Equipment Operators

Hay Australia Pty Ltd; Shire of Loddon; On-site; AUD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Hay Australia Pty Ltd, part of the AgTrade Group, seeks Equipment Operators for its Bridgewater processing site in central Victoria. This hands-on role involves safely operating telehandlers, forklifts and PLC-controlled equipment to receive, process, store and dispatch premium hay.

You will unload, feed and press hay, move loads, perform inspections, and maintain records while working in a 24/7 site with casual and permanent opportunities.

Qualifications

• Experience operating a telehandler or forklift or stationary manufacturing/processing equipment.

Responsibilities

• Operate telehandlers to unload, move and feed hay into the processing line.
• Operate PLC-controlled hay presses and associated infeed, cleaning, pressing, outfeed and wrapping equipment.
• Operate forklifts to move processed hay and load shipping containers.
• Perform routine maintenance and inspections of equipment.
• Identify and report equipment faults and maintenance requirements; complete production, quality and traceability records.
• Engage in general cleaning and housekeeping activities.

Skills

Telehandler operation

Forklift operation

Safety awareness

Manual handling

Teamwork

Tools

PLC-controlled equipment

Job description

At Hay Australia (part of the AgTrade Group), we’re on a mission to build creative and sustainable solutions for people, partners, and global food security. We achieve this by supplying premium hay and straw to dairy, beef, and equine customers across Australia and the world.

We are one of Australia’s leading fodder exporters, operating four strategically located processing sites across Australia’s broadacre cropping regions, including our processing site at Bridgewater in central Victoria. We specialise in processing and exporting high-quality hay and straw products to global markets and are also a significant supplier to Australia’s domestic livestock industry. We pride ourselves on maintaining a reliable, year-round supply for our international customers due to our extensive combined processing and storage capacity spread across the country, positioning us as one of Australia’s major buyers of fodder.

We are currently looking for safe, reliable and team-minded Equipment Operators to join our Bridgewater team. This is a hands‑on role for people who enjoy operating machinery, working as part of a team and knowing their work helps feed livestock (and the people who depend on them) around the world.

The AgTrade Group

Our parent company, AgTrade, is a global livestock, genetics, and food security group with partnerships with over 15,000 farming and primary production businesses. As a wholly Australian owned, Brisbane based company, we are guided by our vision to "feed the world with purpose, creativity and care".

About the Job

Reporting to the Operations Supervisor, our Equipment Operators are responsible for safely operating the machinery and equipment used to receive, clean, press, store and dispatch hay. They are the people who take hay produced by our growers and process it into high-quality products for domestic and international customers.

Depending on your training and experience, your work may include:

Operating telehandlers to unload, move and feed hay into the processing line;

Operating PLC‑controlled hay presses and associated infeed, cleaning, pressing, outfeed and wrapping equipment;

Operating forklifts to move processed hay and load shipping containers;

Operating container‑handling and other mobile equipment.

Wrapping and sleeving processed hay;

Completing equipment pre‑starts and inspections;

Performing routine maintenance and minor repairs within your skills and training;

Identifying and reporting equipment faults and maintenance requirements;

Completing production, quality and traceability records; and

General cleaning and housekeeping activities.

The role provides the opportunity to develop capability across different parts of the processing operation, rather than simply operating one piece of equipment. Casual and permanent roles are available.

Regardless of your skills and experience you will have to:

Work as a reliable, collaborative member of a team on a 24/7 rotating roster;

Keep learning and build competency across all aspects of the role.

Safety Comes First

Our processing sites are machinery‑intensive workplaces, so safety is the priority in everything we do.

You will be expected to work safely, look out for the people around you, follow site procedures, participate in pre‑start and safety meetings and speak up when you identify a risk or something that could be improved.

Quality is important. Our products must meet customer specifications and strict export requirements, so attention to detail and following the correct processes matter.

About You

You don’t need to have worked in hay processing before.

We are interested in people who are practical, dependable, safety-focused and comfortable working around machinery.

Ideally, you will bring:

Experience operating a telehandler or forklift or stationary manufacturing/processing equipment.

A strong commitment to working safely.

A reliable and committed work ethic.

The ability to work effectively as part of a team.

A willingness to learn and become competent across different equipment and tasks.

The ability to work 12‑hour day night rotating shifts in a 24/7 operation.

The ability to safely undertake manual handling tasks.

The ability to work in a hot, cold, dusty and noisy processing environment and wear required PPE.

The willingness to obtain and maintain required licences and certifications, including a forklift licence.

Experience in hay processing, agriculture, manufacturing, production or another machinery‑intensive environment would be well regarded but is not essential.

Mechanical aptitude, basic maintenance skills and an existing forklift licence would also be advantageous.

Why Join Us?

Hands‑on work: This is a practical role where you can see what you and your team achieve each shift.

Variety: Develop skills across telehandlers, forklifts, processing equipment, hay presses and other machinery.

Learn and develop: We want people who are willing to learn and build capability across different parts of our processing operation.

Be part of a team: Work alongside people who rely on each other to operate safely and get the job done.

Meaningful work: Help process Australian‑grown hay into premium livestock feed supplied to customers across Australia and internationally.

The AgTrade Group is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of employment. We celebrate the diversity of our workforce and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.