1.8 Tonne Forklift Hire Melbourne

Looking for 1.8 tonne forklift hire in Melbourne? We hire Toyota gas (LPG) and electric forklifts from 1.8 to 3 tonne, including the compact 1.8 tonne, from $30/day + GST, and by the week a late-model Toyota 1.8–2.5 tonne container mast forklift is $180–$250 + GST. Servicing and breakdown cover are included for the whole hire. Call 1300 326 654 or send an enquiry.

Damoli Forklift Services is a family owned and operated Melbourne business, hiring forklifts since 2009. Our hire fleet is 150+ forklifts, mainly Toyota, and you deal with the people who own and look after them. For every size and type we hire, see our forklift hire Melbourne page.

What a 1.8 tonne forklift is for

The 1.8 tonne is the smallest size in our standard hire range. It is compact and easy to manoeuvre in tighter spaces, so it suits light pallets, small warehouses, retail backrooms and workshops: the places where a bigger counterbalance forklift feels cramped and most loads are well under its rating.

Being smaller, it is often the easier machine to drive around racking ends, benches and stock on the floor. If your goods are boxed, cartoned or on lighter pallets, a 1.8 tonne forklift can do the job without the bulk of a 2.5 or 3 tonne machine.

Is 1.8 tonne enough for your loads?

Start with your heaviest regular load, not the average one, and add some headroom. Then check the lift height, because a forklift’s capacity drops as the forks go higher. Attachments such as clamps and fork positioners reduce the usable capacity too. The data plate on the forklift shows what it can safely lift at each height. If you’re unsure, give us the weight and the height and we’ll check it for your load.

As a rough guide to the sizes we hire:

1.8 tonne. Light pallets, small warehouses, retail backrooms and workshops. Compact and easy to manoeuvre in tighter spaces.
2.0 to 2.5 tonne. The most common general-purpose size, for standard pallets, container loading and most warehouse and yard work. See 2.5 tonne forklift hire.
3 tonne. Heavier pallets, building materials, steel and timber, and outdoor yards. See 3 tonne forklift hire.

All three sizes start at the same daily rate, so choose the size for the work, not the price. If your heaviest load is getting close to the 1.8 tonne rating, or you lift it high into racking, tell us when you call and we’ll suggest the next size up.

Gas or electric 1.8 tonne forklift?

Both are on hire from $30/day + GST in 1.8 to 3 tonne sizes, so the hire rate shouldn’t decide it. The site and the shifts should.

Toyota LPG (gas) forklifts

Gas forklifts are the main part of our hire fleet. They are 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. Gas makes exhaust, so indoors you need open doors or good airflow, and it isn’t for confined spaces. Ask us about gas cylinders when you book. Read more on our LPG forklift hire in Melbourne page.

Toyota electric forklifts

Electric forklifts are quiet, with zero fumes at the point of use and good visibility out the back because there’s no gas bottle. That makes a compact electric a good match for indoor warehouses, food sites and shop backrooms where people work close by. A charger is included with every electric hire, so tell us where it will plug in. See electric forklift hire in Melbourne, or compare the two in our guide to LPG vs electric forklifts.

Container mast forklifts

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. Our weekly rate of $180–$250 + GST is for a late-model Toyota 1.8–2.5 tonne container mast forklift, and a standard mast can cost less. If you unload containers of lighter pallets, a 1.8 tonne with a container mast is worth asking about. Our container forklift hire guide has the detail.

Reach trucks and scissor lifts

Narrow aisles and tall racking call for an electric reach truck, built for tight aisles and high racking with access above 10 m in confined spaces. We also hire scissor lifts for work at height. Call 1300 326 654 for rates, with your highest beam height and aisle width in hand.

1.8 tonne forklift hire rates

Here is how 1.8 tonne forklift hire is priced:

Toyota LPG (gas) forklift, 1.8–3 tonne: from $30/day + GST.
Electric forklift, 1.8–3 tonne: from $30/day + GST, charger included.
Weekly hire, late-model Toyota 1.8–2.5 tonne container mast: $180–$250 + GST per week. A standard mast can cost less.
Minimum hire: generally one week.
Delivery and pick-up: quoted up front for your suburb.
Longer hires: call 1300 326 654 for long-term rates.

Every price here is before GST. Servicing and breakdown cover are included for the full hire, and an account takes under 5 minutes to set up (hire now, pay later). Delivery costs less the longer you hire, and on hires over a month you can ask us about reduced delivery. For more on pricing, read how much forklift hire costs.

Short-term or long-term hire?

Pick short-term forklift hire for work with an end date: a container that’s just landed, a stocktake, peak season, a fit-out, or covering your own forklift while it’s off the road.

Choose long-term forklift hire if a compact forklift will be on site for months or years and you’d rather not own it. You get a machine that’s ours to look after, with servicing and breakdown cover included, and long-term rates are quoted on enquiry. On a longer hire, you have the option to change capacity if the work changes.

Where 1.8 tonne forklift hire makes sense

Retail backrooms and showrooms. Stock comes in on pallets and has to be put away in a small space.
Small warehouses and storage units. Short aisles and tight corners favour a compact machine.
Workshops and light manufacturing. Moving parts, materials and finished goods between benches, racks and the roller door.
Lighter container loads. Cartons and light pallets out of a container, with a container mast.
Cover while yours is repaired. If your own small forklift is off the road, we can often get a hire forklift to you while it’s fixed.

