Australia-wide; location varies
Programmed
Search staffing, trades and operational positions by location. Ask specifically about assistant duties and casual availability.
AUSTRALIA · JOB GUIDE
Yard hand & materials handling jobs in Australia
Yard hands help organise materials, prepare orders, keep loading areas clear and assist with deliveries. Work may be at a building supplier, equipment-hire yard or industrial depot rather than on a construction project.
Illustrative photo
This could suit you if…
You enjoy organising equipment and materials and keeping a practical workplace running.
The trade-offs
Outdoor conditions, manual handling and moving vehicles need constant attention. Driving and forklift tasks may require licences beyond the general role.
What does the work involve?
You might prepare orders, sort returns, check quantities and keep loading areas clear at a supplier, hire depot or industrial yard.
The role can include cleaning returned equipment and reporting damage. Handling stock accurately helps the next person dispatch the right item.
Will it fit my trip?
Yards can start before nearby shops or public transport. Confirm the entrance and staff parking or bus route rather than relying on the business’s customer address.
Ask whether the work is mostly outdoors, what heavy items are handled and which aids are provided. Do not use unfamiliar hire machinery merely because it has been returned to your work area.
What do I need before applying?
General yard work can include organising stock, cleaning equipment and preparing orders. Forklift operation is a separate licensed duty; it is not automatically part of every yard-hand job.
Loading procedures, pedestrian routes and returned hire equipment require workplace induction. Construction induction applies where the duties involve construction work.
Which training is worth doing?
Site handling and equipment induction
Workplace induction covers lifting aids, safe handling, equipment and the work sequence on that site. A general manual-handling course does not teach you how to operate each workplace’s equipment.
Forklift licence boundary
Check whether the job includes operating a forklift or only preparing stock. The regulator explains the licence classes and site training.
Pinnacle Safety and Training — forklift LF, Melbourne
LF training and assessment in Port Melbourne or Braeside, with pre-course study. Passing the assessment is followed by a separate high-risk work licence application. The booking page lists available sessions and their fees.
View course and booking details
Pinnacle’s Melbourne LF course covers TLILIC0003 over two days plus about three hours of pre-course study, at Port Melbourne or Braeside. Minimum age is 18; physical photo ID and assessment in English are required. A current tuition price was not available to verify; the licence application is separate. Checked 23 October 2026.
Companies and application routes
Find employers and recruitment contacts below.
Greater Sydney
LEAP Labour
Construction and warehouse registration route. Explain your duties, experience and travel limits.
Coates
Equipment-hire branches recruit for yard, customer service, equipment preparation and delivery work. Filter operational roles by the branch you can reach.
Kennards Hire
Hire-branch work includes customer service and equipment maintenance. Its careers page links current opportunities and accepts recruitment enquiries.
How do I put together a good application?
Search yard hand, depot assistant, hire-yard assistant and materials handler. Read whether customer service or mechanical experience is expected.
Include stock counting, loading, cleaning, practical work and customer interaction on your CV. List vehicle licences accurately and explain how you will reach the depot.
How much does it pay?
For a yardperson employed in road transport and covered by the Road Transport and Distribution Award, Grade 1 adult casual day-work rates are:
| Role / shift | Hourly pay |
|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | $33.59 |
| Saturday | $47.02 |
| Sunday | $60.46 |
Rates effective 1 July 2026, before tax and excluding super; casual loading included. This transport-yard classification does not automatically cover hire shops, timber mills or building suppliers.
Moving heavy trucks, operating forklifts and working as a general yardperson are different roles. The licence and actual duties can put the job on a different scale.
Sources and further reading
Site handling and equipment induction
Fair Work: find the applicable award
Pinnacle Safety and Training — forklift LF, Melbourne
Sources checked 17 October 2026.