For Co. Cavan-man Paul Conaty, September 1, only means one thing: the opening of the hedge-cutting season and few have travelled further than him to be on hand for the task.

Agriland caught up with Conaty a few days after the opening of the season to hear why he makes the trip home at this time of year.

He also talks about fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) work in Western Australia, a career path proving hugely popular with many young Irish people living in Australia.

He also discusses the new app he has developed to assist hedge-cutting contractors in pricing and invoicing farmers for work completed.

Working in Oz

When in Australia, Conaty is working in a FIFO job in the mines in a place called 'Marble Bar' in Western Australia.

Conaty said that the town is known as "the hottest town in Australia", with temperatures regularly exceeding 40°C.

The area is a two-hour flight from Perth and when there, he works driving a loading-shovel and also in plant maintenance, changing oil, and belts on machines as well as regular servicing and maintenance.

On his week off from the mines, Conaty works in Perth with a company called 'McMahon Civil and Contracting,' driving a lorry and trailer and a digger also.

Why come home for the hedge-cutting season?

Before going to Australia, Conaty bought a brand-new hedge cutter.

He said: "I have my own [hedge-cutting] outfit here in Ireland, bought a brand-new hedge cutter at Clarke's New Inn, Co. Cavan, three years ago.

"It's a McConnell PA5455 and the tractor is a Massey Ferguson 6465."

"I just come home to keep the work for when I do return from Australia for good.

"When I come home, I try to get as many of the big hedge-cutting jobs done as possible.

"I do a lot of work for farmers and then I get a couple of friends to do some of the smaller work and the bits and pieces when I go back."

Pricing hedge-cutting work app

With the help of a friend, Conaty is currently putting the finishing touches on a new app for pricing, invoicing and record-keeping of hedge-cutting jobs.

"The reason I wanted to make an app was for fair pricing for both the contractor and the customer.

"I have an hour meter that goes onto the PTO (power-take-off) shaft but it only records the hours cutting.

"It will not record the time spent setting up signs or machine maintenance-it only records hours worked."

The app allows the contractor to input the diesel price, fuel consumption, hours worked, break time taken, wear and tear and other key metrics.

It will automatically generate an invoice that can be sent on to the customer when the job is completed.

Conaty said the app will show the contractor how much each job is costing them and the areas costs are high in.

"The contractor can look at reports on the app and identify areas where costs are high and also see what bills have been paid and what ones still have to be paid."

Conaty will be flat out at the hedges for the next few weeks before he returns to Australia, where his lifestyle is just as busy.