---
title: Micro Excavator (1 Tonne) Hire Rates 2026 | HeavyBook
url: https://heavybook.com.au/hire/mini-excavator-1t-rates/
description: "What a micro excavator (1 tonne) costs to hire in Australia: dry day rate $225 in one city so far, every rate with its source count. Verified 29 Oct 2026."
---

# Micro Excavator (1 Tonne) Hire Rates — What It Really Costs

0.8-1.4t · dry day rates · verified 2026

Rates below cover the 1-tonne class (0.8-1.4t).

The published dry day rate for a mini excavator 1t is **$225** in the one city live so far — every figure aggregated from independent sources and shown with its source count. Verified 29 Oct 2026.

## Rates by City

[Melbourne](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/mini-excavator-1t-rates/melbourne/) $225 /day dry $200 to $282 cheapest to dearest 3 sources · verified 29 Oct 2026

## Excavator Hire Rates by Size and City

Typical dry day rate for each excavator size and city we publish. Every row is a median of independent sources, shown with its source count and verified date.

| Size | City | Typical dry day rate | Cheapest to dearest | Sources | Verified |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Mini Excavator 1t](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/mini-excavator-1t-rates/) (0.8-1.4t) | [Melbourne](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/mini-excavator-1t-rates/melbourne/) | $225/day | $200 to $282 | 3 sources | 29 Oct 2026 |
| [Mini Excavator 1.7t](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/mini-excavator-1-7t-rates/) (1.5-2.0t) | [Brisbane](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/mini-excavator-1-7t-rates/brisbane/) | $218/day | $136 to $309 | 4 sources | 13 Oct 2026 |
| [Mini Excavator 1.7t](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/mini-excavator-1-7t-rates/) (1.5-2.0t) | [Melbourne](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/mini-excavator-1-7t-rates/melbourne/) | $220/day | $200 to $309 | 5 sources | 13 Oct 2026 |
| [Mini Excavator 1.7t](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/mini-excavator-1-7t-rates/) (1.5-2.0t) | [Perth](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/mini-excavator-1-7t-rates/perth/) | $300/day | $181 to $350 | 3 sources | 13 Oct 2026 |
| [Mini Excavator 1.7t](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/mini-excavator-1-7t-rates/) (1.5-2.0t) | [Sydney](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/mini-excavator-1-7t-rates/sydney/) | $227/day | $220 to $227 | 3 sources | 13 Oct 2026 |
| [Mini Excavator 5t](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/mini-excavator-5t-rates/) (4.5-5.5t) | [Melbourne](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/mini-excavator-5t-rates/melbourne/) | $382/day | $364 to $410 | 3 sources | 13 Oct 2026 |

## Thinking about buying instead?

A buy-versus-hire comparison needs a verified purchase price as well as a published hire rate. We do not yet have the verified price evidence for this class, so a breakeven is not available here.

[About the buy vs hire calculator →](https://heavybook.com.au/tools/buy-vs-hire/)

## Micro Excavator (1 Tonne) Hire FAQ

### How much does it cost to hire a micro excavator (1 tonne) per day in Australia?

The published dry day rate is $225 in the one city live so far, verified 29 Oct 2026. Its rate card below shows the sources behind it — more cities publish as they clear the three-source gate.

### What is the difference between dry hire and wet hire?

Dry hire is the machine only — you operate it yourself. Wet hire includes an operator, so it costs more but covers licensing, skill and liability. We don't publish wet rates yet: wet hire is usually quoted job by job, and not enough hirers publish a wet rate to clear our three-source gate.

### Where do these hire rates come from?

Independent hire operators' published rates and direct quotes, aggregated per city. A city only publishes once we hold at least three independent sources for it — the source count is shown on every rate.

### How do I pay less to hire a micro excavator (1 tonne)?

Weekly hire beats day-by-day if the job runs long, independents often undercut the national chains, and delivery fees change the real total — always compare the delivered price. If your usage is regular, run the buy-vs-hire numbers before signing another hire docket.

## Compare & Related

- [All hire rates](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/)
- [Buy vs hire calculator](https://heavybook.com.au/tools/buy-vs-hire/)
- [Boom Lift (Cherry Picker) hire rates](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/boom-lift-rates/)
- [Mini Excavator hire rates](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/mini-excavator-1-7t-rates/)
- [5 Tonne Excavator hire rates](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/mini-excavator-5t-rates/)
- [Scissor Lift hire rates](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/scissor-lift-rates/)
- [Skid Steer (Bobcat) hire rates](https://heavybook.com.au/hire/skid-steer-rates/)

**How we rate.** Hire figures are aggregated (median) from independent operators' published rates and direct quotes. A class and city publishes only with three or more independent sources, and every rate shows its source count. Rates are indicative — confirm the delivered price with the hirer. [Full methodology →](https://heavybook.com.au/methodology/)

**1** City

**29 OCT 2026** Verified