Mallee local brings farming experience to Haeusler’s Parts know-how
Haeusler’s Parts Technician, Melinda Price, has been working at the Sea Lake dealership for three years, but she brings a lifetime of farming experience in Victoria’s Mallee region to the role.
Melinda and her husband have a farm at Lascelles, about half an hour southwest of Sea Lake, and if you travel south for another 22 minutes, you’ll find the farm her parents worked at Watchupga.
Add to that Melinda’s 20 years of working with an auto electrician in the major service centre of Hopetoun, in the southern Mallee, and you begin to understand why she is so well-equipped for her current role.
Six months after retiring from her job in Hopetoun, Melinda said she was feeling bored, until a friend mentioned there was a job going at Haeusler’s Sea Lake branch.
“They called me and asked if I wanted a job, and here I am!” Melinda said.
“I think the ag industry is fantastic to be in. Regardless of what you’re interested in, it’s very rewarding and everyone can do anything, they just need a chance.
“My time in the auto electrical industry was really diverse and the scope of what I learned was incredible, so working as a Parts Technician is just a case of using that knowledge in a different way.”
Melinda said the biggest challenge of the job is to drill down to what the customer is chasing, and the biggest skill is listening.
“A customer will come in upset because his machine has broken down and tell us, ‘I need a bearing’, and there are hundreds of bearings!” she said.
“So, we spend 10 minutes talking to find out exactly what he wants. There can be a lot of backwards and forwards with the grower and there are always instances where they think because you’re a female, you don’t have the same understanding, but eventually they come around.
“And once you find the part, they’re happy!”
Melinda’s favourite job is merchandising the Sea Lake showroom with products and toys in the John Deere colours. She especially enjoys the busiest times of the season, during harvest and seeding, as well as the challenge of locating a part that’s not in stock.
“Modern technology makes it easier too. There are serial numbers for parts on specific models, so it’s just a case of finding it in our records, or the grower can take a photo of the part and text it to me,” Melinda said.
A grateful customer commended Melinda for a John Deere Parts Technician of the Year award in 2025, stating in his nomination that ‘Melinda’s hard work and commitment to her job has been invaluable to me and countless other farmers. I truly appreciate her kind service and tireless effort in meeting our needs.’
“It’s really personally rewarding, to help someone who’s broken down to get going again, and to know that your work is ensuring they get things done on the farm,” she said.
“I do the job because I really like it, and to help people, not for recognition or awards.”
Melinda is also featured in the latest episode of our podcast, Cab Confessions. Listen now: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2249899/episodes/18794263.