Inner-city lifts need council permits and often night works; Frannas and city cranes handle most commercial jobs, with all-terrains for precast and steel. 11 listed suppliers are based in Melbourne or service Victoria.
What drives demand in Melbourne
- Metro Tunnel, level crossings and North East Link
- Apartment and high-rise construction
- Industrial estates in the west and south-east
- Growth-corridor subdivisions
Melbourne's building, rail, road, utilities, logistics and industrial programmes require equipment suited to dense urban sites and expanding outer corridors. Suppliers servicing Melbourne commonly also cover Dandenong, Werribee, Epping, Sunshine.
Site conditions in Melbourne
Basalt and reactive clays in the west and north; sand in the south-east; dense inner-city sites. Plan for restricted delivery windows, road permits, overhead services and limited setup or unloading space.
Winter rain softens clay sites; plan hardstand, track mats and extra standby from June to September.
Machines commonly hired in Melbourne
| 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 Melbourne 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 VIC permit needs.
Licences and rules in VIC
- 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 Melbourne: WorkSafe Victoria. Oversize transport: Oversize and overmass permits are issued through the NHVR, with VicRoads/DTP and council consent where required.
What drives the cost in Melbourne
- 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 Melbourne site
See the plant hire cost guide for indicative 2026 rates.