Forklift and Equipment Hire Australia
Lift Equipt hires forklifts, warehouse equipment, generators, air compressors and lighting towers across Australia from three branches: Perth (Bibra Lake, WA), Karratha (WA) and Melbourne (Keysborough, VIC). The hire fleet covers 109 machines across 18 equipment groups, from 1.5-tonne warehouse units to 45-tonne container handling. Terms run daily, weekly or monthly. Call 1300 44 44 22.
We are an authorised Bobcat dealer and also supply Hammer attachments and CVS Ferrari container handling equipment. Every hire machine ships with LiftTrace, our predictive telematics system. Lift Equipt was founded in 2006 in Karratha by Brett Johnston, a plant mechanic by trade, and now supplies Toll Group, Qube Logistics, Rio Tinto, Woodside Energy, Compass Group and Sodexo. Our Google rating is 4.8 from 127 reviews.
Browse the hire fleet by category. Don't see what you need? Call us — we likely have it or can source it.
LED lighting tower hire across Perth and Melbourne — solar and diesel options for construction, mining and events.
Heavy-duty diesel forklifts from 1.5T up to 45T — plus Reach Stackers — built for outdoor yards, freight, ports and high-tonnage work.
Four-wheel electric forklifts from 1.5T to 16T — zero emissions, whisper-quiet, lower OHS risk and lower running cost than diesel.
LPG forklifts from 1.5T to 7T — the all-rounder. Indoor and outdoor capable, instant bottle-swap refuelling, no battery downtime.
Pallet trucks, walkies, stackers, reach trucks and order pickers — every machine your warehouse needs, on hire from a day to a year.
Three-wheel electric forklifts from 1.5T to 2.0T — the tightest turning circle in the warehouse, zero emissions, whisper-quiet.
Rough-terrain 4x4 forklifts from 2.5T to 7T — built for unsealed, uneven, muddy and outdoor sites where a standard forklift simply can't operate.
Diesel generators from 20kVA to 1550kVA — fully Mine Spec, synchronisable, 50°C rated and rental-ready for the harshest Australian conditions.
Crixlei Power hybrid solar-diesel generators — up to 70% fuel saving, near-silent night-time running, dramatically lower carbon and noise.
Portable air compressors for site, workshop, and trade work.
Diesel-powered LED lighting towers for sites, events, and night works.
Solar/hybrid lighting towers — quiet, fuel-free site lighting.
Telescopic handlers for construction, agriculture, and elevated material placement.
Scissor lifts, boom lifts, and EWPs for safe access at height.
Site offices, lunch rooms, and modular buildings for project sites.
Forklift and telehandler attachments for specialist handling tasks.
Site storage containers and lockable storage solutions.
Site vehicles for personnel and light equipment movement.
Specialist equipment outside our standard categories — ask us.
What determines forklift hire cost in Australia?
Forklift hire in Australia is priced on capacity, fuel type, hire duration and delivery distance rather than a flat rate. Lift Equipt quotes each job individually and responds the same day with availability and pricing. Call 1300 44 44 22 or request a quote online.
Six factors move the rate:
- Lift capacity. Each tonnage band steps the rate up. A 2.5T machine costs materially less than a 7T.
- Fuel type. Electric units carry a higher hire rate but no fuel cost. Diesel and LPG hire cheaper and cost more to run.
- Hire duration. Monthly terms deliver the lowest effective daily rate. Casual and short-term hire carries the highest.
- Shift pattern. Rates assume single-shift operation. Double and triple shift is quoted separately because service intervals compress.
- Attachments and compliance spec. Side-shift, load positioners, rotators, fork extensions, and mine-spec fit-out (isolators, chocks, fire extinguishers, hi-vis) each add cost.
- Delivery distance. Metro delivery from Bibra Lake, Karratha or Keysborough is quoted on distance. Regional and remote delivery is quoted per job.
What types of forklifts can you hire in Australia?
Lift Equipt hires four categories of forklift plus warehouse equipment, generators, air compressors and lighting towers. The right choice depends on whether you're working indoors, outdoors, or both, and on your shift pattern.
Electric forklifts
Electric forklifts suit indoor work — warehousing, food storage, retail distribution and clean manufacturing. They produce no exhaust emissions and run quietly enough for night operations in built-up areas. The constraint is charging: a lead-acid unit needs charging and cooling time between shifts, though lithium-ion options allow opportunity charging during breaks.
