We bring our herd of working goats to your property. They clear blackberry, bracken, thistles and scrub - no chemicals, no machinery, no noise. Just results that improve year on year.
No complicated contracts, no surprises. A free site visit, a written quote, and goats that get to work.
We assess vegetation, terrain and any plants to protect. Written quote within 24 hours. No obligation.
We transport the herd and install solar electric netting around the clearing zone. No mains power or WiFi needed at your property.
The herd browses systematically. We check daily and send you a live camera link so you can watch from anywhere.
All fencing removed, final walk of the site with you. Invoice sent on completion. No hidden extras.
Goats digest and destroy seeds - each return visit weakens regrowth further. After 3–4 seasons most clients see near-permanent results.
Watch the herd arrive and get straight to clearing.
Three line items. That's it. We quote everything upfront in writing before any work begins.
Full herd on your property, daily welfare checks, live camera access included.
Herd delivered from our Daylesford base to your property and back.
Solar electric netting supplied, installed and removed. No power required on your end.
We visit, assess, and provide a full written quote within 24 hours.
Medium-heavy blackberry, 30km from Daylesford, 7 days. 7 × $250 + $60 transport + $400 fencing = $2,110 total. Less than a spray contractor, no chemicals near waterways, and results that compound each season.
Every method has its place. Here's an honest comparison so you can decide what's right for your property.
| Feature | Hire a Herd 🐐 | Tractor Slasher | Spray Contractor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical cost - ¼ hectare | $1,750–$2,200 | $230–$490 | $500–$950 |
| Works on steep slopes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Safe near waterways | ✅ No restrictions | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Permits required |
| Destroys weed seeds | ✅ Yes - during digestion | ❌ No | ⚠️ Partial |
| Removes fire hazard | ✅ Fully consumed | ⚠️ Cuts only - canes remain | ❌ Dead canes remain |
| Results improve over time | ✅ Yes - each season | ❌ Full regrowth each year | ❌ Full regrowth each year |
| No chemicals | ✅ Zero | ✅ Zero | ❌ Herbicides used |
| Works in dense blackberry | ✅ Yes | ❌ Machinery gets stuck | ✅ Yes |
| Live monitoring | ✅ 24/7 camera feed | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Preserves existing fencing | ✅ Browses through wire safely | ❌ Blade damage likely | ✅ Yes |
| Estimated 3-year total | $2,000–$2,500 reducing each season |
$690–$1,470 same cost every year |
$1,500–$2,850 same cost every year |
The most common weed sprays in use today - glyphosate, triclopyr and Grazon Extra - are not as harmless as their marketing suggests.
Glyphosate persists in soil for 47–141 days on average. Triclopyr up to 12 months. Both bind to soil particles and accumulate with repeated application.
Grazon Extra requires livestock to be excluded for up to 12 weeks after application. Most spray contractors don't tell you that upfront.
All three chemicals are restricted near waterways under Victorian EPA guidelines. Applying them near a dam or creek without a permit is an environmental offence.
Broad-spectrum herbicides kill or stress non-target native species, soil microbiota and the mycorrhizal networks that native plants depend on.
Herbicides kill the plant but do nothing to the seed bank in the soil. Blackberry returns from seed within 1–2 seasons. Goats destroy seeds during digestion.
Many Landcare and CMA grant programs now require or prefer non-chemical treatment methods for revegetation projects near conservation zones.
Read the full referenced research - sourced from APVMA, EPA Victoria, CSIRO and peer-reviewed literature.
Read the Full Research →No herbicides means no chemical runoff into your dam, creek or bore water. Regulators are increasingly restricting spray use near waterways - goats have no such restrictions.
Goats eat seeds and destroy them during digestion. Blackberry and bracken regrowth weakens dramatically after each return visit. Slashing and spraying just resets the clock.
Steep banks, creek lines, dense stands, rocky ground - none of it is a problem for a goat. These are often exactly the areas where weeds are worst and machinery is useless.
We're the only goat clearing operator in Victoria offering a live camera link on every job. Watch from your phone, confirm they're working hard, sleep soundly.
Goats are a CFA-compliant method of reducing fuel loads. Particularly effective on steep blocks where slashing is dangerous or impractical ahead of fire season.
We're a Daylesford family based on Gambles Lane. You can call us, visit us, and we will be back next season. Not a franchise, not a call centre. Real farmers who know this country.
We're Jason and Bonnie Brammall, based on a 20-acre property on Gambles Lane outside Daylesford. Hire a Herd grew from the simple observation that our goats are extraordinary clearing machines - and our neighbours have exactly the problems they solve.
We're not a big operation. We know every goat in our herd by name. We know the Central Highlands - the blackberry lines along Sailor's Creek, the bracken on the north-facing slopes, the clay soil that sprays just roll off.
Tell us about your property and what you'd like cleared. We'll reply within 24 hours and arrange a free site visit at a time that suits you.