Shipping containers and trailers in Melbourne

Delivering across Melbourne

Melbourne is our home market, which means most metro postcodes are a routine run rather than a special arrangement. Delivery is free to any address in Australia, so what we are really working out together is not the price of the freight but whether the truck can physically reach your drop point and get the unit off safely. That is a conversation worth having before you order rather than on the morning of the delivery.

Tilt-tray access in the suburbs

A tilt-tray slides the container off the back of the truck, which means it needs roughly twice the container length in straight, clear space, plus room to manoeuvre into position. On a standard suburban block that is usually achievable for a 10ft or 20ft unit if the driveway is straight and the gate is wide enough. For a 40ft container on a typical Melbourne block, it very often is not — and that is the single most common reason a delivery has to be rebooked.

When a side-loader makes more sense

A side-loader lifts the container off the side of the truck and places it alongside. It needs a clear strip beside the drop point rather than a long straight run behind it, which suits narrow blocks, tight laneways and sites where a tilt-tray simply cannot get the room. Tell us what the access looks like and we will work out which truck suits it.

Inner-city and laneway sites

The inner suburbs bring their own problems: narrow one-way streets, parked cars, overhead wires, low branches and tram infrastructure. Some placements need a council permit to occupy the street during the delivery, and that is arranged by you or your builder before the truck is booked. Send photos of the street and the approach and we will tell you honestly whether it is workable.

Ground and drainage in Victoria

Melbourne clay moves with moisture. A container set straight onto soil will settle unevenly, and once it racks out of square the doors stop closing properly. Timber sleepers, concrete pads or compacted crushed rock under the four corner castings solve it. Make sure water drains away from the unit rather than pooling underneath, and check the level across both diagonals, not just end to end.

Council approval in Victorian municipalities

Rules differ between councils and they differ most on permanence and visibility. Temporary storage on private land behind a fence is often no issue at all. A container that will be visible from the street, kept permanently, or used as habitable space is a different question, and cabins used for accommodation need building approval. Check with your council before delivery — it is a short phone call and it saves a great deal of trouble.

Trailers in Victoria

Trailers can be collected from the yard ready to tow or delivered free by transport. Registration goes through VicRoads, and the requirements depend on the trailer and its mass. As a general guide, trailers up to 750 kg do not need brakes, 750 kg to 2,000 kg need brakes on at least one axle, and over 2,000 kg need brakes on every wheel plus a breakaway system. Confirm the specifics with the state road authority for your trailer.