Boolah Farms, a family-owned broadacre enterprise in Northern NSW, is not your average farming operation. With activities spanning farm and land management, grain storage, logistics, and earthmoving, they’re as diversified as they are driven. But what truly sets them apart is their progressive mindset.
Their ‘Connected Farms’ model—where landholders contribute and share in the success—reflects their collaborative, forward-thinking approach. From contract farming to grain marketing, Boolah wears many hats, all underpinned by one key ingredient: technology.
And for over a decade, Vantage NSW has been the partner helping make that foundation solid.
“If you want to stay ahead, you’ve got to have the right gear and the right people backing you,” says Josh Carter, Area Manager at Boolah Farms.
Josh manages the 1700ha “Bengalala” farm in Gunnedah, producing primarily cotton, wheat and barley. Their machinery fleet is mixed by design—a deliberate choice that enables flexibility from their equipment.
“Tractors are getting expensive these days,” explains Josh. “You’ve got to shop around and find the best deal for you.
“A lot of farmers get locked in with a certain tractor brand because that’s what they’ve used to set their farm up with AB Lines and boundaries, and they’ve got to keep following that path.”
With support from Vantage NSW, Boolah has avoided those limitations by standardising its fleet on PTx Trimble GNSS systems—technology that can be used across any make or model.
“We’ve always been a mixed fleet, which is the main reason we’ve always chosen PTx Trimble. Whether it’s a Fendt, John Deere, or Case, it just works,” explains Josh.
“With PTx Trimble, we’re able to shop around our tractors and find the best one that suits what we’re trying to achieve. We can keep putting that one GPS system into any brand or make of tractor.
“I'm really happy with the PTx Trimble products. It’s made my life a lot easier these days.”
Partnering with the Vantage NSW team, Boolah has recently upgraded to the PTx Trimble GFX-1260 displays across its fleet—a game-changer in Josh’s eyes.
“We’ve found the GFX-1260s to be so much faster and easier to use. Operators can figure them out easily, and if they can’t, Vantage NSW support is only a phone call away. They’ll jump on TeamViewer or be out on-farm the same day or next."
For Boolah Farms, data is also front and centre. With increasing attention on carbon accountability, knowing exactly where inputs are going is critical.
“The data capture is a big one for us—especially when it comes to carbon. We need to know where we’re burning the most fuel, how many litres per hour, and where we’re applying our urea. We’re now in a position to back that up with data when businesses or government start asking how much carbon it takes to grow a tonne of barley or wheat.
“This system’s already capturing that data for us. We’re five steps ahead.”
Behind the tech, though, is a team that Josh knows well—having experienced both sides of the fence.
“I actually spent 18 months working with Vantage NSW. It was a massive eye-opener. I’ve got a lot more respect for the customer service side of ag now and how critical ag-tech is.”
For Boolah, the benefits of working with Vantage NSW goes well beyond the gear.
“Vantage NSW are really good. If I can’t fix something myself, they’re a phone call away. And if it’s not sorted over the phone, they’re here that afternoon or the next day.
“Anytime I’ve got a question—like if there’s a new feature or product coming—they’ll find out and get back to me within a couple of days. We work together and bounce ideas off each other.
“I’d be more than happy to recommend Vantage NSW to other growers.”
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We are proud to announce that Vantage NSW has been awarded Trimble Ag Reseller of the Year 2023.
