Loader Hire

A wheel loader is an earthmoving machine with a large scoop-like bucket mounted on the front, that is used to load and transport heavy items and materials. A lift-arm assembly allows for the bucket to be raised, lowered and tilted, allowing for ease of use for a variety of lifting and transporting tasks.

Wheel loaders are known for being multipurpose machines which can be used for a variety of projects and tasks. Generally, wheel loaders are used for loading and transporting heavy items and materials, such as dirt, debris, snow, asphalt and gravel, and are great for building roads and preparing job sites.

Australia has 5 top wheel loader brands that are perfect for loading and transportation of heavy items and materials for agricultural, construction and mining projects. These brands are:

1. CAT
2. Komatsu
3. Volvo
4. JCB
5. Hercules

For more information about the best wheel loaders in Australia, check out our Top 5 Best Wheel Loader Brands.

Through iseekplant, we have suppliers offering loaders across four main categories, skid steer loaders, dozers, backhoes and wheel loaders. Skid steer loaders have many attachments which make them suitable for both commercial and residential jobs. Dozers are great for effectively clearing the ground of a construction site and moving large quantities of sand, debris and soil. Backhoes are smaller in frame and are useful for digging and moving dirt around construction sites. They also come with a number of attachments. Wheel loaders have a large capacity and can be used for building roads, digging, carrying heavy items and transporting materials. For more details about the four loaders and what loader is best suited for your job, check our article on 'what type of loader do I need'.

Key things to look for when inspecting a front end loader include maintenance and service history, frame of the loader, wheel, tyres and rims, brakes, engine and transmission and bucket. We also recommend taking the vehicle for a test drive and bringing a qualified mechanic or experienced operator with you when inspecting a loader. You'll be able to see, feel and understand the condition of the machine and gain valuable insights that you may have missed or overlooked. For more information on what you should look for when inspecting a front end loader, check out our loader inspection guide.

iseekplant has a nationwide network of quality loader hire companies operating in all Australian capital cities from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne to Canberra, Adelaide, Darwin and Perth. We also offer loader hire solutions in all major towns and cities from Bunbury over to Geelong, Newcastle and Toowoomba, then up to Townsville and Cairns. Get in touch with us today and we will match you with the closest loader hire provider.

So, you want to hire a loader through iseekplant? Fantastic! The easiest way to grab a quote for a loader in your area is to use iseekplant's Get a Quote tool. Just let us know what loader you're after and where you need it, and we'll get back to you with the best quotes around! Otherwise, give us a call on 1300 691 912 or email us at projects@iseekplant.com.au.

The top five world’s largest front end loaders, ranked on payload capacity, are as followers:

1. Komatsu P&H L-2350
2. Komatsu P&H L-1850
3. Komatsu WA1200-6
4. Komatsu P&H L-1350
5. Caterpillar 994K

Learn more about these top five loaders here!

There are two sets of regulations set by the Australian Work,Health and Safety conditions for operating a front-end loader.

• Class LB (front-end loader/backhoe)
• Class LL (front-end loader)

Once you prove that you are a competent operator, you will get a front-end loader ticket, which usually expires within three years. Proving your competency can also differ depending on which state you are in.

Find more information on Front-end Loader licenses here!

A wheel loader is needed instead of an excavator when the primary task involves loading, carrying, or moving materials over short distances, rather than digging or trenching. Wheel loaders are ideal for site clean-up, stockpiling, transporting soil, gravel, or debris, and general material handling.

Excavators, in contrast, are best for digging, trenching, and precision earthworks. If the work requires scooping and relocating large volumes of material quickly across a site, a wheel loader is more efficient; for detailed excavation or working in confined spaces, an excavator is the better choice.

Yes, wheel loaders can be used for light grading and levelling tasks, especially when fitted with a dozer blade or grader attachment. They are effective for spreading soil, gravel, or sand and creating a roughly level surface on construction sites, driveways, or landscaping projects.

However, for precision grading over large areas, specialised graders are more suitable. Wheel loaders are best used for general site preparation, material redistribution, and shaping surfaces where high accuracy is not critical.

Loaders can be equipped with a variety of attachments to handle different tasks on construction, landscaping, and industrial sites. Common attachments for loader hire include:

• Buckets – standard, multi-purpose, or high-capacity for scooping and moving materials.
• Forks – for lifting and transporting pallets or bulky items.
• Grapples – for handling logs, scrap, or loose debris.
• Blades or graders – for leveling, spreading, or light grading work.
• Brooms and sweepers – to clean surfaces such as roads or yards.
• Augers – for drilling holes in soil or ice.

These attachments make loaders highly versatile, allowing a single machine to perform tasks that would otherwise require multiple pieces of equipment.