Plant hire guides
Plain-English guides for planning, pricing and running a plant hire—written for site managers, builders, farmers and project owners.
Planning & pricing
Before the first machine rolls in
A practical pre-hire checklist for Australian plant hire: define the outcome, walk the access route, share the programme and compare quotes on the same basis.
Read guide→FN-02 · Hire modelsWet hire vs dry hire
Wet hire includes an operator; dry hire is machine-only. Compare cost, risk, insurance and productivity to choose the right plant hire model in Australia.
Read guide→FN-05 · Cost guide 2026How much does plant hire cost in Australia?
Indicative 2026 plant hire rates in Australia for excavators, cranes, EWPs, forklifts, rollers and trucks, plus the hidden costs that change the final bill.
Read guide→FN-06 · CompliancePlant licences and tickets in Australia
Which machines need a High Risk Work Licence in Australia? Forklifts, cranes, boom EWPs and rigging do; excavators and scissor lifts need competency. A plain-English guide.
Read guide→FN-07 · Machine guideExcavator size guide
Choose the right excavator size from 1 t mini to 30 t+: access widths, dig depths, typical jobs and transport for each class.
Read guide→FN-08 · Machine guideScissor lift or boom lift?
How to choose an elevating work platform: working height, outreach, floor loads, indoor vs rough terrain and licensing for scissor lifts, knuckle booms and stick booms.
Read guide→FN-09 · LogisticsMoving heavy plant: permits and floats
How heavy plant is moved in Australia: float types, when oversize and overmass permits are needed, and who issues them in each state including Main Roads WA and the NT.
Read guide→FN-10 · CommercialPlant hire agreement checklist
What to check in a plant hire agreement: rates and minimums, damage waiver, insurance, breakdown, standby, fuel and off-hire terms.
Read guide→FN-03 · Field noteMake mobilisation boring—in the best way
Plan the arrival of hired plant: access, unloading, inductions, handover inspections and breakdown processes that prevent day-one delays.
Read guide→FN-04 · Project starterPlant for tight worksites
Choosing plant for tight access and small sites: compact excavators, posi-tracks, spider lifts and delivery sequencing to keep constrained sites productive.
Read guide→REF · GlossaryPlant hire glossary
Wet hire, floats, Frannas, HRWLs, OSOM and 20 more terms explained.
Open glossary→Machine hire guides
Sizes, rates, licences and what to ask for the machines Australians hire most.
Mini excavator hire
Mini excavator hire in Australia: 1–5 t sizes, access widths, attachments, 2026 day rates, transport and whether to hire dry or with an operator.
Read guide→MG-02 · Machine hire guideBobcat & skid steer hire
Bobcat and skid steer hire in Australia: wheeled vs tracked posi-tracks, bucket sizes, attachments, 2026 rates and when to pair one with an excavator.
Read guide→MG-03 · Machine hire guideScissor lift hire
Scissor lift hire in Australia: 19–40 ft electric and rough-terrain sizes, working heights, floor loads, 2026 rates and the training operators need.
Read guide→MG-04 · Machine hire guideBoom lift & cherry picker hire
Boom lift and cherry picker hire in Australia: knuckle vs stick booms, spider lifts, truck-mounted EWPs, outreach, 2026 rates and the WP licence rule.
Read guide→MG-05 · Machine hire guideForklift hire
Forklift hire in Australia: choosing capacity and load centre, LPG vs electric vs diesel, container and rough-terrain forklifts, 2026 rates and the LF licence.
Read guide→MG-06 · Machine hire guideFranna crane hire
Franna (pick-and-carry) crane hire in Australia: 20–40 t sizes, what they can really lift, pick-and-carry vs slewing cranes, 2026 wet hire rates and lift planning.
Read guide→MG-07 · Machine hire guideTipper & water truck hire
Tipper truck and water cart hire in Australia: tandem, truck-and-dog and semi tippers, 13–20 kL water carts, 2026 wet hire rates and the licences needed.
Read guide→Ground rules
Soft or wet ground
Low bearing capacity changes undercarriage choice, access, recovery planning and the real cost of production.
Open→GR-02Tight access
Gate width is only the beginning: test the delivery vehicle, turns, swing, overhead clearance and material route.
Open→GR-03Steep and sloping sites
Gradient, crossfall, edges and travel direction affect configuration, attachments and safe operating limits.
Open→GR-04Hot and dusty work
Cooling, filters, visibility, water demand and fatigue controls belong in the fleet plan.
Open→GR-05Live traffic interfaces
Separate plant, deliveries and public movements before selecting the largest machine that fits the task.
Open→GR-06Remote and long-distance work
Fuel, parts, operators, recovery and field support can matter more than a small difference in hire rate.
Open→Project recipes
Prepare a house site
Clear, strip, cut, fill, service and compact a residential building platform without letting each activity become a separate guess.
Open→PR-02Repair a farm dam
Plan investigation, dewatering, excavation, clay placement and compaction around weather and safe access.
Open→PR-03Deliver a warehouse fit-out
Coordinate elevated access, materials handling, floor limits and indoor power across a live programme.
Open→PR-04Repair a regional road
Match excavation, grading, moisture control and compaction to a moving workfront and a tight handback window.
Open→PR-05Build a stormwater trench
Connect excavation, shoring, lifting, dewatering, bedding and reinstatement in a constrained corridor.
Open→PR-06Plan a commercial roof lift
Turn load, radius, crane set-up, traffic, rigging and installation sequence into one workable lift package.
Open→PR-07Open a solar farm workfront
Build access, distribute materials and support piling across long internal routes and changing ground.
Open→PR-08Mobilise flood recovery
Sequence access assessment, pumping, debris handling and road restoration while conditions remain unstable.
Open→Turn the job into a clear hire brief.
Suppliers answer faster and quote more accurately when they get the outcome, access, ground and dates up front.