Shipping containers for Sunshine Coast

The Sunshine Coast runs from Caloundra in the south to Noosa in the north, with the Blackall Range and the Glass House Mountains behind it. It is a region of renovators, sea-changers, small businesses and hinterland farms, and each of those groups uses a container a little differently.

Renovators, downsizers and new estates

A large share of Sunshine Coast enquiries are household jobs. People renovate older beach houses in Mooloolaba, Alexandra Headland and Coolum, move into the new estates at Aura near Caloundra, Palmview and Harmony, or downsize from acreage into something smaller. In all of those cases the container is a staging area: somewhere to hold furniture and belongings while a kitchen goes in, while the new house is finished, or while the family decides what to keep.

Hire is common for these jobs because there is a clear end date. A 20ft container holds the contents of a typical three-bedroom home if it is packed carefully, with heavy items along the floor and the load tied off so nothing shifts when the doors are opened.

Small business and surf-industry stock

The Coast has a strong small-business base, and stock storage is a constant headache. Surf and outdoor retailers, board shapers, café operators, market stallholders and tradies all end up with more gear than their premises can hold. A container in an industrial estate at Kunda Park, Warana, Noosaville or Caloundra West, or on a home block, is a cheap way to add lockable space.

Side-opening containers suit stock that moves in and out often, because you can get to the whole length of the load at once. High cubes suit anyone who wants to fit shelving or work inside.

Hinterland farms and the Blackall Range

Behind the coast, the hinterland around Maleny, Montville, Mapleton, Kenilworth, Eumundi and Yandina is farming and lifestyle country: dairy and beef on the range, macadamias, avocados and small crops lower down, and strawberry growing around Beerwah and the Glass House Mountains. Containers are used for fertiliser and chemical storage, machinery parts, packing supplies and general farm gear.

Access up here is the main thing to plan. Roads onto the Blackall Range are steep and winding, farm tracks can be soft after rain, and some driveways have tight bends or low branches. A tilt-tray can handle a surprising amount if the approach is firm and reasonably straight, but a steep, soft or narrow entry may need a different plan. Photos of the gate, the track and the set-down spot let us work it out before the truck leaves.

Humidity, rain and looking after the container

The Sunshine Coast is humid for much of the year and gets heavy summer rain, particularly in the hinterland. Containers in cargo-worthy and new grades keep the rain out from above, but condensation inside is a real issue if the box is closed up with damp contents. Dry things out before storing them, lift furniture off the floor on pallets, and use moisture absorbers or vents if you are storing for months.

Close to the beach, rinse salt off the roof and doors every so often and keep the locking gear greased. Set the container on blocks or sleepers on firm ground so air moves underneath and water drains away.

Measuring and preparing the spot

A 20ft container is about 6.1 metres long and 2.4 metres wide. Allow room in front to open the doors fully and a bit of space around the sides. Check for power lines, gutters and branches along the truck's path, and move cars and bins off the driveway on the day.

Getting a Sunshine Coast price

Tell us the suburb or town, what you are storing and how long you need it, and send a couple of photos of the access. We quote the container and freight as one delivered number, and we confirm the delivery day with you once the order is placed. If a hire makes more sense than buying, or the other way round, we will say so.

• 20ft — renovation staging, household moves, small business stock
• 40ft — farm storage and larger commercial jobs where a sidelifter can get in
• High cube — shaping bays, workshops and racking
• Dangerous goods — farm chemicals and fuel kept bunded and ventilated

Around Sunshine Coast: places we deliver

Caloundra · Pelican Waters · Kawana Waters · Buderim · Mooloolaba · Maroochydore · Kuluin · Coolum Beach · Peregian Beach · Noosa Heads · Noosaville · Tewantin · Nambour · Palmwoods · Woombye · Beerwah · Landsborough · Maleny · Montville · Eumundi · Yandina. Not on the list? Ring and ask — it's likely covered.