LPG forklifts
LPG forklifts are the all-rounders — cleaner than diesel, more powerful than electric, and refuelled in under five minutes with a fresh bottle. They're the practical choice when an operation moves between indoor warehouse and outdoor loading dock, or runs two and three shifts back-to-back without losing units to charging. Lift Equipt's LPG hire fleet runs 1.5T to 7T across six models, most with side-shift and load-positioning carriages standard. Twin-bottle setups are available for extended runs.
Diesel forklifts
Diesel forklifts handle high-tonnage outdoor work — freight yards, container terminals, ports, mines and timber operations. Lift Equipt is one of Australia's largest authorised stockists of Bobcat diesel models, spanning the 5, 7 and 9 Series, with ready stock held in Perth, Karratha and Melbourne. The 9 Series adds seat belt interlock, speed limit control, automatic deceleration and a full floating cabin.
Warehouse equipment
Warehouse hire covers seven model groups: manual hand pallet trucks for dock work, electric pallet trucks for high-frequency runs, walkie and ride-on stackers for low-bay, walkie reach stackers for mid-height, full ride-on reach trucks for high-bay narrow-aisle racking, order pickers at low, medium and high level, and counterbalance stackers where you need to lift without a reach. Aisle width and pallet weight determine which is correct — the wrong machine bottlenecks the whole operation.
Where can you hire forklifts from Lift Equipt?
Lift Equipt hires from three branches and delivers Australia-wide.
Forklift hire Perth
Perth hire operates from Unit 1/4 Sobek Pass, Bibra Lake WA 6163, serving Kewdale, Canning Vale, Welshpool, Malaga, Osborne Park, Henderson, Fremantle and the wider metro area. Same-day service attendance is available across Perth metro. Lift Equipt supplies the full warehousing and intermodal port-handling fleet for Qube Logistics at the Port of Fremantle.
Forklift hire Karratha and the Pilbara
Karratha hire operates from 1498 Lambert Rd, Karratha Industrial Estate WA 6714, serving mining, port and resource projects across the Pilbara. This is Lift Equipt's founding branch. Machines are supplied mine-spec ready where required, and a mobile service team covers the Pilbara, Wheatbelt and South West.
Forklift hire Melbourne
Melbourne hire operates from 20 Bass Ct, Keysborough VIC 3173, serving Dandenong, Truganina, Laverton, Campbellfield, Derrimut and metro Victoria. Same-day service attendance is available across Melbourne metro, with mobile teams covering regional Victoria.
How does forklift hire work?
Hire commences on the earlier of delivery or collection, and continues until the machine is returned and receipted. The process runs in five steps:
- Specify the job. Load weight, lift height, aisle width, indoor or outdoor, shift pattern, site compliance requirements and dates.
- Get a quote. Lift Equipt responds same day with availability and pricing.
- Confirm the hire. Security deposits or pre-authorisations may be required. GST applies.
- Delivery. You must provide safe, timely site access with suitable unloading facilities. Waiting time, failed delivery or aborted collection is charged at prevailing rates.
- Off-hire. Request collection before the current period ends. Early off-hire does not refund minimum charges unless agreed in writing.
Extensions must be requested before the end of the current hire period and are subject to availability.
What is included in a forklift hire, and what costs extra?
Hire rates cover the machine, scheduled servicing during the hire, LiftTrace telematics and 24/7 breakdown support. Delivery, collection and fuel are charged separately.
| Included | Charged separately |
|---|---|
| The machine, serviced and compliant | Delivery and collection |
| Scheduled servicing during hire | Fuel, gas bottles or charging |
| LiftTrace telematics | Damage beyond fair wear and tear |
| 24/7 breakdown support | Waiting time and aborted deliveries |
| Standard attachments where fitted | Specialist attachments |
| — | Operator training and VOC |
Rates are based on standard single-shift usage unless stated otherwise. Minimum hire charges may apply, and partial days may be charged as full days.
Should you hire or buy a forklift?
Hire generally makes sense below roughly 1,000 operating hours per year, or where demand is seasonal, project-based or uncertain. Buying generally wins above that threshold, where the machine runs consistently and the capital cost amortises across enough hours.
Lift Equipt does both, so the honest framing is:
- Hire if utilisation is variable, the project has an end date, you need to preserve capital, or you want to trial a configuration before committing.
