Sugar mill and port shutdowns use heavy cranes; mining shutdowns compete for availability. 12 listed suppliers are based in Mackay or service Queensland.
What drives demand in Mackay
- Bowen Basin mining support
- Sugar mill maintenance
- Port works
- Regional construction
Mackay is a major support centre for mining, sugar, ports, heavy industry, transport and regional construction. Suppliers servicing Mackay commonly also cover Moranbah, Sarina, Proserpine, Paget.
Site conditions in Mackay
Coastal plains and cane land with a wet summer and cyclone exposure. Mine specification, mobilisation to the Bowen Basin and field-maintenance capacity should be confirmed early.
Wet-season rain and cyclone preparations can halt northern earthworks; plan dewatering, tie-downs and longer mobilisation windows.
Machines commonly hired in Mackay
| Class | Size / spec | Typical jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Crane truck (VLC) | 5–100 metre-tonne | Deliver and place materials, trusses, pods and small plant |
| Pick-and-carry (Franna) | 20–40 t | Moving loads around site, steel erection, shutdown work |
| City / compact slewing | 20–60 t | Tight urban lifts, roof plant, air-conditioning units |
| All-terrain slewing | 60–400 t + | Tilt panels, bridge beams, wind and energy components |
| Crawler crane | 50–750 t | Long-duration heavy lifts, piling support, major infrastructure |
Brief the supplier properly
Give the load, radius and height
Supply load weight including rigging, dimensions, the pick-up point, set-down point and the horizontal distance from where the crane can stand. Drawings help.
Prove the set-up area
Outriggers impose large point loads. Identify buried services, pits, basements, soft ground and slopes where the crane will set up, and ask about outrigger mats.
Plan around people and traffic
Road or footpath occupancy may need council permits, traffic controllers and after-hours scheduling. Allow lead time for approvals.
Agree the lift plan
Complex, tandem or near-capacity lifts need a documented lift plan. Confirm who prepares it and who supervises rigging.
For Mackay specifically, tell the supplier the exact site address so they can confirm the depot the machine will come from, the travel or float charge and any QLD permit needs.
Licences and rules in QLD
- Crane operators must hold the relevant High Risk Work Licence: CV (vehicle loading crane ≥10 metre-tonnes), CN (non-slewing mobile crane >3 t), C2/C6/C1/C0 (slewing mobile cranes by capacity).
- Dogging (DG) or rigging (RB, RI, RA) licences are required for slinging loads and directing the crane when the operator cannot see the load.
- Mobile cranes require an annual inspection and log book; ask for current inspection records for major lifts.
- WHS regulator for Mackay: Workplace Health and Safety Queensland. Oversize transport: Oversize and overmass movements are permitted through the NHVR, with Department of Transport and Main Roads consent on state roads.
What drives the cost in Mackay
- Minimum hours (often 3–4 hours) and travel time from the depot
- Crew: dogger or rigger in addition to the operator
- Counterweight transport for larger slewing cranes
- Traffic control, permits and road occupancy fees
- After-hours, weekend and public-holiday rates
- Distance from the supplier’s depot to your Mackay site
See the plant hire cost guide for indicative 2026 rates.