What is a Hiab?
Hiab is a brand of truck-mounted loader crane, and the name is widely used for any truck with a loader crane. It is the same type of vehicle as a crane truck: it carries the load and lifts it off at the site. For lifts the truck crane cannot reach, see Franna crane hire.
Typical Hiab jobs
- Unloading building materials and pallets on site
- Moving containers, sheds and site offices
- Delivering machinery and equipment
How our crane hire referral works
- Tell us the lift: what, how heavy, where.
- We match a local operator with the right crane for the job.
- They call you with a price and book the lift.
Lift capacity at a glance
Builds, steel, panels, HVAC on tight urban sites.
Long reach and heavy lifts on outriggers.
Glazing, indoor and narrow-access lifts.
Deliver and lift in one visit.
Suburbs served
- Melbourne CBD
- Docklands
- Dandenong
- Campbellfield
- Keysborough
- Cranbourne
- Berwick
- Pakenham
- Footscray
- Sunshine
- Coburg
- Box Hill
- Ringwood
- Frankston
- All metro Melbourne
Crane hire cost guide (Melbourne)
Indicative Melbourne wet-hire rates (operator and rigger included, ex GST), from iseekplant (30 June 2026). They exclude travel to and from the depot, extra rigging labour, permits and traffic management. Your quote depends on the lift.
| Crane | Typical rate |
|---|---|
| Franna 12t | $160–$195/hr |
| Franna 20t | $195–$235/hr |
| Franna 25t | $220–$265/hr |
| Mobile slewing 50t | $330–$430/hr |
| Mobile slewing 100t | $480–$630/hr |
Same source: most Melbourne suppliers apply a 4-hour minimum for Frannas and a full day for larger slewing cranes. Rates for spider cranes are not covered; they are quoted on request.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Hiab the same as a crane truck?
Yes, in everyday use. Hiab is a brand of truck-mounted loader crane, and people use the name for any truck with a loader crane on it. Whether you ask for a Hiab, a crane truck or a truck with a crane, you are describing a truck that carries the load and lifts it into place.
How much does Hiab hire cost in Melbourne?
We have not found a reliable published Melbourne rate guide for Hiab trucks, so we do not quote a figure. Cost depends on truck size, crane reach, travel and job length. Send your load and site details and the local operator will quote on request.
How does this crane hire referral service work?
You send your lift details once through the form or by phone. We pass the request to one independent local crane operator suited to the job, and that operator contacts you directly with a price and books the lift. We are a referral service, not a crane company, and the request is free with no obligation.
What details do I need for a crane quote in Melbourne?
Give the load weight, the lift height and distance from where the crane can set up, the site suburb and street, ground and access conditions, and your preferred date. Photos of the site and load help. Operators use this to choose the crane size, check if permits are needed and price the lift accurately.
Related crane hire services
- Crane hire Melbourne (all cranes)
- Franna crane hire Melbourne
- Mobile slewing crane hire Melbourne
- City and CBD crane hire
- Spider and mini crane hire
- Crane hire in Dandenong and the south-east
- Crane truck hire Melbourne
- Mini and small crane hire
- Crawler crane hire Melbourne
- Crane hire cost and rates Melbourne
- Crane hire in Campbellfield and the north