophy to specialise in the exclusive supply of environmentally sustainable water smart turfgrass varieties will ensure we fulfil our ‘’lawn for life’’ promise to every customer. This promise is backed up by our Great Grass Guarantee to provide a fresh pure pallet of turf upon delivery.

To honour our Great Grass Guarantee we require the following:

New turf must be fertilised 5-6 weeks following •establishment.

Turf must be placed on a soil depth of between 100mm – •150mm of a premium quality turf underlay (check with your sand and soil supplier for variations with these specs).

Turf must be watered immediately during or following •installation and throughout the establishment period to prevent the turf from drying out and/or shrinking.

Ensure correct turf selection with specific regards to sun/•shade placement. Ie Only Sir Walter will grow in shade. All other varieties require full sun.

Proactive preventative annual maintenance with relevant •use of herbicide or insecticides to combat turf disease, weed invasion and/or damage sustained from destructive pests.

Premium Quality Slab Cut Turf –

the easy and safe way to instant beauty!

All Coolabah Turf products are supplied in an easy to lay slab cut form to ensure fool proof establishment for every DIY home or commercial landscape project.

Prime slab cut turf also means each piece is nearly half the weight of traditional turf rolls, making the install process less back breaking for your staff. It also means our turf can comply with maximum lift weight requirements dictated by OHS legislation. Because slab cut turf comes with a thicker base of soil, it will establish twice a fast and will require half as much water during establishment. It also means our premier varieties are now available all year round! We do however recommend that turf laid during cooler weather be placed in full sun and low traffic areas only.

Why Village Green?Features:

A finer leaf variety of Kikuyu•

More winter active•

Greater density•

Faster/more aggressive growing•

Two – three shades greener in colour – •especially noticeable during winter.

BeneFits:

A more glamorous looking lawn to woo •your neighbours

Shorter dormancy period/improved •winter colour retention

Less weed invasion•

Less water required to establish/•less water and fertiliser required to maintain

Faster rate of repair if damaged•

NB. It is critical to note Village Green should only be watered and fertilised on an as needs basis.

Village Green is grown exclusively under license, and was sought by Coolabah Turf production managers in the hunt for a warm season turf variety with superior drought tolerance and winter colour retention.

Village Green® is a new and distinct variety of Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) naturally selected from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast hinterland.

The application for PBR made under the Plant Breeders Rights Act was accepted on June 27, 2008 following approximately 5 years of research and development project trials.

The PBR certificate for Village Green® (RK19) has been issued by IP Australia to Western Australian based company, Future Turf Pty Ltd.

Overview:Village Green® is a bright green turfgrass, generally two – three shades stronger in visual colour than common Kikuyu. It boasts a tight sward which is due to a unique characteristic of shorter internodes, which promotes more frequent branching and therefore greater density. This unique growth habit aids in faster establishment, faster recovery from wear and superior weed suppression than other common Kikuyu varieties.

Village Green® is grown exclusively under license, and was sought by Coolabah Turf production managers in the hunt for a warm season turf variety with superior drought tolerance and winter colour retention.

Village Green’s superior degree of drought tolerance is due to its massive fibres’ root

system which enhances more efficient water and nutrient uptake than common Kikuyu varieties.

This trait dictates that Village Green® is watered significantly less than any other drought tolerant turf variety currently on the market. We recommend it is watered on an as needs basis only to prevent high thatch build up and unnecessary maintenance.

Village Green’s proven winter activity means it will establish in cool climates all year round, whether the project is installed with either hard turf, or stolens. Its impressive winter growth habit also enables Village Green to recover against wear or frost damage despite cold temperatures.

This core trait makes Village Green an appealing alternative for Councils managing open green space corridors and is a superior performing turf choice for community sporting reserves.

Village green® must be grown in full sun. it will not tolerate shade. For best results we recommend frequent mowing at approximately 25mm.

Welcome Village Green!The world’s first patented PBR Kikuyu variety, Village Green® is now available at Coolabah Turf.

Staff Profile: BJ Meet BJ – the face of the fore of Coolabah Turf deliveries! Chances are when you meet our turf truck at your front door it will be BJ’s hand you will be shaking! If you have any last minute site preparation or installation queries – make sure you quiz BJ while he’s delivering your load – he’s not just a truck driver – he’s a fully qualified turf trained professional.

