Mini Crane Hire Prices Sydney 2026 — Our Full Rate Card
Mini crane hire in Sydney starts at $195 per hour plus GST, with a licensed operator included and a six-hour minimum on site — so a typical day is $1,170 plus travel. Below is our complete rate card as at July 2026: cranes, support machinery, lifting gear, crew and after-hours rates. No “call for pricing” — the numbers are all here, and travel and GST are the only things added on top.
We publish these numbers because most crane hire quotes arrive as a single figure with no breakdown, and builders can’t tell whether they are being charged for the machine, the operator, the travel or the gear. Here is exactly how we price a lift.
Crane hire rates
Both machines are Maeda mini crawler cranes, hired wet — a ticketed operator is always included in the hourly rate, so there is no separate operator charge. The cranes are delivered to your site by truck, and rather than adding a float or mobilisation fee we simply charge travel to and from the job, quoted up front before you book.
| Machine | Capacity | Hourly rate | Minimum day (6 hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maeda MC285C-3 | 2.82 t | $195 per hour + GST | $1,170 + travel + GST |
| Maeda MC305C-3 | 2.98 t | $205 per hour + GST | $1,230 + travel + GST |
The minimum is six hours on site, plus travel to and from your job. The Maeda 285 folds to 750 mm and fits through a standard doorway; the Maeda 305 is wider at 1,280 mm but reaches 12.5 m. If you are running a longer project, ask about discounted long-term rates — most customers are surprised how much the weekly and monthly rates save.
What a real job costs
Rates on their own do not tell you much, so here are three jobs we run constantly, priced from the card above.
Please read before comparing quotes: every figure on this page excludes GST and excludes travel to and from your site. Both are added to your final price, and both are itemised in your quote before you book — so nothing on the invoice is a surprise.
| Job | What it takes | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy materials up to a first floor | Maeda 285 or 305, 6 hours | $1,170 – $1,230 |
| Steel beams into a renovation with tight access points | Maeda 285 6 hours, plus tracked carrier for the day | $1,970 |
| Glass panels into a home | Maeda 305 6 hours, plus glass vacuum lifter | $1,630 |
Most residential lifts finish inside the six-hour minimum. If the job runs longer we keep charging at the same hourly rate, and once you go past that, additional time is billed in 15-minute increments — not rounded up to a whole extra hour or a second day.
Support machinery
Our tracked carrier is what moves a load across a site once the crane has lifted it — through a doorway, down a side path, over a lawn. It is 780 mm wide, electric, and comes with its own operator.
| Item | Rate | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Tracked carrier (2025) | $800 per day + GST | Standard 8-hour day, 7am to 3pm, operator included. Delivery free with crane hire; Sydney Metro $200 + GST each way on its own. |
| Pallet jacks | $80 per day + GST | Available with crane hire only. Various widths, minimum one-day hire. |
Lifting gear and extras
Delivery on everything below is free when it is hired with a crane. Delivery fees only apply if you hire the gear on its own. All rates are per day plus GST.
| Item | Day rate | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Track mats | $25 each | Available with crane hire only. Minimum order 2. |
| Spreader bars | $50 | Available with crane hire only. |
| Heavy duty skates | $50 | Available with crane hire only. |
| Steel plates | $50 each | Standalone delivery $250 each way. |
| Man cage | $50 each | Standalone delivery $250 each way. |
| Brick cage | $70 each | Standalone delivery $250 each way. |
Crew and labour hire
If you have your own crane on site, or you need extra certified people alongside ours, we hire crew out separately. Same terms across all roles: Monday to Friday, 7am to 3pm, minimum six hours on site plus travel, with travel charged at the same hourly rate per person.
| Role | Hourly rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dogman | $85 per hour + GST | Slinging and directing loads |
| Electrical spotter | $90 per hour + GST | Required when working near powerlines |
| Crane operator | $115 per hour + GST | For supplied or site cranes |
| Rigger | $125 per hour + GST | Certified rigging work |
After hours and overtime
Normal working hours are Monday to Friday, 7am to 3pm. Work outside those hours — including weekends and night shifts — is charged at an overtime rate of $85 per hour per person on top of the machine rate. Overtime also applies after eight hours of work on any job, and night shift carries a minimum of eight hours including travel.
After-hours work is common on retail, strata and commercial sites where a lift cannot happen during trading. We are available 24/7 and will price the shift honestly before you book it.
What changes your price
- Which machine the job needs. The 285 covers most residential work; the 305 is for heavier loads or longer reach.
- Travel to and from site. Charged from our Rydalmere depot in Western Sydney, or from our Central Coast base at The Entrance for Coast jobs — whichever is closer to you.
- Site access and setup time. A clear run to the lift zone is quicker than threading a crane through a house. Photos let us price this accurately instead of padding the quote.
