A shipping container has landed, the truck is booked and you need a forklift that can actually get inside it. This guide covers what to hire for container unloading in Melbourne: why the mast matters more than you might think, what capacity suits most containers, gas or electric, and whether to hire for a week, hire long term or buy.
Short answer: for most containers of palletised goods, Melbourne businesses hire a Toyota 1.8 to 2.5 tonne forklift with a container mast. Weekly hire of a late-model Toyota 1.8 to 2.5 tonne container mast forklift is $180 to $250 + GST per week, minimum hire is generally one week, and delivery is from around $180 + GST depending on your suburb. Servicing and breakdown cover are included for the whole hire. See all options on our forklift hire Melbourne page.
Why a container mast matters
The mast is the upright frame the forks travel up and down. Every mast has a closed height, which is how tall the forklift stands with the forks lowered. A container mast has a lower closed height, so the forklift can drive in and out of a shipping container. A standard mast suits open warehouses and yards, where nothing above the forklift gets in the way.
If you hire a forklift with a standard mast for container work, there’s a real chance it won’t fit through the container doors, or it will only reach the first row of pallets. That means hand-unloading the rest, or a second delivery to swap the machine. When you book, tell us you’re unloading containers and we’ll send a container mast forklift.
Lift height matters too. A container mast still has to put the pallet where it’s going once it’s out of the container, whether that’s the floor, a truck tray or your racking. Measure the height of your highest racking beam and allow clearance above it, then check the forklift’s lift height against that figure. On our used stock, container mast lift heights run from about 3.0 m to 4.7 m, so there’s a range to match different sites.
What capacity do you need for a container?
Capacity is the most important number on a forklift. Start with the heaviest pallet in the container, not the average one. Check the packing list, the supplier’s spec sheet or the consignment note, or ask the shipper for the heaviest pallet weight before the container arrives.
- 1.8 tonne suits lighter pallets and tighter spaces. It’s compact and easy to manoeuvre.
- 2.0 to 2.5 tonne is the most common general-purpose size, and it’s the usual pick for container loading and most warehouse and yard work.
- 3.0 tonne suits heavier pallets, building materials, steel and timber. Our hire fleet goes up to 3 tonne. Bigger forklifts are also heavier, so check your floor and aisle widths first.
Two things reduce what a forklift can safely lift. Capacity drops as you lift higher, and long or deep loads move the load centre further out. Attachments such as clamps and fork positioners add weight at the front and reduce usable capacity too. Every forklift has a data plate that shows what it can lift at each height. Check the data plate, or ask us to check it for your load.
Gas or electric for container unloading?
Both work. The choice comes down to where the forklift spends the rest of its day.
Toyota LPG (gas) forklifts
Gas forklifts are the main part of our hire fleet. They’re powerful all-rounders for loading trucks, yards, loading docks and construction sites, and they suit sites where the forklift works inside and outside through the day. Refuelling is a quick gas bottle swap, so there’s no waiting for a charge. LPG forklifts produce exhaust, so they need good ventilation if they spend a lot of time indoors, and a container is an enclosed space. Keep the container doors open and keep the work moving rather than idling inside.
Toyota electric forklifts
Electric forklifts are quiet, with zero fumes at the point of use, and have good visibility out the back because there’s no gas bottle. That suits container work where the goods go straight into an indoor warehouse or a food site. Toyota four-wheel electric counterbalance forklifts often come with a container mast. Our electric hire forklifts are Toyota, 1.8 to 3 tonne, from $30/day + GST, the same as gas, and a charger is included with every electric hire. Chargers run off mains power, single or three phase depending on the battery and charger, so let us know what power you have. See electric forklift hire in Melbourne.
For a deeper comparison, read electric vs LPG forklifts.
Before the container arrives: a quick checklist
Containers arrive on a schedule you don’t fully control, so getting the forklift sorted before the container lands takes the pressure off. Have these answers ready when you call:
- The heaviest pallet weight in the container.
- Palletised or loose? Loose cartons change the job, so tell us if the goods aren’t on pallets.
- Where the container will sit: on the ground in your yard, at a loading dock, or still on a trailer. Tell us how it’s being delivered so we can talk through what will work on your site.
- Where the pallets go next: the floor, racking (and the height of the highest beam), or a truck.
- Indoors, outdoors or both, and what the ground is like between the container and the shed.
- One container or a run of them, and roughly how long you’ll need the forklift.
- The delivery address and the date the container lands.
Tell us those things and we’ll match the capacity and mast to the job, then quote the hire plus delivery and pick-up before you book.
One container, a run of containers, or every week?
One container or a short run: short-term hire
Short-term forklift hire covers the jobs that come and go, and a container that’s just landed is the classic example. Minimum hire is generally one week, which gives you room if the container arrives a day or two late. If the work runs longer, keep the forklift longer.
Containers every week: long-term hire
If you import regularly, a forklift on site full time usually makes more sense than booking one each time a container lands. Long-term forklift hire gives you a forklift on site without buying one, with a predictable cost and the option to change capacity if the work changes. Delivery costs less the longer you hire, and on hires over a month you can ask us about reduced delivery. Long-term rates are priced on enquiry, so call 1300 326 654.