Name: Brendan Jay

Role at Coolabah: Delivery/Customer Service

Favourite part of the job: Farm production and meeting landscape and residential customers onsite when making deliveries – seeing their product come out of the paddock and into the customers’ environments.

Favourite Food: parmi and pimms

Music: triple j

Favourite pastimes: playing/watching footy with mates

Worst habit: biting my nails

Big Rolls –

the faster, easier way to instant beauty!

Coolabah Turf Farm ExpansionCoolabah Turf is excited to announce its new turf production facility is operational. Located 3kms from our head office and lawn shop, our new farm has enabled us to more than double our previous production

capacity. Huge thank you to our hardworking, dedicated and loyal staff members who have helped us to complete the second phase of our expansion project, while continuing to service the daily needs of our customers.

With our increased production capacity we can now supply and install Kikuyu and Couch turf varieties in maxi rolls. (20m2/roll) Big rolls work best in open spaces without an excessive amount of curves or trees. As with all sod installations proper soil preparation is essential. So while not appropriate for every situation, here are some reasons why you might prefer to go big rolls instead of our slab cut method in open public space areas or playing fields:

Higher quality, more efficient, faster •establishment

less down time off the field•

Improved Playability•

Provides a smoother surface with less •joins

Less chance for less edges to dry out•

Faster installation process, which brings •the added benefit of being able to apply water sooner, resulting in less stress to the turf.

Coolabah Turf Management Apprentice, Brodie Dorgan has been honoured with the Turf Grass Association of Australia Apprentice award for dedication to his studies and general conduct and contribution to the NMIT TAFE class in which he is completing the course with. Congratulations Brodie – great things ahead!

Awards

By troy Griffiths - turf Manager

Before you sit down to do the sums on a comparison between solid turfing and hydro seeding, there are a few key criteria and realizations you need to consider:

Be aware you are comparing two very 1. different processes to ultimately achieve the same result.

That there are two very different time 2. frames in which you are working with.

The variations in the maintenance 3. requirement to establish a final turf surface to an acceptable standard, and

The level of agronomic knowledge you or 4. your team have to manage seeded areas to gain a desired result, or to trouble shoot unpredictable maintenance issues along the way.

When you choose to solid turf an area:

You significantly reduce any establishment risk, guaranteeing a result from your money and time investment. The period in which you have to establish and maintain a hard turf surface is also greatly reduced, which again reduces the time and cost inputs required to achieve desired results. If, on sporting facilities it also greatly reduces time out of play.

Solid turf systems have an immediate visual impact (don’t underestimate the non dollar value of that instant ‘’wow’’ factor) that delivers desired results for the client/customer/community straight away.

With councils and developers placing tighter constraints on specifications for establishment and maintenance periods of new turf areas, you need to consider installation process costs and the ongoing input costs for irrigation, fertilizer, herbicides etc. The labour intensive man hours required to then establish and maintain the area must also be considered and costed during the tender process.

Due to the many and varied environmental and climatic conditions to consider and allow for in your forecasting; it is often only an educated guesstimate used to predict maintenance requirements of a hyroseeded surface during a grow-in period.

Solid turfing with C4 warm season grass varieties automatically eliminates many of

those uncontrollable risks associated with turf establishment. For example, the water requirements of C4 warm season hard turf surfaces as compared to a C3 cool season grasses can be up to 66% less, pending seasonal conditions.

The fertilizer inputs of a C4 warm season grass installed as solid turf generally only requires one application on installation, a second application 4-6 weeks post installation, and then, generally an application in Autumn and Spring thereafter. This is compared with requirements of a hydro seeded site of either C3/C4 grasses, where it is essential that an application of fertilizer on installation is followed up with regular applications every 4-6 weeks, until a complete cover of thick dense grass has established, which, on average will more than double fertilizer applications and associated costs for the first 12 months with this method. That is if the desired thick dense cover of grass has even managed to have been achieved within this desired period.

This is a similar scenario for weed eradication/ herbicide application. If a C4 solid turf has been installed correctly and received adequate moisture and nutrient inputs to maintain a healthy sword of turf then herbicide applications will for most part not be required. Compared with Hydro seeding were the bare soil is exposed and moisture and nutrient levels are high, weed germination is inevitable. This would then require regular applications of a selective herbicide to eradicate weeds before they start to shade, compete with or crowd out desired turf selection. Alternatively, an application of pre emergent herbicide before planting would need to take place, which also needs

to be allowed for in initial cost estimates.

