Landscaper pricing in Geelong
What landscapers charge in Geelong (typically $55-$110/hr), the local factors that move the rate, and a sample quote you can use as a starting point.
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Geelong landscaper pricing
What landscapers should charge in Geelong
Geelong landscape work is dominated by premium-suburb full garden makeovers (Newtown 3220, East Geelong 3219, Highton 3216), Bellarine Peninsula coastal premium gardens (Barwon Heads 3227, Ocean Grove 3226, Queenscliff 3225, with coastal-rated planting and salt-air-tolerant materials), Heritage Overlay courtyard restoration (Newtown Federation villas), and water-wise indigenous plantings suited to Geelong's low-medium-rainfall temperate-oceanic climate (~520mm/year). Owners Corporation approvals required for any apartment or townhouse common-area garden work. Surf Coast Shire fringe (Lorne, Apollo Bay, Aireys Inlet) drives bushfire fuel-load management work.
Hourly rate
$55-$110
per hour, weekday daytime
Call-out fee
$39-$83
within standard radius
After-hours
1.5-2x
evening, weekend, holiday
Job pricing
What to charge for common landscaper jobs in Geelong
Real-world price ranges for the jobs local tradies quote every week. Use the table as a starting point for your own quotes and adjust for parts, access, and your overheads. All figures in AUD.
Site visit and consultation
What's included
Most established landscapers consult free for jobs over $3,300. Concept design with drawings is usually charged.
Lawn install (per square metre)
What's included
Includes site prep, irrigation drop-in (optional), soil top-up, and instant lawn rolls. Seed-establish is cheaper but slower.
Paving (per square metre)
What's included
Includes excavation, sub-base, sand bed, pavers, and edging. Natural stone, porcelain, and patterned laying cost more.
Retaining wall (per linear metre)
What's included
Depends on height and material (block, gabion, sleeper). Excavation, drainage, and engineering for >1.2m walls extra.
Garden bed preparation (per sqm)
What's included
Includes excavation, compost, mulch. Excludes plants. Edging adds $22-40/linear metre.
Tree planting (advanced 100L+)
What's included
Includes tree, planting hole, stake, mulch, and 30-min watering setup. 500L specimen trees run higher.
Irrigation install (per zone)
What's included
Includes mainline, valve, drippers or rotators, controller wiring. Pump and tank install extra.
Garden maintenance (weekly visit)
What's included
Includes mow, edge, weed, blow. 1-hour visit. Pruning and fertilising on a separate schedule.
Full backyard redesign (medium plot)
What's included
Hardscape, planting, irrigation, lighting. 3-6 week duration. Plant stock 25-40% of cost.
Geelong quote factors
What to factor into your Geelong landscaper quote
Local context that should shape what you quote as a landscaper in Geelong. Temperate oceanic Melbourne-similar. 'Four seasons in one day' variability. Mild winters (June-Aug, rarely below 5°C), hot summers (Dec-Feb, often 30°C+), low-medium rainfall ~520mm/year. Wind exposure Port Phillip Bay.
Premium suburb full makeover tier
Newtown (3220), East Geelong (3219), Highton (3216), Barwon Heads (3227), Ocean Grove (3226), Queenscliff (3225) full garden makeovers A$60,500-A$352,000+ depending on size. Designer fees 12-22% of project cost. Quote design separately from build; design IP is yours. Build relationships with premium-suburb architects and interior designers for referrals.
Bellarine coastal salt-tolerant planting
Bellarine Peninsula (Barwon Heads 3227, Ocean Grove 3226, Queenscliff 3225, Point Lonsdale) and waterfront Drumcondra (3215), Rippleside (3215) need salt-tolerant planting and materials. Quote salt-rated indigenous (Westringia, Correa, Coastal Rosemary, Banksia integrifolia, native pigface, kangaroo grass) at A$55-A$175/sqm installed. State 316 stainless fixings, hardwood (spotted gum, blackbutt) decking instead of softwood, and marine-grade hardware on coastal jobs.
Heritage Overlay courtyard restoration
Newtown (3220) and East Geelong (3219) Federation villas have established cottage gardens and brick or bluestone courtyards under Heritage Overlay. Quote heritage architect or consultant (A$2,200-A$8,250) and council planning permit (A$1,100-A$4,400) as separate lines. Lime-mortar repointing on heritage brick or bluestone walls (A$110-A$265/sqm) is specialist work. Council planning permit lead time 6-14 weeks.
Water-wise indigenous planting
Geelong's temperate-oceanic climate with ~520mm/year rainfall (with hot dry summers) drives water-wise design. Quote indigenous plantings (yellow box, manna gum, Lomandra, kangaroo grass, Westringia, Correa, native violet, Carex) at A$55-A$175/sqm installed. Barwon Water and City of Greater Geelong programs (Living Geelong, Greener Geelong) sometimes fund partial rebates; check council.
