About
Meet the people
Matt Leov
DIRECTOR
Matthew Leov has been a Director of Total Harvesting since its inception in 2004 and has served as the sole Director since 2010. With over 28 years of practical and theoretical experience in the forestry industry, including 20-plus years in contracting, Matthew brings invaluable expertise and leadership to the company.
Originally from New Zealand, Matthew has a strong background in the Pine sector and is highly experienced in managing the complexities of steep terrain and the unique challenges it presents. Over his extensive career in contracting, he has developed a deep understanding of the intricacies involved in large-scale forestry operations, from ground-based harvesting techniques to advanced machinery use. His vast experience ensures that Total Harvesting’s operations are executed with the highest level of efficiency and safety.
Matthew holds a Bachelor of Forest Science (B.For.Sci) from Canterbury University and has a wide range of hands-on experience, including manual tree felling and operating various forestry machinery. His career has spanned Hauler operations, cut-to-length ground-based operations, high-production full-stem operations and in field chipper operations, which have produced over one million tonnes annually. His expertise in these areas has been instrumental in the continued success and growth of Total Harvesting, helping the company to remain at the forefront of the forestry contracting industry.
In addition to his technical expertise, Matthew is deeply committed to the continuous improvement of safety, environmental sustainability, and operational efficiency within the forestry sector. He is always looking for innovative solutions to optimise operations and drive value recovery for forest owners, while maintaining respect for environmental concerns. Under his leadership, Total Harvesting has become one of the leading forestry contractors in its field.
Sarah Leov
SHAREHOLDER & ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER
As a shareholder and Assistant General Manager at Total Harvesting, Sarah Leov plays a vital role in overseeing the company’s administrative functions and business operations. With a deep-rooted connection to the forestry industry, she ensures the smooth and efficient running of the company’s long-term success.
Sarah has been part of Total Harvesting since its inception, working alongside her husband, Matthew Leov, to help build and grow the business. After stepping away to focus on raising their three children—Harry, Matilda, and Emily—she returned to the company, bringing fresh insight and a renewed commitment to its operations.
Having grown up around the forestry sector, Sarah understands the industry's demands and complexities, allowing her to manage administrative functions with precision and efficiency. Her leadership ensures that Total Harvesting’s systems and processes support both day-to-day operations and future growth.
Sarah’s dedication, organisational expertise, and industry knowledge make her an invaluable part of the Total Harvesting team, driving operational excellence and reinforcing the company’s strong foundations.l Harvesting has become one of the leading forestry contractors in its field.
Damien Benson
GENERAL MANAGER
Damien Benson has led Total Harvesting as General Manager since 2018, overseeing operations across Albany, Bunbury, Yornup, and Esperance. With a clear strategic vision and a hands-on approach, Damien is responsible for guiding the company’s overall performance and ensuring the efficient, safe, and high-quality delivery of services across all sites.
A key driver of growth and innovation, Damien plays a central role in shaping the company’s long-term sustainability while maintaining Total Harvesting’s strong commitment to safety, operational excellence, and client satisfaction. He also leads the integration of harvesting, hauling, and chipping activities to ensure smooth and effective coordination across the supply chain.
Damien’s leadership is underpinned by a deep understanding of the industry and a focus on building strong, lasting relationships with clients. His efforts have helped expand Total Harvesting’s presence in the forestry sector and enhance its reputation as a trusted industry partner.
Before stepping into the General Manager role, Damien spent three years as Operations Manager and Transport Manager for the Albany operations, where he was responsible for managing Pine and Bluegum Clearfell operations and overseeing logistics.
With more than two decades of experience in middle and senior management roles across both corporate and private sectors, Damien brings a wealth of operational and strategic expertise to his role. Prior to joining Total Harvesting, he served as State Manager for one of Australia’s largest independently owned transport companies and held senior roles at Toll Group and other private enterprises. His extensive background in transport operations and business management provides a solid foundation for his leadership at Total Harvesting.
Adam Bremner
OPERATIONS MANAGER - ALBANY
Appointed as Operations Manager – Albany in February 2022, Adam Bremner brings a wealth of forestry and infield mechanical expertise to Total Harvesting. With hands-on experience across New Zealand and Australia, Adam’s career spans mechanical maintenance, operations management, and high-production logging.
