Australia-wide container delivery

Australia-wide delivery from the Port Macquarie

AAD Logistics PTY delivers shipping containers, container garages, portable offices, cabins, ablution blocks and crib rooms to every state and territory in Australia. Deliveries depart from our depot at 4 Milton Cct, Port Macquarie NSW 2444 and are coordinated with transport partners suited to each destination.

Within our standard service area the delivery charge is AUD 745 per unit including GST. For addresses outside that area, delivery requires confirmation: we review the location, route and access, then provide a written quote before you commit. If you are unsure whether your address falls within the standard area, ask us or use the request a quote drawer.

• AUD 745per unit incl. GST, standard service area
• 1 to 3business days processing
• 4 to 7business days typical delivery after processing

Processing time

Processing begins once our accounting team confirms that your payment has been received, whether by bank transfer or card. Processing takes 1 to 3 business days and covers allocation of your unit, colour configuration where applicable, a pre-delivery check and booking of transport. You receive an order confirmation and a tax invoice at the start of this stage.

Orders placed on weekends or public holidays enter processing on the next business day.

Delivery time

Delivery typically takes 4 to 7 business days after processing is complete. Metropolitan Brisbane and south-east Queensland addresses often sit at the shorter end of that range. Interstate, regional and remote addresses can sit at the longer end or require additional time depending on transport availability and road conditions. We contact you to confirm a delivery window before the truck is dispatched.

Custom and modified units follow the lead time stated on your quotation rather than the standard timeline.

Delivery equipment

The right truck depends on the size of the unit, the site and where the unit needs to sit. We select the equipment during processing based on the access information you provide.

Tilt tray

A tilt tray truck is the most common method for single 20ft containers and smaller units. The tray tilts and the container slides off the back onto the ground. The truck must reverse in a straight line to the placement point, and the container lands in line with the truck. A tilt tray typically needs a straight run of roughly 2.5 times the container length behind the placement point. Confirm the exact requirement with our team for your site.

Side loader

A side loader lifts the container off the side of the trailer using its own cranes and places it on the ground beside the truck. It suits sites with a long, clear strip beside the placement point and is often used for 40ft containers. Side loaders need clear space along one side of the truck and firm ground for the stabiliser legs.

Hiab

A Hiab is a truck-mounted crane that lifts a unit off the truck and sets it down within the crane’s reach. It offers more flexibility in where the unit can be placed, including over a low fence or onto a prepared pad, but reach is limited by the crane’s capacity and the weight of the unit. Hiab delivery is typically used for portable buildings and smaller containers.

Crane truck

A crane truck carries a larger crane than a Hiab and is used for heavier units, longer reach or placement positions that a tilt tray or side loader cannot achieve. Crane deliveries need a stable set-up area for outriggers and are quoted individually.

Flatbed and semi trailer

Flatbeds and semi trailers carry units without their own unloading equipment. They are used for long-distance freight, multi-unit orders and sites where unloading equipment is already available. A semi trailer needs more turning room and firmer ground than a rigid truck.

Customer crane or forklift

If you have a suitable crane or forklift on site, we can deliver on a flatbed or semi trailer for you to unload. You are responsible for the lift, the operator and the equipment’s capacity. Tell us at the time of ordering so that we book the right trailer and confirm unloading arrangements.

Site access

Access is the single most common cause of delivery problems. Before we book a truck, we ask you to confirm the width of the entry, the surface the truck will drive on, the space available at the placement point and any obstacles along the route. A short video or a few photos taken from where the truck will enter are the most useful things you can send us.

If a truck arrives and cannot deliver safely because access differs from what was described, the unit returns to the depot and a second delivery attempt is charged. We would much rather resolve access questions in advance.

Ground conditions

Delivery trucks are heavy, and a loaded tilt tray or side loader with stabiliser legs down puts significant load on the ground. The route from the road to the placement point should be firm, level and dry. Soft lawn, sand, freshly filled ground or wet clay can cause a truck to bog or a stabiliser to sink. If your site has been wet recently, tell us so we can schedule around it.

The placement point itself should be level and firm. Many customers set the container on concrete blocks, railway sleepers or a compacted gravel pad so that air circulates beneath the floor and the unit stays level.

