Shipping containers for Hervey Bay

Hervey Bay is a long, flat coastal city facing the sheltered waters of the Great Sandy Strait, with K'gari just across the bay. It has a lot of retirees and people who have moved up from the south, a busy boating and tourism scene, and plenty of growing families. Container jobs here are mostly about downsizing, renovating and finding room for boats and gear.

Downsizing and moving up the coast

A lot of Hervey Bay households are in a transition: selling a family home down south or on acreage and moving into something smaller by the water, or moving into a retirement community and working out what to keep. A container gives breathing space. Everything goes in at the old place or the new one, and decisions about furniture and keepsakes can be made over months rather than on moving day.

Hire suits these jobs because the need has an end. A 20ft holds the contents of most three-bedroom homes when it is packed well: heavy furniture along the floor first, boxes stacked and tied off in sections, and a clear aisle if you will need to reach things. Our packing guide has the details.

Boats, 4WDs and K'gari trips

Boating and fishing are a big part of life on the Fraser Coast, from tinnies launched at Urangan to larger boats in the marina. Trips across to K'gari mean four-wheel-drive recovery gear, camping equipment, fridges and fuel. All of it takes up room that most houses do not have. A container on the block keeps it secure and out of the sun, and a 40ft can take a small boat on a trailer if the access allows a sidelifter.

Fuel and outboard oil should not be stored with everything else. A dangerous goods container, with ventilation and a bunded floor, is the right place for flammable liquids.

Renovations and small business

Older fibro and timber beach houses in suburbs like Pialba, Scarness and Torquay are often renovated or rebuilt, and newer estates in Eli Waters, Kawungan and Nikenbah keep growing. Renovators use containers to hold furniture and fittings, and builders use them as site lockups. Small businesses around the Esplanade and the industrial area at Urraween store stock, tourism gear and equipment.

Many retirement villages and body corporate complexes have rules about containers on common property, so check before you order if you live in one.

Sandy ground and coastal air

Much of Hervey Bay is flat and sandy, which makes access easy for a truck in most suburbs. Sand does not always give a firm base for a loaded container, though, so put pavers, concrete blocks or sleepers under the corners to spread the load and stop it settling unevenly. That also keeps the steel off damp ground.

Salt air along the Esplanade is hard on steel. Rinse the roof and doors every so often, keep hinges and locking bars greased and touch up paint chips. Humid summers mean condensation inside a closed container, so store things dry and off the floor, and use moisture absorbers for long-term storage.

Sizes that suit the Fraser Coast

• 20ft — downsizing, moves, renovations and 4WD and camping gear
• 40ft — boats on trailers, larger business stock, acreage storage
• 10ft — small blocks and units with limited space
• Side-opening — gear you want to reach from the side without unpacking
• Dangerous goods — fuel and outboard oil

Before you book

A little planning makes a Hervey Bay delivery easy. Measure the spot: a 20ft container is about 6.1 metres long and 2.4 metres wide, and you need room in front to open the doors fully. Check for overhead power lines, low branches and gutters the truck will pass under, and make sure the driveway is clear of cars on the day.

If you are moving from a retirement village or unit, or into one, talk to management first about where a container can go and for how long. When space on site is not possible, an alternative location with family or friends nearby is often the easiest answer.

How Hervey Bay is quoted

Freight to Hervey Bay is quoted with the container as one delivered price, and we plan Hervey Bay and Maryborough deliveries together on the Fraser Coast. The delivery day depends on stock and transport and is confirmed with you once the order is placed.

Around Hervey Bay: places we deliver

Pialba · Scarness · Torquay · Urangan · Point Vernon · Urraween · Kawungan · Eli Waters · Wondunna · Nikenbah · Dundowran · Dundowran Beach · Craignish · Toogoom · Burrum Heads · River Heads · Booral · Sunshine Acres. Not on the list? Ring and ask — it's likely covered.