- Buy new if utilisation is high and consistent, you want a specific spec, and you can use the depreciation.
- Buy ex-fleet used as the middle path — machines that have come off our own hire fleet with known service history at a lower capital cost.
- Long-term hire if you want the economics of ownership without the balance sheet impact or the maintenance exposure.
The variable most people underestimate is service cost over the ownership period. Ask for a fixed-price service plan quote alongside any purchase price.
Do you need a licence to operate a hired forklift?
Yes. In Australia, operating a forklift requires a High Risk Work Licence (class LF for counterbalance, LO for order picker), issued by your state or territory WHS regulator. Some pedestrian-operated equipment, including walkie stackers and electric pallet trucks, does not require a licence but does require documented training.
Lift Equipt provides operator training and Verification of Competency on request. Site inductions and machine-specific familiarisation are recommended even for licensed operators.
What happens if a hired forklift breaks down?
Lift Equipt runs a 24/7 breakdown line, and hire customers are prioritised for response. Where a machine can't be repaired on site quickly, a swap-out unit is dispatched — hours rather than days in metro areas.
Every hire machine carries LiftTrace, which monitors the CAN-BUS and flags developing faults before they become breakdowns. It also tracks operating hours automatically, so servicing is scheduled on actual use rather than estimates, and parts are pre-ordered ahead of intervals.
Service intervals run at 250, 500 and 1,000 hours. Same-day attendance is available in Perth, Karratha and Melbourne metro; regional response is typically next business day.
How do you choose a forklift hire company in Australia?
Assess five things, in this order:
- Does the fleet actually cover your requirement? Capacity, mast height, aisle width, fuel type and attachments. A supplier who has to sub-hire your machine can't guarantee availability or condition.
- How fast is breakdown response, and is there a swap-out commitment? Downtime costs more than the hire rate. Ask for the commitment in writing.
- Is there a branch near your site? Delivery distance drives cost, and local presence drives response time.
- Are the terms clear? Minimum periods, partial-day charging, delivery costs, off-hire process and damage liability should all be stated before you sign.
- Can they service what they hire? A supplier with their own technicians and parts holding resolves problems faster than one who outsources.
Lift Equipt operates workshops in Perth, Karratha and Melbourne with mobile teams between them, and services Bobcat, Hammer, CVS Ferrari and most major brands regardless of where the machine was purchased.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum forklift hire period?
Minimum hire charges may apply depending on machine type and location. Partial days may be charged as full days. Confirm the minimum for your specific machine when quoting.
How quickly can a forklift be delivered?
Lift Equipt responds to enquiries the same day with availability. Metro delivery from Bibra Lake, Karratha or Keysborough is typically next business day subject to availability; regional and remote delivery is quoted per job.
Can you hire a forklift for a single day?
Yes. Daily hire is available across the fleet, though the effective rate is highest on short casual hire and drops substantially on weekly and monthly terms.
Do hire forklifts come mine-spec?
Yes, on request. Mine-spec fit-out includes battery isolators, wheel chocks, fire extinguishers, hi-vis reflective marking, wheel nut indicators and GPS tracking. The Karratha branch specialises in mine and port-ready machines.
What capacity forklifts can you hire?
The hire fleet runs from 1.5 tonnes up to 45 tonnes, covering warehouse counterbalance through to container handling.
Is delivery included in the hire rate?
No. Delivery and collection are chargeable services unless otherwise agreed in writing, and are quoted based on distance from the nearest branch.
Do you hire equipment other than forklifts?
Yes. The hire fleet includes warehouse equipment, industrial generators, air compressors and LED lighting towers.
What areas do you cover?
Perth metro and regional WA from Bibra Lake, the Pilbara from Karratha, and Melbourne metro and regional Victoria from Keysborough. Delivery is available Australia-wide including Sydney, Brisbane and regional areas.
Get a hire quote
Tell us the job — load weight, lift height, site conditions and dates — and we'll come back the same day with availability and pricing.
Call 1300 44 44 22 or request a quote online.
Perth: Unit 1/4 Sobek Pass, Bibra Lake WA 6163
Karratha: 1498 Lambert Rd, Karratha Industrial Estate WA 6714
Melbourne: 20 Bass Ct, Keysborough VIC 3173
Mon–Fri, 7:00am–4:30pm AWST. 24/7 breakdown support for hire customers.