Containers for years: consider buying
If you’ll be unloading containers every week for years, owning the forklift may work out cheaper. Many of our used Toyota forklifts already have a container mast. At the time of writing (October 2026), our listings include Toyota LPG container mast forklifts in 1.8, 2.5 and 3.0 tonne from about $11,500 to $18,000 + GST, and Toyota electric container mast forklifts in 1.8 and 2.0 tonne from about $10,000 to $13,000 + GST. Stock changes each week, so check what’s in the yard today.
Our used forklifts come with up to a 3-year warranty, and finance is available. Browse used forklifts for sale in Melbourne, or see every forklift for sale on one page with the price + GST on each listing. Each listing shows the mast type and lift height, so you can spot the container masts at a glance.
Still weighing it up? Read forklift hire vs buying or what forklift hire costs.
What container forklift hire costs
Here’s how our hire pricing works for container jobs:
- Toyota LPG (gas) forklift, 1.8 to 3 tonne: from $30/day + GST.
- Toyota electric forklift, 1.8 to 3 tonne: from $30/day + GST, charger included.
- Weekly hire, late-model Toyota 1.8 to 2.5 tonne container mast: $180 to $250 + GST per week. A standard mast is sometimes cheaper.
- Minimum hire: generally one week.
- Delivery and pick-up: from around $180 + GST, depending on your suburb, quoted before you book.
- Longer hires: call 1300 326 654 for long-term rates.
Servicing and breakdown cover are included for the whole hire. If something goes wrong mid-container, call us and we’ll sort it. You can also set up an account in under 5 minutes: hire now, pay later.
Safe container unloading
Only licensed operators can legally drive a forklift in Australia, and container work is no exception. If someone on your team needs a licence, our guide on how to get a forklift licence in Australia explains the process.
A few habits keep container days safe:
- Do a pre-start check on the forklift at the start of every shift.
- Check the heaviest pallet against the forklift’s data plate before you start, especially if you’re lifting into racking.
- Open the container doors fully and look at how the load has travelled before driving in.
- Keep people clear of the container doorway while the forklift is working.
- If a forklift isn’t safe to use, tag it out of service and park it out of the way until it’s been looked at.
Already own a forklift for containers?
If your own forklift does the container work, keep it serviced so it doesn’t let you down on the day a container lands. We offer on-site forklift service and repair across Melbourne. We service all makes and models, and we specialise in Toyota. Our service special is $345 + GST (normally $420 + GST), with travel, labour, parts and consumables included, for gas, petrol and electric forklifts up to 3 tonnes, anywhere in Melbourne. If your forklift is off the road, we can often get a hire forklift to you while yours is fixed.
Container forklift hire FAQs
What forklift do I need to unload a shipping container?
For most containers of palletised goods, a 1.8 to 2.5 tonne forklift with a container mast. The container mast has a lower closed height, so the forklift can drive in and out of the container. Check your heaviest pallet weight against the forklift’s data plate.
What is a container mast?
A container mast is a forklift mast with a lower closed height, so the forklift can drive in and out of shipping containers. A standard mast suits open warehouses and yards.
How much does it cost to hire a container forklift in Melbourne?
Weekly hire of a late-model Toyota 1.8 to 2.5 tonne container mast forklift is $180 to $250 + GST per week. Minimum hire is generally one week, and delivery is from around $180 + GST depending on your suburb.
Can I hire a forklift for just one container?
Minimum hire is generally one week, which covers a single container with room to spare if it lands late. Short-term hire is designed for exactly this kind of job.
Can an electric forklift unload containers?
Yes. Toyota electric counterbalance forklifts often come with a container mast, and they have zero fumes at the point of use. Our electric hire forklifts are Toyota, 1.8 to 3 tonne, from $30/day + GST, with a charger included.
Is delivery included in the hire price?
Delivery and pick-up are extra and quoted up front for your suburb, from around $180 + GST. Delivery costs less the longer you hire, and on hires over a month you can ask us about reduced delivery.
What if the forklift breaks down halfway through a container?
Servicing and breakdown cover are included for the whole hire. Call 1300 326 654 and we’ll sort it.
Do you sell used container mast forklifts?
Yes. Many of our used Toyota LPG and electric forklifts have a container mast. They come with up to a 3-year warranty, finance is available, and every listing shows the price + GST.
Book a container forklift
Damoli Forklift Services is a family owned and operated Melbourne business, hiring forklifts since 2009, with a hire fleet of 150+ forklifts, mainly Toyota. We deliver across Melbourne from our yards in Werribee and Epping, including the west, the north, the south-east, the east and the inner suburbs. We’re open Monday to Friday, 8am–4pm.
Local pages: forklift hire Werribee, Truganina, Epping, Campbellfield, Dandenong and Port Melbourne.
Tell us the heaviest pallet, where the container will sit and when it lands, and we’ll match the forklift and quote delivery before you book. Call 1300 326 654 or see forklift hire in Melbourne.
