Summer storm season in south-east Queensland rarely stops at a few fallen branches. A single afternoon of wind and heavy rain can drop a gum across the back fence, lift a root plate out of the lawn, wash out a driveway edge and leave the yard holding water for days. Once the tree surgeon has gone and the green waste is on the verge, two jobs are usually left behind: a stump that has to come out, and drainage that has to be rerouted.
Neither job needs you to buy a machine. Short-term equipment hire puts a stump grinder or a trencher on your property for 24 hours, which is long enough for most suburban blocks. This guide covers which machine suits which part of the cleanup, how to prepare the site, and how hire works at Flourish Hire in Greenbank, QLD.
When you need a stump grinder
A stump grinder is the answer when the tree is gone but the base is still in the ground. Digging a mature stump out by hand means excavating the whole root ball; grinding reduces it to chips below ground level so you can lay turf, run a fence line, pave, or rebuild a garden bed over the top.
Flourish Hire stocks two in its Garden and Site range. The Redroo SG350 E/S is a manual push-style machine with a 16 hp electric-start Briggs & Stratton Vanguard V-twin, tungsten carbide teeth, an operator presence control bar and a wheel brake. It cuts to 350 mm in both height and depth, and weighs roughly 160 kg, so transport planning matters. There is also a lighter Baumr-AG stump grinder for smaller jobs.
Storm-damaged stumps have one extra complication: the tree came down rather than being felled, so the root plate may be partly lifted and the ground around it disturbed. Cut the stump as low as practical first, then clear the area of rocks, wire, irrigation and edging before the grinding disc touches anything.
When you need a trencher
The second half of storm cleanup is usually water. If the yard held water for days, an irrigation line was crushed by a falling limb, or you need to run conduit to a shed that lost power, a trencher cuts a narrow, clean line instead of opening up the whole lawn.
The Red Roo HT912-600 at Flourish Hire is a compact hydraulic trencher running a 9 hp Honda GX270. It digs to 600 mm deep and around 100 mm wide depending on the chain setup, is self-propelled with forward, neutral and reverse, and has a chain reverse function to clear rocks and debris. At 280 kg it needs a trailer, not a car boot.
It suits irrigation and sprinkler lines, garden drainage, and conduit runs through lawn or prepared soil. It is the wrong machine for bulk soil, pits, wide trenches or heavily rocky ground — that is mini excavator territory, and Flourish Hire stocks those too.
Stump grinder or trencher: which one?
Most storm jobs need one, some need both. The quick comparison:
| Stump Grinder — Red Roo SG350 E/S | Irrigation Trencher — Red Roo HT912-600 | |
| Use it for | Grinding stumps below ground level after tree removal | Narrow trenches for irrigation, drainage or conduit |
| Engine | 16 hp Briggs & Stratton Vanguard, electric start | 9 hp Honda GX270 |
| Working capacity | 350 mm cutting height and depth | 600 mm deep, about 100 mm wide |
| Weight | About 160 kg | 280 kg |
| Transport | Trailer and tie-downs, or delivery | Trailer and tie-downs, or delivery |
| Not suited to | Tight corners, unchecked ground, indoor use | Bulk soil, pits, wide trenches, rocky ground |
If a tree came down and took a sprinkler line with it, booking both machines on the same hire day makes sense — the minimum hire period is 24 hours either way.
Site prep and safety after a storm
Storm ground is not normal ground. Soil is saturated, debris is buried in the grass, and a lifted root plate can hide anything. Before either machine starts:
- Check for underground services. Contact Before You Dig Australia and mark the route before you trench. Storm damage can also shift shallow services.
- Walk the area and clear it. Loose stones, wire, star pickets, garden edging and roofing debris all become projectiles under a grinding wheel.
- Let the ground dry where you can. Saturated soil clogs a trenching chain and makes a 280 kg machine hard to control on a slope.
- Plan where the spoil goes. Soil piled on the wrong side of the trench falls back in or blocks your own access.
- Wear proper PPE and keep children, pets and onlookers well clear of the work area.
- Stop if something unexpected is hit. Let the cutting wheel or chain come to a complete stop before clearing debris or repositioning.
Both machines have operator-presence controls that stop travel and cutting when released. Use them as designed rather than working around them.
How equipment hire works at Flourish Hire
Flourish Hire is based at 122–128 Teviot Road, Greenbank QLD 4124, and the yard is open 6:30 am to 6:00 pm seven days a week, including public holidays. Rates are the same every day, so a weekend cleanup costs no more than a Tuesday one. There is no after-hours pickup or return.
Minimum hire is 24 hours. A $200 bond applies per item and is released after the machine comes back and is inspected. Delivery and collection are available within roughly 50 km of the Greenbank depot, which covers much of Logan and Brisbane’s southside — send your suburb through and the team will confirm it. For delivery, someone with ID has to be on site for handover, and the driver assists with unloading only.
Both dry hire and wet hire are offered. Dry hire means you operate the machine yourself; wet hire comes with an operator where the job suits it. Homeowners and DIY customers are welcome, not just trade accounts — which matters when the storm has hit your own yard rather than a job site.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I need to hire a stump grinder for after a storm?
The minimum hire period at Flourish Hire is 24 hours, and that is enough for most suburban jobs of one to three stumps. Larger root plates or multiple trees are worth discussing when you book so the hire period matches the work.
How deep can the Red Roo SG350 E/S grind a stump?
The manufacturer lists a cutting depth of 350 mm and a cutting height of 350 mm. Actual results depend on the stump type, root structure, access and ground conditions.
Can I tow a trencher or stump grinder with my own car?
No. The stump grinder weighs about 160 kg and the trencher 280 kg, so both need a suitable trailer, loading ramps and secure tie-downs. Delivery within 50 km of Greenbank is often the easier option.
Do I need to call Before You Dig before trenching?
Yes. Confirm your trench route with Before You Dig Australia and check the site for services before breaking ground, even on a block you know well.
Can homeowners hire this equipment, or is it trade only?
Homeowners and DIY customers can hire. Describe the job, the access and the ground conditions when booking and the team will confirm whether the machine suits the site.
What does equipment hire cost on a weekend or public holiday?
Flourish Hire applies the same hire rates every day of the week, including weekends and public holidays, so there is no premium for a Sunday cleanup.
Flourish Hire
+61455494558
122-128 Teviot Rd, Greenbank QLD 4124, Australia