How the referral works
- You send the lift once: use the form or call 0485 075 181. Include the load, its weight, the site suburb, access and your date. Photos help.
- We pass it to one operator: your request goes to one independent local crane operator suited to the crane type and area. It is not sold to a list.
- The operator contacts you: they confirm the crane size, any permits and the price, and book the lift with you directly.
What it costs you
The referral is free and there is no obligation. You pay the crane operator for the lift on the terms they quote. As a guide, iseekplant (30 June 2026) puts Melbourne Franna hire at roughly $160–$265 an hour and 50t–100t slewing cranes at roughly $330–$630 an hour, operator included and ex GST, before travel, rigging, permits and traffic management. The full table is in the crane hire cost guide.
Who does the lift
The crane operator, not Melbourne Crane Hires, quotes, operates and is responsible for the lift. In Victoria, crane operators must hold a WorkSafe high risk work licence for the class of crane (WorkSafe Victoria). You can ask the operator for their licence and insurance before you book. The licence class follows the crane's capacity: CN for a non-slewing crane over 3 tonnes such as a Franna, and C2 to C0 for slewing cranes (crane licence classes).
What to include for an accurate quote
- What you are lifting and its approximate weight
- Lift height and distance from where the crane can set up
- Site suburb and street, ground conditions and access width
- Overhead powerlines nearby (see No Go Zones)
- Whether the crane will sit on a road or footpath (a council permit may be needed)
- Your preferred date and time, and whether the lift must happen out of hours
Three things that can delay a lift
1. A road or footpath permit. If the crane occupies public space in the City of Melbourne, you need a permit to occupy public space, which can take up to 10 business days. The application needs a Traffic Management Plan and a certificate of currency for at least $20 million public liability (City of Melbourne, "Use a crane in public space"). Other councils have their own permits: see the Melbourne crane permit guide.
2. Powerlines. Under Energy Safe Victoria's No Go Zone rules, working between 3.0 m and 6.4 m of distribution lines needs a registered spotter, and within 3.0 m needs the network operator's permission (Energy Safe Victoria, "Working around powerlines"). Both take time to arrange, so mention lines up front.
3. The wrong crane size. A crane is sized by its load chart at the reach you need, not just the weight of the load. A heavy unit placed far from the set-up point may need a much bigger crane than its weight suggests. Accurate weights and distances in your request let the operator get this right first time.
Sources checked 27 October 2026.
Which page to start from
- Franna crane hire: 12t to 25t pick-and-carry cranes for builds, steel and panels.
- Mobile crane hire: slewing cranes from 50 tonne for heavy, long-reach lifts.
- City crane hire: CBD and inner-suburb lifts that need a permit.
- Spider crane hire and mini crane hire: glazing, indoor and tight-access lifts.
- Crawler crane hire: tracked cranes for soft ground and long jobs.
- Crane truck hire and Hiab truck hire: deliver and lift in one visit.
After you send it
The operator contacts you directly, usually by phone. Anything about the price, booking, insurance or the lift itself is between you and the operator. If you want a second opinion on crane type before you book, our guides on pick and carry cranes, slewing cranes and crane hire cost explain the main options.
Crane hire services
Start with the crane type: Franna crane hire, mobile crane hire, spider crane hire or Hiab truck hire.