A trade-certified mechanic, Adam spent six years as WA Maintenance Manager for C3, overseeing large-scale equipment servicing and reliability. Prior to that, he worked for SLR Enterprises as a fitter and supervisor for four years, ensuring the seamless operation of forestry machinery. His journey in the industry began as an operator in New Zealand, where he spent 12 years in cable logging operations, handling 30-40t excavators with Waratah 24” & 26” heads, as well as performing hand felling and breaker-out duties.
After relocating to Australia, Adam transitioned into leadership roles, serving as Production Manager for Timbercorp for three years, where he oversaw two large-scale operations. He then moved into a crew supervisor role at Softwood Logging, where he managed Blue Gum and pine thinning CTL operations, including infield chipping.
With a proven track record in forestry operations, machinery maintenance, and crew management, Adam plays a key role in ensuring Total Harvesting’s Albany operations run smoothly, efficiently, and safely. His extensive experience and leadership continue to drive the company’s success in the region.
Adam Haywood
OPERATIONS MANAGER - BUNBURY
Adam Haywood is a highly experienced forestry professional with over 15 years of diverse experience across various sectors of the industry. After completing his training at the Forest Training Centre in Albany in 2007, Adam began his career working in Blue Gum chipping operations, laying a solid foundation in forestry practices. He then further developed his skills during his time at a nursery in Mt Barker, where he was responsible for growing pine and blue gum seedlings.
Adam spent three years with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), specialising in fire management, before transitioning to the Forest Products Commission (FPC). Over his nine-year tenure at FPC, Adam held several key roles, including Forester, Senior Forester, and Harvest Development Manager. His work encompassed both silviculture and harvesting, and he also served as a Sector Commander for DBCA and a Duty Officer for FPC estates, overseeing operations across a wide range of forestry activities.
In addition to his hands-on experience, Adam achieved a Certificate IV in Forest and Forest Products and later completed a Diploma in the same field, further enhancing his technical expertise and leadership skills.
Currently, Adam is with Total Harvesting, where he oversees the FPC pine crews, a biomass operation, and an infield chipping crew. He is responsible for managing day-to-day operations while ensuring safety, efficiency, and sustainability across all forestry activities.
With a strong passion for sustainable forest management, Adam is dedicated to promoting responsible forestry practices that balance operational needs with environmental stewardship.
Josh Hughes
TRANSPORT MANAGER
Josh Hughes joined Total Harvesting in January 2021 as an MC Driver and quickly gained extensive experience operating across all current contracts and handling a variety of combinations, from B-Doubles to C-Trains. His hands-on experience behind the wheel has given him a comprehensive understanding of the demands of haulage operations.
In December 2021, Josh was appointed Transport Manager and took on the responsibility of managing all of Total Harvesting’s haulage commitments. He now oversees and coordinates the scheduling of 70 trucks across the company’s operations, ensuring that all logistical requirements are met efficiently and effectively.
Josh brings a wealth of experience to the role, with additional years of experience as an MC Driver. He has also worked as a HS&E Advisor for Clough Projects in Perth for 5 years and has over 6 years of supervisory experience with Hagstrom Drilling. This diverse background provides Josh with a strong foundation to manage Total Harvesting’s Chain of Responsibility (CoR) and accreditation requirements, making him a reliable and knowledgeable leader within the transport operations.
Andrew Daubney
WORKSHOP MANAGER - ALBANY
Andrew Daubney has been with Total Harvesting since 2007, serving as a hands-on Maintenance Manager for our Albany operations. A trade-certified mechanic with over 20 years of experience in the forestry industry, Andrew has been deeply involved in the harvest, haul, and chip operations. His extensive exposure to these operations, along with his experience with Waratah harvester heads, has allowed him to build a superior knowledge base in maintaining and optimising infield plant and equipment.
As a hands-on manager, Andrew supervises and manages his team while also ensuring the ongoing training and development of staff in the forestry sector. He ensures his team is equipped with the specific skills needed to work with the unique hardware and equipment used in harvest, haul, and chip operations.
Although Andrew’s role is primarily focused on the Albany operations centre, he also provides support to the Bunbury and Yornup operations centres, ensuring consistency and high standards across all business operations.