- How long you need the machine. Six hours is the minimum; longer projects attract better rates.
- Extra gear or crew. Carrier, mats, cages, spotters and riggers are all priced separately above.
- When the work happens. Outside 7am to 3pm, overtime applies.
Mini crane hire versus mobile crane hire — which is cheaper?
This is the question we get most, and the honest answer is that it depends entirely on your site.
A truck-mounted mobile crane lifts far more, far higher, and on an open site with room to set up it is often the more economical choice for a big lift — a single large crane can do in two hours what a mini crane needs a full day for. If your job is a straightforward lift with street access and nothing in the way, a mobile crane is very likely the right call, and we will tell you that rather than pretend otherwise.
Where mini cranes win is access, not price. A mobile crane needs road frontage, outrigger space and a clear path for the boom, and it usually carries a float or mobilisation fee to get on site. Our machines are delivered by truck like any other plant, then track through a 750 mm gate to work in backyards, indoors and on suspended slabs. On a tight block that is not a cheaper way of doing the same job — it is frequently the only way the job can happen at all.
We do not hire out mobile cranes. If that is genuinely what your lift needs, say so when you call and we will point you to someone who does.
How to keep crane hire costs down
- Send photos with your enquiry. A couple of pictures of the access and the lift zone let us quote tightly instead of building in a buffer for the unknown.
- Group your lifts. Getting the steel, the pool shell and the roof trusses done in one visit beats three separate minimums.
- Book inside normal hours where you can. Avoiding overtime saves $85 per hour per person.
- Have the site ready. Clear the path, confirm the load weights, and make sure someone can let us in — setup delays are billed like any other hour.
- Ask about long-term rates. If the machine is staying for weeks rather than hours, the rate changes materially.
Crane hire pricing — frequently asked questions
Tap any question to see the answer.
How much does it cost to hire a crane per hour in Sydney?
Mini crane hire starts at $195 per hour plus GST for our Maeda 285, and $205 per hour plus GST for the larger Maeda 305. A licensed operator is included in both rates. There is a six-hour minimum on site, plus travel to and from your job.
How much does crane hire cost for a day?
A standard day on our six-hour minimum is $1,170 plus GST and travel for the Maeda 285, or $1,230 plus GST and travel for the Maeda 305. Work beyond six hours is billed at the same hourly rate, with any additional time charged in 15-minute increments. Overtime applies past eight hours.
Is there a minimum hire period?
Yes, six hours on site plus travel — for cranes and for crew hired on their own. Minimums exist because a crane can only do one job per day once you account for loading, travel and setup at both ends.
Is the operator included in the price?
Yes. Every crane hire is wet hire, meaning a ticketed and insured Parramatta Cranes operator runs the machine as part of the hourly rate. You never need your own crane licence, and you never touch the controls.
Do you charge extra for weekends, nights or after hours?
Yes. Outside Monday to Friday 7am to 3pm, overtime is charged at $85 per hour per person on top of the machine rate. The same applies after eight hours on any job. Night shifts carry a minimum of eight hours including travel.
How much does spider crane hire cost?
The same as our mini crane rates — $195 or $205 per hour plus GST depending on the machine. Spider crane, mini crane and mini crawler crane all describe the same Maeda machines we hire; the terms just emphasise different features. See our spider crane hire page for how the outrigger setup works.
What does travel cost?
Travel is charged to and from your site and is quoted up front, before you book. It is calculated from whichever of our two bases is closer to you — Rydalmere in Western Sydney or The Entrance on the Central Coast — which is why Coast jobs do not pay for a crane to drive up from Sydney.
How much does it cost to lift a spa or hot tub into a backyard?
Spa and pool shells usually suit the Maeda 305 for the extra reach, though the 285 handles smaller units and tighter blocks. Either way it is normally a six-hour job — $1,170 to $1,230 plus GST and travel, depending on which machine your access allows. If the shell has to travel down a side path or through the house before it is placed, add the tracked carrier at $800 per day.
Do you hire cranes without an operator (dry hire)?
No. We are wet hire only — the operator comes with the machine on every job. Read more on wet hire versus dry hire and why the cost difference is smaller than most people expect.
Are your prices GST inclusive?
No, every rate on this page excludes GST. Quotes are confirmed in writing before you book, with the rate, travel and delivery all itemised so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
Get a price for your lift
Tell us what you are lifting, where, and when. Photos of the site access help us price it fast, and we will confirm the rate, travel and availability up front — no obligation, and no surprises on the invoice.
Call 0434 242 777 or send us your project details online. You can also download the full Parramatta Cranes price list (July 2026, PDF).
Rates current as at July 2026. All prices exclude GST. Bookings are confirmed on acceptance of our terms and conditions.