One of the biggest variations between the two processes is the man hours required and the level of agronomic knowledge required to achieve the same result. Initially solid turfing may require more man hours to install, and would generally be a greater up front cost, however, once installed it requires minimal hours to maintain- ie. mow, water and fertilize on an as needs basis only. This is as compared to hydroseeding, which requires a higher intensity of management over a longer, initial establishment period, with still no guaranteed result for your time and cash investment. This includes a more intense watering/ fertilizing schedule and the repairing, topdressing and reseeding of damaged areas, that may have been affected by wash out caused by irrigation or rainfall, water run-off on sloping ground. Other damage sustained by pests and disease during this period can also affect the process. Sprigging/seeding also requires constant monitoring to act on any of these situations as they arise – which is sometimes difficult to predict at the time of quoting a contract. It is usually the unforeseen unpredictables which blow budget and time costs out, leaving people wishing they had have gone the hard turf option in the first place.

Hydro seeding V’s Solid Turfing

If you have a landscape job that looks impressive – send us a pic to upload onto our web gallery and we’ll give your company a plug! New website coming in June 1.

All Coolabah varieties can be supplied in sprig form to plant over larger areas if hard turf is beyond your budget.

Most turf sports involve horses on a track, footballers on a field, or tennis players! Following drought breaking rains last Spring, the Shearer brothers took to knee boarding behind their dad’s (Brad Shearer) 4x4 motorbike on a couch paddock at Coolabah’s main farm.

Drought, floods, locusts...After more than 10 years of low and sometimes no rainfall, we have all learned to live in drought. Through relentless and ongoing education to customers we have managed to conquer the hurdles of government imposed lawn watering bans which had been enforced in every region of our target market.

We have managed to not only survive but have thrived in these dry times through a change in people’s mindset and management of their turf landscape – primarily with a transition away from temperamental cool season turf varieties to an overwhelming demand for self repairing, low maintenance, drought tolerant warm season turfgrass. This trend despite climatic odds out of our control was a message loud and clear that green space in the form of natural turf surfaces continues to be a high priority on most people’s list of lifestyle choices – providing it is sustainable.

As a direct result from producing turf in a region with an already scarce and dwindling water supply, our environmental platform has become the focus of our core business value. Over the last 5 years we have transitioned away from producing about 80% cool season turf to now specialising in the exclusive supply of drought tolerant, warm season turf varieties.

Consumer demand for warm season turfgrass during the last decade of dry afforded us the confidence to at times foot the bill for water price hikes up to as much as $1000/megalitre, to produce turfgrass varieties for customers to sustain in home yards with either tank, grey or bore water supplies, independent of potable town supplies. It has just meant that the water storage capacity within individual residential

home yards has ultimately dictated the size of lawn areas, which, on average has declined over the last 10 years from around 150m2 to approx. 60m2-70m2.

Water prices are currently fetching as little as $55/mg. Which is great from a production perspective to know we will be able to significantly reduce one of our main input costs this year. However, it brings with it other issues of complacency, and changing watering habits.

As with most aspects in life, every facet is bitter sweet.

With surplus water around the state and water storages at capacity, water authorities have turned the taps back on.

So we should finally be happy? Our prayers have been answered right? Not entirely. The big picture issue we are faced with now is to convince the government to be responsible with how they reform water policy. After years of lobbying for the taps to be turned back on, we are now advising them to not return to daily or even every second day watering, but rather continue to support the water permit exemption concept for 28 plus days, and only turn the taps back on two or three times a week.

We need to capitalise on the difficulties people have overcome during the last ten years and

cement the good habits of water conservation they now have ingrained in us all – it really has become a social conscience issue – like drink driving.

The water authorities not only have the ability to influence, but they have the power to dictate watering habits of residential home owners here ever after.

People have such short memories. Once they resume old habits, in 5-10 years time when our water storages are again depleted – it is easy to see lawns will again be the first scapegoat of water cut backs.

In closing – our message is simply:

Be careful what you wish for - the grass isn’t always greener! I hope we can all continue to work together with a united voice to protect the future of all of our own business operations, and our broader landscape industry.

Try before you buyTo enable our regional customers to let their toes try before they buy, we now have 7 retail outlets each with a maintained landscape display area to showcase our turf varieties.

We offer daily deliveries, 6 days a week to

service professional landscape, commercial and homeowner DIY projects in every region, including Echuca-Moama, Bendigo, Shepparton,

Ballarat, Horsham, Albury, Swan Hill and everywhere in between.