Turning area

A rigid truck carrying a 20ft container needs room to enter, position and leave. A semi trailer carrying a 40ft container needs considerably more. Tight driveways, cul-de-sacs and gateways with sharp turns immediately inside the entry are the usual difficulties. If a truck cannot turn on your property, it may need to reverse in from the road, which requires a clear straight run and, on some roads, traffic management.

Overhead clearance

A tilt tray raises its tray to a steep angle to unload, so the overhead clearance required at the placement point typically exceeds 4.5 m. Side loaders lift the container above the trailer and then swing it outward, which also needs clearance above and beside the truck. Carports, verandah roofs, awnings and low branches are common obstacles. Confirm overhead clearance with our team before delivery if anything sits above the route or placement point.

Power lines

Overhead power lines are a safety exclusion. Drivers will not raise a tilt tray, side loader crane or Hiab near live power lines, and the required exclusion distances are set by the relevant electrical safety rules rather than by us. If power lines cross the driveway, run along the fence line or pass over the placement point, tell us when you order. We can often choose a different placement point or a different type of truck.

Tree clearance

Trees are the obstacle customers most often overlook. Branches that a car passes under easily may catch a container sitting on a tray, and a tilt tray needs the full height of its raised tray clear of branches at the placement point. Walk the route with a truck in mind: look up as well as along. Trim branches before delivery day if they are within your control.

Gate restrictions

A container is approximately 2.44 m wide, and the truck carrying it is wider again with mirrors. Gates, gate posts, narrow bridges, cattle grids and drive-through structures all need to be checked for width and load. Provide us with the clear width of the narrowest point on the route and note whether gates can be removed temporarily if required.

Placement direction

Think about which way the doors should face before delivery day. A tilt tray sets the container down in line with the truck, so the doors face either toward the truck or away from it depending on how the unit was loaded. A side loader places the container parallel to the truck. A Hiab or crane can rotate a unit within limits. Tell us which end you want the doors on and where you want them to open; we load and position the unit accordingly where the equipment allows.

Sloping sites

Trucks unload most safely on level ground. A tilt tray on a slope can allow a container to slide unpredictably, and a side loader’s stabilisers need to be set on ground that is close to level. Where a site slopes, we may recommend a Hiab or crane delivery, a different placement point or preparation of a level pad before delivery. Let us know the approximate gradient and direction of the slope when you order.

Regional delivery

We deliver to regional centres and rural properties across Australia. Regional deliveries are often grouped with other freight to keep costs reasonable, which can extend the delivery window. Access on rural properties tends to be more generous, but longer unsealed driveways, soft paddocks and creek crossings should be described to us in advance. Regional addresses outside the standard service area receive a quoted delivery charge.

Remote delivery

Remote deliveries, including mining regions, outback stations and locations reached by unsealed roads or seasonal routes, always require a quotation. We confirm transport availability, route conditions, the type of truck and any unloading equipment on site before pricing. Weather and road closures can affect timing, and we keep you informed if a delivery window needs to move.

Delivery delays

Most deliveries arrive within the typical window. When delays occur they are usually caused by weather, road closures, transport capacity on long-distance routes, or access problems discovered on the day. We notify you as soon as we are aware of a change and rebook at the earliest available time. Delays caused by inaccurate access information or an unprepared site may incur a second delivery charge.

Sunday and public holiday delivery

Our standard delivery days are Monday to Saturday. We are normally closed on Sundays and public holidays. Delivery on a Sunday or public holiday can be arranged by prior agreement and carries an additional charge, which we confirm in writing before booking.

Customer responsibilities

• Provide accurate access information, including entry width, surface, slope, overhead obstacles and power lines.
• Prepare a firm, level placement point and clear the route of vehicles, materials and debris.
• Obtain any council, body corporate or landlord approval needed for the container or building on your site.
• Ensure someone authorised is present on delivery day, or agree in writing to unattended delivery.
• Arrange traffic management if the truck must reverse from a public road and local rules require it.
• Where you are unloading with your own equipment, ensure the crane or forklift and operator are rated for the unit’s weight.

Delivery inspection

Inspect the unit with the driver before signing the delivery confirmation. Check the exterior, open the doors, look at the floor and confirm that the colour and configuration match your order. Note any concerns on the delivery paperwork and photograph them at the time. Signing without comment confirms that the unit was received in the condition described. Warranty claims remain available after delivery under the terms summarised in our FAQ, but transit damage is far easier to resolve when it is recorded at handover.

Delivery questions