Excavator and Plant Transport
Machinery Transport Sydney
Safe handling. Compliant transport. Reliable scheduling. Loads up to 24 tonnes, with a fleet of over 20 tilt trays and low loaders and 24/7 dispatch.
Commercial Machinery and Equipment Transport
Our team transports machinery and equipment of all sizes across Sydney and regional NSW, from compact bobcats and forklifts through to excavators, bulldozers and industrial plant up to 24 tonnes. Each job is matched to the right truck at the booking stage, with our dispatch team confirming truck class, restraint method and timing before the run. Plant equipment transport for construction and civil sites is a core part of this, from a single machine through to a staged fleet relocation.
Machinery transport sits within our broader range of towing and transport services and is built for builders, civil contractors, plant hire yards, equipment auction houses and industrial operators relocating equipment between sites, depots or job locations. Whether the move is a single forklift across the city or a coordinated relocation of multiple machines, our team scopes the work, recommends the right truck class, and confirms timing before the booking is locked in.
For loads over standard dimensions, we also offer oversized load transport, and our guide on scheduling planned transport helps you plan the move.
Choosing the Right Truck and Securing the Load
The right truck depends on the machine. Tilt trays suit ground-loadable plant that can be driven or winched on, low loaders carry taller machines that exceed general access height limits, and our heavy tilt trays take ground-loadable loads up to 14 tonnes. Loads up to the 24-tonne ceiling go on our prime movers with low loaders. Our dispatch team confirms the truck class at booking based on the machine’s weight, dimensions and tie-down configuration.
Every load is restrained using rated chains and webbing to meet Australian load restraint performance standards, which require a restraint capable of resisting 0.8g forward, 0.5g rearward and 0.5g lateral movement per the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) Load Restraint Guide 2025. The restraint method is matched to the machine’s weight and centre of gravity.
Equipment We Transport
Our tilt tray and low loader fleet covers the full range of construction, civil, agricultural and industrial machinery moved across Sydney and NSW. Each equipment class below is handled with the right truck, restraint method and route plan for the machine.
Excavators
Mini, mid-size and large excavators up to 24 tonnes, loaded boom-to-rear with rated hydraulic and chain restraints matched to the machine.
Counterbalance, reach and high-mast forklifts across all brands, covering depot-to-depot and yard-to-site moves.
Skid steer loaders of all sizes and attachments, with secure overnight storage available at our yard, where the run requires a staged collection.
Bulldozers
Track and wheeled dozers up to the 24-tonne ceiling, with low-loader options for taller machines that need a reduced deck height.
Site Sheds & Containers
20-foot and 40-foot shipping containers, ablution blocks, dongas and modular site offices for civil and construction projects.
Tractors
Agricultural tractors and implements moved to and from rural and peri-urban sites, with route planning for indivisible loads that exceed the general access width.
Generators & Industrial Plant
Standalone gensets, compressors, transformers and production-line equipment for warehouse, factory and event relocations.
If your equipment is not listed above, our forklift transport service and bobcat transport service cover the common long-tail enquiries. We also handle trailer transport for plant trailers, trailer-mounted equipment and unregistered trailers that cannot be driven or towed on the road. For anything else, call (02) 9545 3464 with weight and dimensions, and our team will confirm capability before quoting.
Our Machinery Transport Fleet and Capabilities
Our fleet runs over 20 trucks operated out of our Smeaton Grange base, including 10 Hino tilt trays, lazy axle and heavy tilt trays carrying up to 14 tonnes, and prime movers with low loaders for loads up to 24 tonnes. Each truck is matched to the job during the booking call, so the driver arrives with the right deck length, ramp angle and restraint configuration for the machine being moved.
Tilt Trays, Heavy Tilt Trays
and Low Loaders
Tilt trays handle the bulk of day-to-day machinery moves, with deck angles low enough for ground-loadable plant, including bobcats, mid-size excavators and forklifts. Our lazy axle and heavy tilt trays extend that capacity up to 14 tonnes, while low loaders carry loads up to 24 tonnes, along with taller machines, oversize tracked equipment and any load that needs a reduced deck height to clear bridge and overpass limits.
Oversize and
Indivisible Loads
Loads that exceed general access dimensions are classed as oversize overmass (OSOM) under the Heavy Vehicle National Law and require permits, route planning and pilot vehicles where the category warrants. Our team arranges permits and pilot coordination through the NHVR portal on the client’s behalf, with anything pushing into heavy vehicle towing territory flagged at the quote stage.
Compliance and
Load Restraint
Every movement meets Australian load restraint performance standards under the NHVR Load Restraint Guide 2025, with drivers trained in Chain of Responsibility (CoR) obligations. We carry on-hook insurance, public liability insurance and Workers’ Compensation, and our drivers hold Maritime Security Identification Cards (MSIC), Yellow Cards and Blue Cards for site, port and restricted maritime access.
Machinery Transport To and From Site
Our team moves excavators, plant and other machinery between worksites, using rated chains and straps on every load.