Matt Padlie
TRANSPORT SUPERVISOR - BUNBURY
Matt Padlie joined Total Harvesting in 2019 as an MC Driver at our Bunbury branch. With over 10 years of log haulage experience in Dunedin, New Zealand, Matt’s expertise quickly became evident. He initially worked for Dunedin Carrying Co., where he gained extensive experience, eventually progressing into fleet scheduling and a supervisory role. In this position, he was responsible for scheduling operations across four different companies in a central dispatch environment.
The transition from his previous roles to his frontline experience with Total Harvesting has made Matt a highly valued asset to the team. In March 2022, Matt’s skills and leadership abilities were recognised as he was promoted to Transport Supervisor. His unique blend of practical experience and management expertise has helped him effectively oversee operations and ensure the efficient coordination of our transport services.
Jason Ratcliffe
MAINTENANCE MANAGER - SOUTHERN REGION
Jason Ratcliffe joined Total Harvesting in May 2022, stepping directly into the role of Maintenance Manager at our Bunbury operations. With over 15 years of experience in the forestry sector, Jason’s career began with Pine Hauliers before moving on to Waratah, where he developed a deep understanding of their harvesting heads. This technical expertise set the stage for his subsequent roles with various forestry contractors, where he managed infield operations and served as a Maintenance Manager overseeing both infield and haulage fleets.
Jason’s strong knowledge of equipment maintenance and optimisation enables him to maximise uptime and ensure consistent utilisation and calibration of Waratah equipment in the field. His expertise allows for seamless integration of maintenance schedules, ensuring minimal disruption to daily operations.
As the Maintenance Manager at Bunbury, Jason is responsible for the management of the Bunbury Maintenance team, overseeing all scheduled maintenance and breakdown servicing for the fleet and equipment across the entire Bunbury operation. He ensures that all mechanical systems are running smoothly and that his team is well-equipped to handle the challenges that come with maintaining a large, diverse fleet. Jason is committed to driving a high level of performance within his team, fostering a culture of efficiency, safety, and reliability. The workshop, under his leadership, has earned a reputation for its dedication, proactive approach to problem-solving, and ability to deliver results even under pressure.
Ross Tolladay
SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER - FORESTRY & HEAVY MACHINERY SPECIALIST
With over 25 years of experience in heavy diesel mechanics, machinery maintenance, and operational management, Ross Tolladay is a key asset to Total Harvesting. His expertise spans forestry, mining, and transport, where he has built a reputation for problem-solving, efficiency, and hands-on leadership.
As Special Projects Manager, Ross plays a crucial role in ensuring the reliability and performance of heavy machinery. His deep knowledge of diagnostics, repairs, and workshop management helps keep equipment running at peak efficiency, reducing downtime and maintaining smooth operations in the field. Having worked extensively across field service, heavy transport, and both static and mobile plant, he thrives on solving technical challenges in high-pressure environments.
Ross is dedicated to driving efficiency, improving processes, and ensuring safety across all operations. He has successfully led teams, developed streamlined maintenance strategies, and worked closely with senior leadership to enhance productivity and cost-effectiveness. His ability to coordinate logistics and oversee complex projects makes him an integral part of Total Harvesting’s success.
Chris Williams
TRANSPORT SUPERVISOR - ALBANY
Chris Williams has been involved in the forestry industry on and off since the age of 17. Over the years, Chris has accumulated 8 years of experience as a forwarder operator, followed by another 8 years working as a truck driver. His extensive experience in the field ultimately led him to Total Harvesting in 2020, where he started as a truck driver.
In 2021, Chris transitioned into the role of Transport Supervisor for Western Haulage Solutions (a subsidiary of Total Harvesting), coordinating float moves and ensuring the efficient operation of transport logistics. His hands-on experience combined with his leadership capabilities allowed him to excel in this role, gaining valuable insight into the logistics and management of transport operations.
In 2024, Chris expanded his role to include the position of Transport Supervisor for Total Harvesting, overseeing all transport operations within the company. Alongside this, he also serves as the WHS Supervisor, ensuring that health and safety standards are maintained across all operations.
With a strong foundation in the forestry sector and a keen focus on operational efficiency, Chris is committed to continuously improving transport processes while prioritising the safety and wellbeing of staff across all transport operations.