Phone our head office to find out where your closest distributor is located so you can encourage your customers to kick their shoes

off and have a walk on our turf to determine their turf of choice.

The locust busters! Sir Walter turf was the only turf variety untouched by recent locust activity.

Victorian State Schools’ Garden

Awards

Entries Close July 25 th 2011.

Members of the Turf Producers Association of Victoria are committed to promoting awareness of the environmental, physical and mental health benefits of green space in regional and metropolitan school communities.

To learn more about the benefits of turf and green space in our communities visit: www.coolturf.com.au

Coolabah Turf in conjunction with members of the Turf Producers Association of Victoria is offering a $45,000 turf prize as part of this year’s Victorian State Schools’ Garden Awards.

Supply visual footage of the area you would like Turf Victoria to make over1.

Demonstrate what you believe to be the importance of turf to the environment, and2.

Why your school would love to win this award.3.

If you are involved with a school community that could do with an oval renovation or some improvements to the green space landscaping in their school ground – be sure to pass on details about how to enter – check out coolturf.com.au or visit www.ngiv.com.au.

The winning school will receive up to 3000m2 of watersmart, drought tolerant Kikuyu turf. The prize includes the supply, delivery and installation.

Entrants need to send us a 3 min DVD to demonstrate three key criteria:

Sir WalterAustralia’s # 1 Buffalo - Triple the invincibility!Sir Walter turf is Australia’s number one selling buffalo lawn, with more than 35 million m2 now sold nationally.

And it’s no wonder!

1) Can tough out drought with minimal water requirements: Sir Walter has proven its worth as our number one residential home lawn product for Bendigo residents who have had to sustain green space solely with either tank, grey and bore water for more than 8 years.

2) Sir Walter has recently proven its extreme versatility by being able to survive flood. See our website www.coolturf.com.au for photos taken by a Rochester customer before during and after the town’s flood disaster.

3) Sir Walter was the only variety on our production farms which was not damaged by the plague proportion of locusts which devastated millions of dollars worth of regional crops when they attacked our region earlier in the year.

Sir Walter - you can’t keep a good man down - Sir Walter deserves to be knighted!

For more information about Sir Walter check out coolturf.com.au

Winter guidelines for

Sir WalterTo ensure optimal results we advise Sir Walter Premium Lawn Turf is ONLY installed in

FULL SUN and NO traffic areasbetween May — August.*Expect slow root initiation and longer establishment periods during cooler weather—hence it is critical you adhere to the minimal traffic rule.

256 McSwain Road, Echuca. Ph: 1800 055 515 info@coolturf.com.au www.coolturf.com.au

Fertiliser Special!It is critical your new turf is fertilised 5-6 weeks after establishment. Ask for $10 off your 10kg bucket of Sir Walter fertiliser when you order your turf – and we’ll deliver it to your door!

all aftercare products available at the Coolabah echuca lawn shop or at any of our regional retail outlets.

Fertilise NOW! Help your customers’ lawns and landscape prepare for the onslaught of cooler winter weather.

If you haven’t already, now is the time to call your customers and remind them to apply fertiliser during the first week of May (they should have already applied during the first week of April as well).

A lush and healthy lawn will withstand the harsh elements of winter and recover quicker when warmer Spring weather arrives.

It will also mean greater winter colour retention and an improved ability to block out unwanted winter weeds. The biggest issues residential customers face during the transitional time of year coming out of Winter is recovery from annual Winter dormancy (and associated discolouration) and winter weed invasion.

It is critical you maintain grass at our recommended mowing heights to help reduce

the chances of frost burn on the leaf. Excess grass heights tend to retain excess moisture in the plant, which then creates a greater freeze point which makes the leaf more susceptible to frost burn and subsequent discolouration.

Monthly applications of Seasol (plant conditioner) during June July and August are recommended.

Seasol is a liquid seaweed fertilizer that will place a protective coating over the leaf to help reduce damage sustained from frostburn.

Any Winter weeds are best removed by hand throughout the season, or if the situation is too out of control – drop into one of our regional lawn care shops and grab some weed control product to knock them down.

Email us a picture to help identify your weed or drop in to our Echuca lawn shop to see which product will do the job for you depending on the type of weed you are trying to attack.

Autumn lawn tips

Coolabah suppliersCoolabah Turf distributor to check out turf displays or to place orders direct for a more convenient pick up service.

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