When it comes to irrigating large areas efficiently, every litre of water and every hour of labour counts. If you're tired of manually moving sprinklers, a soft hose travelling irrigator changes everything — one person sets the machine, walks away, and it does the rest. But with seven models in the IrriCruiser range, picking the right one for your farm isn't always obvious. This guide breaks down every model so you can find the right match in five minutes.
Insert graphic: IrriCruiser machine travelling along a field, dragging hose, spraying in a long strip
What Is a Soft Hose Travelling Irrigator?
A soft hose travelling irrigator is a self-propelled machine that winds in a flexible drag hose as it moves across your paddock, pulling a sprinkler cart behind it. As the machine travels along a cable, it delivers even water coverage over a large area without requiring constant supervision — no walking sprinklers by hand, no standing around moving pipe.
Setup is simple: position the machine, pull out the cable, connect the hose, and start irrigating. The DuCaR IrriCruiser range uses a turbine-driven system that converts water flow into mechanical power, allowing the machine to travel smoothly while irrigating — and automatic travel shut-off means you don't need to be standing there when the run finishes.
IrriCruiser is IrrigationBox's own soft hose travelling irrigator range, designed and built for real Australian farming conditions — from small acreage right through to serious dairy and cropping operations.
Built for Australian Conditions
Australian farms demand equipment that can handle harsh environments, and the IrriCruiser range is built accordingly: heavy-duty welded construction, hot-dip galvanised chassis and hose reels, high-torque turbine drive, automatic travel shut-off, adjustable travel speed and durable drag hoses. Every machine is designed for everyday farming use as well as demanding commercial applications.
Why Choose Soft Hose Over Hard Hose?
Soft hose travelling irrigators use a flexible drag hose rather than a rigid hard hose. This makes them lighter, more affordable and easier to manoeuvre around obstacles, irregular paddock shapes and undulating terrain. They're the go-to choice for small to medium farms where a hard hose irrigator's size and cost aren't justified — while still delivering the labour savings of a self-propelled machine.
Soft hose (IrriCruiser) suits farms from 1 to around 21 hectares per pass, is more affordable and easier to move between paddocks. Hard hose (Casella) suits larger scale operations, higher pressure applications and longer single runs. Not sure which category fits your farm? Call us on 07 3088 8096 and we'll walk you through it.
Insert graphic: Step-by-step operation diagram — hydrant, cable anchor, travelling path, spray width
Typical Method of Operation — Step by Step
Here's exactly how an IrriCruiser run typically works in the field, using the IrriCruiser COMFORT as an example:
1. Connect the hose to the hydrant. The hydrant is positioned at the centre of the paddock. The machine starts at one edge with its premium drag hose connected back to the water source.
2. Pull the cable to the far side of the paddock. A cable anchor is set at the opposite end of the run — for the COMFORT, that's up to 400m away. The machine's turbine provides the high torque needed to pull the machine and hose along the cable, even in tough field conditions.
3. The irrigator travels along the cable, irrigating as it goes. Powered entirely by water flow through the turbine — no separate engine or fuel required — the machine winds itself in along the cable at an adjustable travel speed (10–60 m/h on the COMFORT), spraying a wide strip as it moves. Spray width adjusts with your flow rate and pressure — 60–90m on the COMFORT.
4. Automatic shut-off at the end of the run. A patented travel shut-off mechanism closes the water inlet valve automatically when the machine reaches the cable anchor — no one needs to be standing there watching it finish. Reposition, reconnect and start the next run.
Cable length: 400m · Travel speed: 10–60 m/h · Working pressure: 50–85 PSI · Water flow: 400–900 L/min · Spray width: 60–90m (depending on flow rate and pressure) · 3" premium drag hose, 200m · Patented automatic travel shut-off.
The figures above are for the IrriCruiser COMFORT specifically. Every model in the range operates the same way — connect, pull the cable, travel and shut off automatically — just with cable lengths, pressures and flow rates matched to that model's size, as shown in the range table above.
Superior Water Distribution
One of the biggest advantages of a travelling irrigator is consistent water application. Because the sprinkler is constantly moving, water is distributed more evenly across the paddock compared with fixed sprinklers that can create dry patches or excessive overlap. Better uniformity means improved crop performance, healthier pasture growth, less water waste and better fertiliser efficiency.
Suitable for Many Applications
Soft hose travelling irrigators are incredibly versatile. They're commonly used for broadacre agriculture, pasture irrigation, dairy farms, lucerne and hay production, turf farms, horse arenas, golf courses, sports fields, and dust suppression on mining and construction sites. Whether you're irrigating several hectares or maintaining high-quality turf, there's an IrriCruiser model designed to suit your requirements.
