Loading zone · Sydney + Central Coast
Pick and carry crane hire — without the Franna.
A Franna needs a 2.5 m clear run and solid ground. Our version of pick and carry fits through a 780 mm doorway: a Maeda spider crane does the lifting, our TC1 tracked carrier does the carrying, and one crew runs both. Same outcome — load lifted, moved across site and placed — on sites a pick and carry crane can’t enter.
How the relay works
Four stations, one continuous move. The crane and carrier work as a pair — that’s what lets us pick and carry through gates, doorways and down the side of a house.
The spider crane picks the load off the truck, slab or workshop floor — up to 2.98 t, set up in a footprint smaller than a parking space.
The load is set down onto the TC1’s deck and strapped. Deck capacity 1.2 t — steel, machinery, glass packs, spa shells.
The carrier tracks it through a 780 mm gap — down side paths, through doorways, across soft lawns and up slopes. Electric drive, so indoors is fine.
At the other end the crane lifts it off the deck and lands it exactly where it lives — onto footings, into position, through a window.
Do you actually need a Franna?
Sometimes yes — and we’ll tell you when. But most “pick and carry crane hire” calls we get are for loads under two tonnes on sites a Franna physically can’t enter. Here’s the honest comparison:
| The job needs… | Franna-style crane | Our crane + carrier relay |
|---|---|---|
| Access narrower than 2.5 m | No — won’t fit | Yes — 780 mm is enough |
| Working indoors / in a warehouse | Diesel + size rule it out | Yes — electric carrier |
| Soft lawns, pavers, suspended slabs | Risky — 20 t+ on wheels | Yes — 500 kg tracked spread |
| Loads over 3 t in one hit | Yes — that’s its lane | No — we’ll refer you straight |
| Long road travel with the load | Yes — it’s road registered | No — on-site moves only |
What we pick and carry
Powerlines blocked the front of the site, so the steel went through the house. The crane lifted each beam to the doorway, the carrier tracked it straight through the living room, and the crane picked it off the deck out the back and set it on the frame. No panels lifted over live wires, no road closure, no oversized crane on a suburban street — that’s the relay doing what nothing else does. That one was in Port Stephens — see crane hire Salamander Bay.
What it costs
All rates + GST. Crane hire carries a 6-hour site minimum that covers setup and pack-down; the carrier is a flat day rate when it joins the crane. One crew operates both machines — you’re not paying two teams. Full price in writing before you book.
Where we run the relay
Anywhere inside our crane hire Sydney coverage from the Rydalmere depot, and across the Coast under crane hire Central Coast from The Entrance.
Pick and carry questions
Is this the same as hiring a Franna?
No — and for most tight-access jobs that’s the point. A Franna lifts and drives with the load in one machine, but needs wide, firm access. Our relay splits the job between a spider crane and a tracked carrier, so the same lift-move-place outcome happens through a 780 mm gap. Over 3 t or long road moves, a Franna is the right tool and we’ll say so.
Can you pick and carry inside a building?
Yes. The TC1 is electric, 780 mm wide and 500 kg, so it works through doorways, along corridors and on slabs. We move machinery, switchboards and materials inside factories, offices and homes — the Salamander Bay job above went straight through a living room.
How heavy can the load be?
Up to 1.2 t on the carrier deck for the travel leg, and up to 2.98 t for a straight crane lift at either end. Tell us the load weight and we’ll confirm the setup before you book.
Will the tracks damage lawns or driveways?
The carrier weighs 500 kg spread across rubber tracks — a fraction of the ground pressure of any wheeled machine. We also carry mats and timbers for soft ground, pavers and anything you want protected.
What does pick and carry hire cost in Sydney?
The crane runs from $195–$205 per hour with the operator included, and the carrier adds a flat $800/day when the job needs the travel leg. A typical machinery move prices as one crane day plus the carrier — we quote it fixed, in writing, before you book.
How do I get an exact price?
Text a photo of the load and the tightest gap it has to pass through to 0434 242 777, or use the instant estimator. We’ll confirm machine, price and the next free slot — usually the same day.
Get it moved
Got a load that needs lifting and moving? That’s literally our thing.
— or just text a photo of the gap. Seriously.