New national ag machinery road transport notice takes effect

Following on from the Victorian state government’s move in amending its road laws to accommodate larger and wider farm machinery last year, the Federal Government has implemented a new set of regulations to make transporting oversized farm vehicles much easier for farmers across the country.

The new

The new Notice came into effect on May 1, 2019 and presents a simplified and more importantly, harmonised set of road regulations for farmers to follow when transporting their machinery on public roads both within their states or across borders.

One of the key changes is the reduction of designated agricultural zones from 26 to just five for simplified cross border movements and better efficiency overall.

Vehicle dimensions and mass limits have also been increased, thus reducing the need for permits. For example, the height restriction has been increased to 5m and single vehicle length increased to up to 15m depending on the zone. The mass limit is now 45 tonnes.

In addition to reducing paperwork for farmers, the Notice is also expected to improve road safety by setting conditions relating to operating speeds, vehicle standards, warning signs and lights, and pilot and escort requirements.

Following a final consultation process in March and April 2019, more than two thirds of local government areas consulted have agreed to the Notice and have signed up for the implementation of the new set of regulations in their areas.

The Notice applies to majority of the country, with the exception of the Northern Territory and Western Australia which will still go by their own guidelines governing ag machinery movements on roads.

NHVR has released an Operator’s Guide that outlines the key information required before moving heavy agricultural equipment.

“From today, farmers should check the Operator’s Guide and online maps to see whether they still require a permit to move a vehicle, as the Notice has established a network of local, state and territory roads that can be used by heavy agricultural vehicles,” said NHVR Executive Director for Freight and Supply Chain Productivity, Peter Caprioli.

“If your local government area hasn’t yet signed up to the Notice, you can continue under your current arrangements for up to 12 months, unless a Notice expires in the meantime,” he said.

“If you need a permit, applications will now be processed through the NHVR Portal.”

The National Farmers Federation (NFF), who launched a campaign in 2017 calling for harmonised road rules has welcomed the new Notice, calling it a “common sense win for farmers”.

"It is critical farmers are able to move large agricultural vehicles and equipment on public roads to go between paddocks and farms to spray, harvest and plant crops," said NFF CEO, Tony Mahar.

"The previous rules and regulations governing these movements fell under the jurisdiction of state, federal and local governments.

“The number of jurisdictions, differences in how they regulated these movements, and the complexity of requirements for obtaining permits to move agricultural vehicles, made the efficient movement of farm equipment difficult.

"The improvement of the regulatory environment governing how agricultural vehicles and combinations operate on public roads will improve the productivity of Australia’s farm sector, provide increased support for drought-affected communities, and improve road safety and infrastructure protection,” Mahar said.

"The NFF is particularly pleased to see a common sense approach to implementing the new Notice."