Insert graphic: Seven IrriCruiser models lined up smallest to largest showing scale progression
The Full IrriCruiser Range
Here's every model in the range, with the specs that matter most when deciding which one is right for your farm:
| Model | Run Length | Spray Width | Flow Rate | Best Suited To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IrriCruiser Mini TD1000-100 | 100m | 30–50m | 80–200 L/min | Small farms, hobby acreage |
| IrriCruiser Mini TD1250-120 | 120m | 35–55m | 100–280 L/min | Small–medium farms |
| IrriCruiser Mini TD1500-130 | 130m | 40–60m | 120–320 L/min | Medium farms |
| IrriCruiser Mini Plus | 150m | 40–65m | 150–400 L/min | Medium farms, growing operations |
| IrriCruiser Midi Plus | 300m | 50–80m | 250–700 L/min | Medium–large farms |
| IrriCruiser Mico | 300m | 50–80m | 250–600 L/min | Large farms |
| IrriCruiser COMFORT | 400m | 60–90m | 400–900 L/min | Large farms — 21 ha in 7 days |
Every IrriCruiser is configured to your specific setup — hose length, sprinkler type, pressure requirements and any optional accessories all affect the final price. Call us on 07 3088 8096 for a same-day quote tailored to your farm. All models are in stock in our Brisbane warehouse.
Insert graphic: Visual scale matching farm size to the right IrriCruiser model
Which Model Suits Your Farm? — Real Scenarios
Specs on a page only tell you so much. Here's how the range actually plays out on real farms:
Small Acreage / Hobby Farm
Growing Small Farm
Medium–Large Cropping
Large Dairy / Broad Acre
The biggest mistake farmers make when buying a travelling irrigator isn't choosing the wrong brand — it's choosing a machine sized for today instead of where the farm is heading. Tell us your expansion plans and we'll help you buy once, not twice.
What to Consider Before You Buy
A few practical questions will make the decision much easier when you call us:
- What's your water pressure and flow rate? This determines which models will actually work on your property — not every machine suits every water source.
- What's your paddock length? The run length needs to comfortably cover your longest paddock dimension without excessive repositioning.
- What are you irrigating? Pasture, row crops and orchards all have different application needs — this affects sprinkler choice and spray width.
- How much labour do you have available? A machine that's slightly oversized for today may save you buying again as the operation grows.
- What's your terrain like? Slopes, irregular shapes and obstacles can affect which model handles your paddocks best.
Why Buy Your IrriCruiser From IrrigationBox?
IrriCruiser is our own soft hose travelling irrigator range — designed, supplied and supported directly by IrrigationBox. That means no distributor chain, no dealer markup and no guessing about parts availability down the track. We understand Australian farming because that's who we supply every day.
A New Generation of Soft Hose Irrigator
Many soft hose travelling irrigators still sold in Australia are based on older designs — basic turbine drives, manual travel control and no protection if the machine reaches the end of its run unattended. IrriCruiser was engineered as a genuine next-generation machine, built to remove the weak points that cause older units to underperform or fail in the field.
The patented automatic travel shut-off is a good example: on older-generation machines, if nobody is there to switch it off at the end of a run, the machine can sit pulling against the cable anchor, straining components and wasting water. IrriCruiser's shut-off closes the water inlet valve automatically the moment it reaches the end of the run — protecting the machine and the paddock without anyone needing to watch the clock.
The heavy-duty welded chassis and hot-dip galvanised construction are built specifically for Australian conditions — UV, dust, heat and long seasons — rather than adapted from equipment designed for milder climates. The high-torque turbine drive is engineered to keep pulling smoothly even in tough field conditions, where lower-torque units on older or cheaper machines can stall or travel unevenly, leading to inconsistent watering.
The result is a machine that needs less supervision, holds up better season after season, and delivers more consistent coverage run after run — which is exactly what "new generation" should mean in practice, not just in marketing.
- Every model in stock in our Brisbane warehouse — ready to ship
- Same-day quotes — tell us your flow rate and pressure and we'll match you to the right model
- Factory-direct, competitive pricing — no distributor or dealer margins
- Patented automatic travel shut-off — protects the machine and your water at the end of every run
- Heavy-duty welded, hot-dip galvanised construction — built for Australian conditions, not adapted to them
- Expert advice — deep product knowledge from the team that designs and supports this range
- Ongoing technical support — we're here after the sale, not just before it
- Australia-wide delivery — direct from our Brisbane warehouse to your farm
The Bottom Line
The IrriCruiser range covers everything from a 1-hectare hobby block right through to a 21-hectare dairy operation running 400m per pass. The right model comes down to your run length, your water pressure and where your farm is headed over the next five to ten years — not just where it is today.
The fastest way to get a straight answer is to call us. Tell us your paddock size, flow rate and working pressure, and we'll match you to the right IrriCruiser model with a same-day quote.
Find Your IrriCruiser Match Today
Tell us your paddock size, flow rate and water pressure — we'll match you to the right IrriCruiser model and give you a real price today.
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