For Marcellin College, an all-boys Catholic school situated 15 kilometres east of Melbourne, maintaining pristine sports fields is a matter of school pride. With a sprawling campus featuring five cricket grounds, two AFL ovals, two soccer pitches, a rugby field, and an eight-lane athletics track, the task of line marking was historically a monumental undertaking. Kevin Davis, Head of Grounds and Gardens for Marcellin College via Danihers Facility Management, recalls the labour-intensive process of the past. "It used to take two people three to four days with our manual line markers for an initial set up," Davis explains. Between stringing out lines, measuring for accuracy, mixing paint, and washing out pumps, the manual method was a significant drain on both time and resources.
“When I first saw the robot in use, I was really blown away by the accuracy of the lines and how straight they were. I couldn’t have gotten those lines any straighter with a string line, even if I tried. The accuracy was spot on."
The introduction of the TinyLineMarker has completely transformed the college’s maintenance workflow, turning a multi-day ordeal into a single day's work for just one person. The efficiency gains are staggering; in a recent trial, the team marked 11.5 kilometres of lines—including full-size AFL and rugby fields and the athletics track—in less than six hours. Beyond the speed, the surgical accuracy of the GPS-driven system has elevated the school's presentation. Davis, who admits he isn't the most "technological" person, found the interface remarkably intuitive. He notes that the crispness of the lines and the ability to easily add professional touches, like the school’s 75th-anniversary logo and writing on the wings, has garnered glowing feedback from the school community.