Delivered from our Werribee and Epping yards

We have two yards, one in the west and one in the north, and we deliver hire forklifts right across Melbourne. Our west yard is at Unit 2/76 Riverside Ave, Werribee VIC 3030, open Monday to Friday, 8am–4pm, and weekends by appointment. Our north yard is at 55 Produce Drive, Epping VIC 3076, open Monday to Friday, midnight to 4pm. Call 1300 326 654 before you come so we know to expect you.

In the west, see forklift hire in Werribee, Truganina, Tarneit, Wyndham Vale and Melton. In the north, see forklift hire in Epping, Keilor Park and Bundoora. Send us the site address and we’ll quote delivery and pick-up before you book.

Before the forklift arrives

Whoever drives the forklift needs a current High Risk Work Licence for forklifts, and a compact machine is no exception. Check it before the hire starts. If someone on your team needs one, see how to get a forklift licence in Australia. A pre-start check comes first every shift.

If you hire electric, pick a well-ventilated charging spot near suitable power and tell us what power you have. If you hire gas, choose a safe place on site to store cylinders. Clear a flat, firm spot for unloading, and have someone on site to meet the driver.

Buying or servicing a 1.8 tonne forklift

If you will use a compact forklift every working day for years, owning one may cost less than hiring. At the time of writing (October 2026), our sales listings include 1.8 tonne Toyota LPG and electric forklifts, and our used forklifts come with up to a 3-year warranty, with finance available. Browse used forklifts for sale in Melbourne or see every forklift for sale on one page.

Already own one? Our forklift service and repairs team comes to your site and quotes before any work. We service all makes and models, specialising in Toyota.

How to book a 1.8 tonne forklift

Call 1300 326 654 or send an enquiry. Our hours are Monday to Friday, 8am–4pm.
Tell us your heaviest load, the lift height, whether it works inside or out, gas or electric, how long you need it and your site address.
We quote the hire, plus delivery and pick-up, before anything is booked.
The forklift is delivered to your site, ready to work.
If anything goes wrong during the hire, call us. When you finish, we collect it.

1.8 tonne forklift hire near you

We deliver 1.8 tonne hire forklifts across Melbourne from our two yards: Unit 2/76 Riverside Ave, Werribee VIC 3030 (Monday to Friday, 8am–4pm; weekends by appointment) and 55 Produce Drive, Epping VIC 3076 (Monday to Friday, midnight to 4pm; call before you come). Delivery is from around $180 + GST, quoted for your suburb before you book. Local hire pages:

Western suburbs: Werribee, Laverton North, Truganina, Tarneit, Derrimut, Altona, Point Cook, Hoppers Crossing, Sunshine, Brooklyn, Footscray, Deer Park.

Northern suburbs: Epping, Campbellfield, Tullamarine, Thomastown, Preston, Bundoora, Reservoir, Broadmeadows, Craigieburn, Coolaroo.

Compare every size and fuel type on our forklift hire and rental Melbourne page.

1.8 tonne forklift hire FAQs

Is forklift hire the same as forklift rental?

Yes. Hire and rental mean the same thing. You rent a 1.8 tonne forklift from us for as long as you need it, generally with a one-week minimum, and servicing and breakdown cover are included. Call 1300 326 654 for a quote.

How much does it cost to hire a 1.8 tonne forklift in Melbourne?

Toyota LPG (gas) and electric forklifts from 1.8 to 3 tonne start from $30/day + GST. Weekly hire of a late-model Toyota 1.8–2.5 tonne container mast forklift is $180–$250 + GST, and a standard mast can cost less. Delivery and pick-up are quoted up front for your suburb.

What can a 1.8 tonne forklift lift?

Its capacity is shown on the data plate, and that capacity drops as the forks go higher or when an attachment is fitted. It suits light pallets and boxed goods. Tell us your heaviest load and lift height and we’ll check it for you.

Is a 1.8 tonne forklift big enough for a shipping container?

For containers of lighter pallets and cartons, it can be, with a container mast so it can drive in and out. For heavier pallets, the 2.0 to 2.5 tonne is the usual pick for container work. Give us the heaviest pallet weight and we’ll match the size.

Do you hire electric 1.8 tonne forklifts?

Yes. Our electric hire forklifts are Toyota, from 1.8 to 3 tonne, from $30/day + GST, and a charger is included with every electric hire. They’re quiet, with zero fumes at the point of use, and suit indoor work.

What is the minimum hire period?

Minimum hire is generally one week, and you can keep the forklift for as long as the job runs. For months of work, ask us about long-term rates.

Is servicing included in the hire?

Yes. Servicing and breakdown cover are included for the length of the hire. If the machine needs attention, call us and we’ll sort it.

Do I need a licence to drive a 1.8 tonne forklift?

Yes. Anyone who operates a forklift, whatever its size, needs a current High Risk Work Licence for forklifts. Check it before the hire starts.

Which Melbourne suburbs do you deliver to?

We deliver right across Melbourne: the west from our Werribee yard and the north from our Epping yard, and the rest of Melbourne too. Call 1300 326 654 with the delivery address and we’ll quote delivery before you book.

Hire a 1.8 tonne forklift today

Ready for 1.8 tonne forklift hire? Call 1300 326 654 or send an enquiry, tell us the load and the site, and we’ll match a compact forklift and quote delivery before anything is booked. Rates start from $30/day + GST.