From the Ground Up: The MFM Harvester Story
From the workshop floor to the orchard rows. 🚜🔧
At MFM, harvest doesn’t begin when the machines enter the orchard. It starts long before that in our Welcome Creek Workshop, where our team designs, fabricates and continually refines equipment specifically for macadamia orchards.
This latest harvester is the result of years of practical harvest experience, operator feedback and ongoing engineering improvements. Every component has evolved through real-world use, helping create a machine that is more reliable, easier to service, safer to operate and more efficient in the orchard.
The machine carries approximately 2.5 tonnes of nuts in its onboard hopper and has been designed to comfortably handle extended harvesting operations across large orchard areas. With around 450 litres of usable fuel capacity, improved cooling systems and simplified hydraulics, it’s built to keep working through long harvest days.
One of the biggest developments is inside the cab.
Operators now have access to a fully integrated touchscreen monitoring system providing live feedback on hydraulic pressures, engine load, fuel consumption and machine diagnostics. A new dehusker pressure monitoring system uses colour-coded indicators to instantly show machine load conditions, helping operators respond before overload situations occur.
The control system has also been redesigned around the operator, with custom joystick controls integrating directional control, RPM presets, suspension functions and machine hotkeys into a single interface. The machine automatically switches between harvest, transport and unloading modes, helping protect driveline components while simplifying operation.
Visibility and safety have also received significant attention. A three-camera monitoring system provides live views to the rear of the machine, inside the hopper and during unloading, allowing operators to monitor nut flow and blind spots without constantly turning around in the cab.
Automatic safety interlocks shut down key harvesting systems whenever cab doors are opened, while local rear-mounted controls allow operators to safely clear blockages without repeatedly climbing in and out of the machine.
Comfort remains an important part of the design. Sound-deadened cabins, insulated flooring, air-ride suspension seating, filtered pressurised airflow, USB charging ports and integrated tablet mounting systems all help reduce fatigue during long harvest shifts.
What people see moving through the orchard is only the final result.
Behind every harvest season sits thousands of hours of fabrication, machining, hydraulics, electrical work, testing and continual refinement carried out by the MFM workshop team.
A huge thank you to everyone involved in turning ideas, experience and raw materials into a machine purpose-built for macadamia harvest.
🌳🥜 Built by the MFM team. Designed specifically for macadamia harvest.
New Harvester Induction – Part 2: Cab Controls, Screen Operation & Safety
This is Part 2 of the induction led by Graham Black and covers the operation of the cabin, control systems, touchscreen interface, safety functions, and in-field features. It follows on from Part 1, which introduced external systems and layout. 🔧 Key Induction Sections & Timestamps: 1. Steering & Operator Seating 2. Ignition, Cabin Light &…
New Harvester Induction – Part 1 with Graham Black
Graham Black walks us through the key features, improvements, and setup of the new macadamia harvester. This detailed handover is essential viewing before heading into the field. In this first video, Graham Black walks through key external features and maintenance access points, including hydraulic layout, dehusker configuration, tyre pressures, oil fill methods, and more. Once…
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Stay informed about the latest developments in our harvester build and machinery upgrades at MFM. This video, recorded earlier in 2025, provides a recent update on the harvester build, showcasing the latest progress as we move closer to completion. The latest harvester updates from the Machinery Workshop at Welcome Creek, covering developments from January and…
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