How Machinery Transport Works
Every job follows the same six-step process, so the client knows what to expect from the first call through to offload.
- Job intake: Provide equipment type, weight, pickup and drop-off addresses, and any site access notes when you call.
- Truck and route allocation:A tilt tray, heavy tilt tray or low loader is matched to the load, with routes planned around height-restricted corridors and bridge mass limits.
- Site access and loading: Drivers assess access, ground conditions and overhead obstructions on arrival, then load via drive-on, winch or forklift assistance.
- Load restraint: Equipment is secured using rated chains and webbing to meet the 0.8g forward, 0.5g rearward and 0.5g lateral standards in the NHVR Load Restraint Guide 2025.
- Transit and tracking: Drivers stay in contact with dispatch through the run, with pilot vehicles and permit notifications coordinated for oversize moves.
- Controlled offload: Low-angle unloading at the destination, with site supervision to confirm the machine is positioned where the client needs it.
Each movement is assessed in advance. Call (02) 9545 3464 for site-specific advice before booking.
Machinery Towing Coverage Area
We cover the full Sydney metro area and regional NSW from our depot, with recent moves including forklift transport to Gloucester, machinery relocations between Castle Hill and Seven Hills, and equipment moves from the Central Coast to the Hunter Region.
Routes are planned around the motorway network, with bridge mass and overhead clearance checked in advance for oversize loads. We work with civil contractors, plant hire yards, auction houses, manufacturers, warehousing operators and event production teams, including industrial equipment movements from Port Kembla and the Sydney waterfront under MSIC clearance.
Service coverage extends across Western Sydney, the Inner West, the Eastern Suburbs, the North Shore and the Sutherland Shire. View all Sydney and NSW areas we service for a full breakdown of our coverage map.
Click a pin or search above to check your suburb. Not listed? We may still cover it: call 02 9545 3464 to confirm.
Map data: GSHHG coastline; suburb boundaries © NSW Spatial Services (CC BY 4.0).
All 184 suburbs we service
Sydney CBD & Inner City (9)
Eastern Suburbs (15)
Inner West (18)
St George (5)
Sutherland Shire (36)
South West Sydney (16)
Western Sydney (20)
Hills District (14)
North Sydney & Northern Beaches (14)
Greater Western Sydney & Hawkesbury (11)
Blue Mountains (2)
Campbelltown, Camden & Macarthur (9)
Illawarra & Wollongong (15)
Why Sydney Chooses Select Tilt Tray Group
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does machinery transport cost in Sydney?
Pricing depends on distance, machine weight and dimensions, load access at both ends, urgency, backloading availability and whether the move qualifies as oversize or overmass, requiring permits or pilot vehicles. Call (02) 9545 3464 with the machine type and addresses for a fixed quote.
What is the maximum weight you can transport?
Our standard ceiling is 24 tonnes, handled on our prime movers with low loader trailers. Tilt trays cover the lighter end of the range, and low loaders carry taller machines that need a reduced deck height. Heavier indivisible loads can be arranged on a referral basis, with permits and pilot vehicles arranged where required.
Is the machinery insured during transport?
Yes. All movements are covered by on-hook insurance and public liability insurance, with Workers’ Compensation for our crews. Loads are restrained to Australian load restraint performance standards under the Heavy Vehicle (Mass, Dimension and Loading) National Regulation, with the restraint method matched to the machine. Insurance documentation can be provided on request for site induction.
How quickly can you collect machinery in Sydney?
Most Sydney suburbs can be reached within 60 minutes from our depot, subject to traffic and current workload. Bookings can also be scheduled for a specific window where the job is time-sensitive. 24/7 dispatch operates across the metropolitan area and regional NSW, including after-hours and weekend movements.
What information do you need to quote a machinery transport job?
Equipment type and make or model, weight and key dimensions, pickup and drop-off addresses, urgency, access constraints at both ends, and whether the machine is operable or requires winching. Providing this at the call stage lets our dispatch team match the right truck and confirm a fixed quote without delay.
Can you handle oversized load transport in NSW?
Yes. Loads exceeding general access dimensions are classed as oversize overmass (OSOM), and our oversized load transport service covers all necessary permits, route planning and pilot vehicles where the category warrants. Our team arranges permits through the NHVR portal on the client’s behalf and confirms the route and escort requirement in advance, with OSOM treatment flagged at the quote stage.
Do you transport machinery to or from ports and restricted maritime sites?
Yes. Our drivers hold Maritime Security Identification Cards (MSIC), allowing access to Port Kembla and the Sydney waterfront, including White Bay and Circular Quay. Recent work includes industrial equipment movements and prestige vehicle handling from cruise terminals, coordinated with port scheduling and security clearance ahead of the run.
Can you reduce costs with backloading?
Yes. Where the pickup or drop-off aligns with one of our scheduled return trips between Sydney and regional NSW, backloading allows the load to be added to that run at a reduced rate, with savings of up to 50% on an equivalent one-way move. Mention date flexibility at the call stage, and our dispatch team will check upcoming return routes.