What does landscaping & gardening cost in Australia?
Landscaping & Gardening work typically costs between $15 and $80,000 in Australia in 2026, across 16 common kinds of job. Below: the price of each, how it changes by state, and the licence, wage and compliance rules that set the floor.
Reviewed September 2026 by the Blue Collar News Services editorial team. 7 sources are linked on this page, all government, standards or industry bodies. Indicative prices, not quotes, and not legal advice. How we research prices
Landscaping & Gardening prices by job
Typical GST-inclusive ranges for a standard residential job. Each link opens the full guide for that job.
| Job | Typical range | Priced |
|---|---|---|
| Arborist Reports & Care | $250–$900 | per job |
| Automatic Gate Installation 24/7 | $1,500–$8,000 | per job |
| Fencing Installation | $80–$350 | per m² |
| Garden Maintenance | $50–$90 | per hour |
| Hedge Trimming | $80–$600 | per job |
| Irrigation & Sprinkler Installation | $800–$5,000 | per job |
| Landscape Design & Construction | $5,000–$80,000 | per job |
| Lawn Mowing | $40–$120 | per job |
| Pool Fencing & Compliance | $1,500–$8,000 | per job |
| Pool Maintenance & Cleaning | $60–$200 | per job |
| Retaining Walls | $150–$600 | per m² |
| Stump Grinding & Removal | $100–$800 | per job |
| Synthetic Turf Installation | $60–$120 | per m² |
| Tree Lopping & Pruning | $200–$2,000 | per job |
| Tree Removal 24/7 | $300–$5,000 | per job |
| Turf Laying | $15–$40 | per m² |
What sets landscaping & gardening prices in Australia
The rules and figures behind the numbers, each with its source. Checked September 2026; rules and award rates change, so confirm with the authority before relying on one.
In NSW structural landscaping worth more than $5,000 in labour and materials including GST needs a contractor licence. The class covers retaining walls, fencing, driveways, paths and paving, cabanas, pergolas, decks, ornamental ponds and water features; soft landscaping is not listed.
Source: nsw.gov.au
In Queensland the QBCC Structural landscaping (trade) licence covers decking, fences, pergolas, gazebos and retaining walls not needing engineering certification under a local law, sheds up to 10 m2 with slabs, drainage, and paving or concrete not intended for vehicles.
Source: qbcc.qld.gov.au
In Victoria landscaping, paving, retaining structures, driveways and fencing done with home work count as domestic building work, so a job over $10,000 needs a major domestic building contract. Planting a lawn on its own is generally not domestic building work.
Source: consumer.vic.gov.au
In Queensland a retaining wall up to 1 m high does not need building approval if no load such as a building or driveway sits above it, and a fence up to 2 m high (not pool fencing) is also exempt. Higher walls or loaded walls need approval, which adds engineering and certifier costs.
Source: business.qld.gov.au
In NSW the 10/50 Vegetation Clearing scheme lets a landowner in a designated entitlement area remove trees within 10 m of a home and shrubs (not trees) within 50 m without council approval, subject to the Code of Practice; outside those areas a council permit is usually needed.
Source: rfs.nsw.gov.au
Under the Gardening and Landscaping Services Award (MA000101), from 1 July 2026 the minimum hourly rate is $25.74 at Introductory level, $26.44 at Level 1 and $28.28 at Level 3, with casuals at Level 1 on $33.05 an hour (pay guide published 28 August 2026).
Source: calculate.fairwork.gov.au
There is no ABS producer price series for landscaping inputs; the closest official measure, input prices to house construction (timber, concrete, metal products and other materials), rose 3.8 per cent over the year to the June quarter 2026 and 2.1 per cent in the quarter.
Source: abs.gov.au
Landscaping & Gardening cost by state
The trade’s cheapest and dearest job, adjusted for each capital city. Regional prices can sit outside these.
| State | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | $15–$92,000 |
| Victoria | $15–$89,600 |
| Queensland | $15–$84,000 |
| Western Australia | $15–$88,000 |
| South Australia | $15–$78,400 |
| Tasmania | $15–$81,600 |
| Northern Territory | $15–$89,600 |
| Australian Capital Territory | $15–$86,400 |
How we work these prices out
The ranges are indicative, not quotes. They reflect the spread of prices Australian businesses typically quote for each job in capital cities, reviewed September 2026, GST-inclusive, for a standard residential job with reasonable access. The state table applies a cost index for each capital to the national range. Where a rule or rate is stated above, it comes from the source shown; we do not copy figures from other quote websites.
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FAQs
Why do landscaping & gardening prices vary so much between jobs?
The range on this page covers 16 different kinds of landscaping & gardening work, from small repairs to large installations, so the spread is wide. Within one job the price moves with size, access, materials and urgency. A tradie who has seen the job can quote it; a page cannot.
Do these prices include GST?
Yes. Every figure here is GST-inclusive and assumes a standard residential job with reasonable access. A written quote from a licensed business must also show whether GST is included.
Why is landscaping & gardening dearer in some states?
Labour rates, licence requirements, insurance thresholds and the cost of getting materials to site all differ by state, and metro rates run above regional ones. The state table applies a cost index for each capital city to the national range; regional prices can sit outside it.
How do I get an exact price?
Get two or three written quotes from licensed local businesses and compare them like for like. You can do that here for free: tell us the job and independent landscaping & gardening businesses covering your area come back to you with quotes.
Sources
Every rule and rate on this page comes from one of these. Checked September 2026. We link the page we read, not a homepage, so you can see the figure yourself.
- nsw.gov.au/business-and-economy/licences-and-credentials/building-and-trade-licences-and-registrations/structural-landscaping-work
- qbcc.qld.gov.au/licences/apply-licence/available-licences/other-trade/structural-landscaping-trade
- consumer.vic.gov.au/licensing-and-registration/builders-and-tradespeople/running-your-business/domestic-building-contracts/what-work-requires-a-building-contract
- business.qld.gov.au/industries/building-property-development/building-construction/approvals-inspections/when-not-needed
- rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare/1050-vegetation-clearing
- calculate.fairwork.gov.au/Download/AwardSummary?awardCode=ma000101&fileType=pdf
- abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation/producer-price-indexes-australia/latest-release