Excavator Hire Prices & Cost Guide (Melbourne)
What it actually costs to hire a 5.5 tonne excavator around Melbourne — our honest published rates, plus how we compare to the rest of the market. No “call for a quote” runaround.
Why we publish our prices
Most of Melbourne’s excavator hire is quote-only — you have to ring around and hand over your details just to find out what a machine costs. We think that’s backwards. Here’s exactly what our 5.5 tonne Kubota dry hire costs, GST included, so you can plan your job without chasing anyone.
Our 5.5 tonne dry hire rates
| Hire period | Rate (inc GST) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Day | $500 | one-off digs, quick jobs |
| Weekend (Fri→Mon) | $770 | side projects, owner-builders |
| Week | $1,800 | the standard rate |
| Long-term (3+ months) | from $1,350 / week | builders, landscapers, ongoing sites |
No minimum term. Hire it for a week or six months — same easy terms. Dry hire only: you operate, we maintain.
Delivery & pickup
Upfront float pricing by distance from our Campbellfield depot — you know the transport cost before you book. Rates are one way; a full hire is delivery + collection (two legs). On long-term hires the float is a one-off, so it barely touches the weekly cost.
| Distance (depot → site) | Each way (inc GST) |
|---|---|
| 0–10 km | $330 |
| 10–20 km | $360 |
| 20–30 km | $385 |
| 30–40 km | $425 |
| 40–50 km | $450 |
| 50–70 km | $490–$530 |
| 70–100 km | $555–$650 |
| 100 km+ | $6.60 / km |
Delivery + collection = two of the above. Tolls, extended waiting and difficult access may be quoted on top.
What a 5.5 tonne costs across Melbourne
A rough guide to the wider market so you can see where we sit. Figures are indicative, based on publicly published rates at the time of writing, and vary with delivery, term and how each hirer bills a “week”. Worth knowing before you compare: our machines are late-model and low-hour — not worn-in older units — and every hire includes a full bucket set.
| Where | Indicative 5.5t dry rate | Pricing shown? |
|---|---|---|
| National Earthmoving Hire (us) | $500/day · $1,800/week · from $1,350/wk long-term (inc GST) | Yes — published |
| Specialist Kubota hirers (e.g. Scoop) | ~$420/day, ~$375/day on weekly hire (inc GST) | Price list published |
| Metro hire yards (e.g. V-Equipment) | $400/day · $1,590/week ex GST (~$440/day · ~$1,749/week inc) | Price list published |
| Metro leaders (ConX, Coates, Kennards) | Quote-only — typically higher with brand + overhead | No — quote required |
| Aggregator listings (iSeekplant etc.) | ~$40–270/hr across sizes (often wet) | Indicative only |
Where we sit: you’re hiring a late-model, low-hour Kubota U55-4 — current-spec hydraulics, clean cab, well-maintained and a full bucket set included. Plenty of hire machines carry years and thousands of hours; a metro yard like V-Equipment sits at ~$1,749/week for the machine alone, with buckets billed on top. Same ballpark price — newer machine, more in the box. National-grade gear and maintenance, without the national-chain markup.
What affects the price
Hire length
The longer the hire, the lower the effective weekly rate. Long-term (3+ months) is the best value by a distance.
Delivery distance
Transport is priced by distance from Campbellfield, two legs for a full hire. On long hires it’s a one-off that barely registers.
Attachments
Standard digging buckets are included. Extras like an auger, ripper or grapple add a small daily rate.
Excavator hire cost — common questions
How much does it cost to hire a 5.5 tonne excavator per week?
Our standard week is $1,800 inc GST, dropping to from $1,350/week on long-term (3+ month) hire, plus delivery. Around Melbourne, weekly rates for this size typically land between roughly $1,400 and $2,200 inc GST depending on the hirer.
What’s the daily rate?
$500 inc GST per day for a one-off, which is in line with the specialist Kubota hirers. If you need it for several days, a weekly rate almost always works out cheaper.
What’s the difference between wet and dry hire?
Dry hire means the machine only — you supply a competent operator. Wet hire includes an operator and costs a lot more per hour. We’re dry hire only, which is why our rates are this sharp.
What do I need to hire one?
A competent operator and your own public liability cover. We’ll walk you through a simple one-page hire agreement — no fuss.
Know the price before you book
Send us your job, dates and suburb — we’ll confirm the exact rate and delivery, no obligation.
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