Living Heritage -Duntroon School - Irrigation in the Duntroon Area

Gun cart

Guns are a free standing irrigation method for applying water. The guns are basically large sprinklers with nozzles, (the nozzle sprays out the water). The nozzle can vary in size ranging from one inch long. A tractor is needed to move the gun cart and drum, as they do not move by themselves. The tractor pulls the whole device to the place in the paddock that the farmer wants to irrigate.

There is a gear mechanism that pulls the gun cart across the paddock back to the drum when it is full of water and irrigating. The guns are run by a solar panel and a battery. The solar panel gathers heat from the sun and converts this heat into electricity which charges the battery and runs the gear mechanism.

The defuser breaks up the water so it lands softer on the ground. This avoids making any big puddles in the paddock, while it also stops crops and grass getting flattened by the force of the water. You can also use this defuser so that the gun arm irrigates in a part circle or a full circle.

This drum or hose reel has a computer and a stand.

Some larger hard hose guns have something called a turntable. This device allows the farmer to turn the hose reel on the supporting structure so it can fit through gates. This means that you can irrigate different paddocks just by towing it through the gate, turning the hose reel around and pulling out the gun cart with your tractor.