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TREE MAINTENANCE FEATURE
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Hitting the bullseye Kieran Melville doesn’t miss his old job as a tiler. He’s been logging and providing firewood for people around Mid Canterbury for five years and loves working in the outdoors with his chainsaw and the people he meets. “I’m not going to lie, I’m here to make a living. But that’s just a small part of it. I enjoy building relationships and meeting new clients. There’s something quite satisfying knowing I leave a logging site tidy and provide a good amount of firewood at a reasonable price. “The end goal is to build a respected name for myself based on the hard work I do and how clean we leave the site.” Melville was working as a contract bushman before he bought Elite Firewood and its gear from Tim Boyd this year; he also trades on Facebook as Bullseye Tree Felling. “Before then it was just me, a chainsaw and my 4x4 travelling around as a contract bushman logging for other crews. It’s a big step going from gun for hire to a logging
contractor.” But things have fallen into place, with help and support from those around him and Melville says the business is starting to take off and run smoothly. “Being self-employed has its ups and downs, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. It’s tough starting out on your own but if you put your head down, focus and work hard, it all pays off in the end.
“Ashburton has a great rural community. People tend to be fairly supportive of the smaller outfits and guys who are just starting out, especially if you’re seen to be a hard worker and have drive.” Melville said he travelled all over the South Island competing for work as a floor and wall tiler. Selling firewood in the beginning gave him an opening to find income that was closer to home.
CONTRACTING LTD
He was raised on a five-acre block in New South Wales, across the ditch, but didn’t touch a chainsaw until his late 20s. “Most of the skills I have now, I’ve picked up from talking to and working with other guys over the past few years. “I enjoy the chainsaw work the most. Whether it’s manually felling trees, making saw logs for export or just cutting firewood, I realised
very quickly when I first started making wood chips that it’s addictive.” He says providing a personalised service is easy. “Ultimately it all comes down to communication. Listen to what people want and if we can’t provide to the letter, we simply work out a compromise instead. Everything is negotiable if you have the right attitude. “The best tip I could give someone considering using a service in my industry is to shop around and try to learn about what you’re getting into and with who. Talk to previous clients and see what they have to say, often good things take time to spread whereas bad reputations go far, quickly.” The most satisfying part of his work is doing the firewood. “We leave very little to waste by making use of all the log offcuts and seeking the look on our clients’ faces or even getting a thank you message after we tip the wood off always give a nice feeling.” Check them out on Facebook: Bullseye Tree Felling
BULLSEYE TREE FELLING
Grounds & Gardens Maintenance • Qualified Arborist • Certified to prune trees around power lines • Preferred contractor to Timaru District Council, Netcon and Alpine Energy • Dedicated tree team • Topping, pruning, felling, chipping, stump grinding • Total garden maintenance • Spraying (Growsafe Certified) • Residential and Commercial mowing • Suppliers of landscape products
Phone
03 615 6398
www.midlandcontracting.co.nz
Your Mid Canterbury suppliers for: Green firewood sales and delivery, tree services, storm clean up, dangerous trees, logging. Call Kieran on 027 350 1358