Owners Corporation common-area gardens
Apartment and townhouse common-area gardens (growing in Geelong CBD 3220, Geelong waterfront, Newtown 3220) sit under OC control. Quote OC approval lead time (2-6 weeks), insurance certificates (A$1M-A$6M public liability), and often a competitive quote against the OC's preferred contractor as separate lines. Annual common-area maintenance contracts A$3,300-A$22,000/year per block.
Surf Coast Shire bushfire BAL fuel-load management
Surf Coast Shire fringe properties in Bushfire Management Overlay (BMO) zones (Lorne, Apollo Bay, Aireys Inlet, Anglesea) and Bellarine bush blocks need bushfire fuel-load management around the BAL-rated building envelope. Quote bushfire defensible-space clearing and fire-resistant planting (Westringia, Lomandra, succulents) at A$8-A$24/sqm. Great Ocean Road short-let market drives demand.
Sample quote
A real Geelong landscaper quote you can copy
Backyard patio + garden makeover, 80sqm site, mid-range finish. Replace the line items and rates with your own; the structure stays.
Site excavation, removal of old lawn, soil grading
Concrete paver patio (28sqm, 400x400 charcoal)
Retaining wall, sleeper, 8m long x 600mm high
Lawn rolls (35sqm, premium Sir Walter buffalo)
Garden beds prep + planting (15sqm, mixed natives 200-300mm pots)
Irrigation install (2 zones, drippers + pop-ups, smart controller)
Mulch, edging, finish (40m linear edging, 4m³ pine bark)
Project labour (12 days, 2-person team)
FAQ
Geelong landscaper pricing questions, answered
Common questions about landscaper pricing in Geelong, with answers framed for tradies pricing their own work.
Design and consulting A$110-A$265/hour for premium-suburb full garden design. Installation labour A$55-A$110/hour. Project pricing: premium-suburb full makeovers A$60,500-A$352,000+; standard suburban A$13,200-A$66,000. Design fees typically 12-22% of project cost. Add GST (10%). Geelong rates broadly 15-25% below Melbourne metro.
Quote salt-rated indigenous planting (Westringia, Correa, Coastal Rosemary, Banksia integrifolia, native pigface) at A$55-A$175/sqm installed for Barwon Heads (3227), Ocean Grove (3226), Queenscliff (3225), Point Lonsdale, Drumcondra (3215), Rippleside (3215). State 316 stainless fixings, hardwood (spotted gum, blackbutt) decking, and marine-grade hardware on every coastal job.
Federation villas in Newtown (3220) and East Geelong (3219) have established cottage gardens and brick or bluestone courtyards under City of Greater Geelong Heritage Overlay. Quote heritage architect or consultant (A$2,200-A$8,250), council planning permit (A$1,100-A$4,400), and lime-mortar repointing (A$110-A$265/sqm) as separate lines. Lead time 6-14 weeks for permit.
Yes, Geelong's temperate-oceanic climate with ~520mm/year rainfall and hot dry summers drives water-wise design. Quote indigenous plantings (yellow box, manna gum, Lomandra, kangaroo grass, Westringia, Correa, native violet, Carex) at A$55-A$175/sqm installed. Barwon Water and City of Greater Geelong programs (Living Geelong, Greener Geelong) sometimes fund partial rebates; check council.
Apartment and townhouse common-area gardens (growing in Geelong CBD 3220, Geelong waterfront, Newtown 3220) sit under OC control. Quote OC approval lead time (2-6 weeks), insurance certificates (A$1M-A$6M public liability), and often a competitive quote against the OC's preferred contractor as separate lines. Annual common-area maintenance contracts A$3,300-A$22,000/year per block.
Hourly rates are $55 to $105 in the US, £28-65 in the UK, A$61-110 in Australia, R180-500 in South Africa, and C$50-95 in Canada. Most landscapers prefer fixed-price quotes for projects over $2,200 because hourly invites scope creep.
The big variables are material grade (concrete vs natural stone), plant size (4L vs 100L), and how much earthwork is included. A 'cheap' quote usually uses budget materials and small plants that look sparse for years. Compare the materials list, not just the total.
Site walks and concept conversations are usually free for jobs over $3,300. A scaled drawing with plant schedule and hardscape detail takes 4-8 hours and many landscapers charge $330-1,500 for that. Worth it because the drawing becomes the contract.
For jobs over $5,500, get 2-3 quotes. Compare the plant schedule, hardscape materials, irrigation spec, and establishment guarantee. The cheapest quote often skips drainage, irrigation, or guarantee.
Most shrubs need 6 months of regular watering to establish; trees need 12-18 months. Lawn rolls knit in 4-6 weeks. Quote a maintenance plan covering at least the first 3 months so the investment does not die in summer.
Keep going
More landscaper resources
The full international pricing guide, ready-to-send templates, and the main landscapers page.
Full landscaper pricing guide
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