Gardening & grounds maintenance

Gardening and grounds maintenance in Australia: prices and rules

Updated 4 November 2026

Garden maintenance in Australia costs about A$80 to A$550 per visit, depending on the size of the garden and the work, and about A$50 to A$85 per hour per worker. The quickest way to current prices is a request on BlaBlaPrice, where you describe the garden once and the AI shows the prices and businesses it finds.

Licences and pay rules

Routine gardening does not need a specific trade licence in most states and territories. Mowing, pruning, weeding and general maintenance fall under that rule. A landscaping licence is different: one source says you need one when the work is valued over A$3,300, and paving and erecting structures need further licensing. Workers' pay rates are set by the Gardening and Landscaping Award (MA000101), so check it when you compare hourly rates.

Spring, summer and winter

Australia's seasons run the other way round from the northern hemisphere: summer is December to February and winter June to August. November is spring, when growth picks up and mowing needs rise. Book regular maintenance before the hottest months if you want the garden kept in shape through summer, and expect less demand in the cooler winter months.

How the price is quoted here

Prices come per visit, per hour per worker, or as a monthly package. Some Perth packages include one hour of gardening and are quoted including GST: the small package is A$354.50 and the medium A$569.50. Many gardeners also apply a minimum charge of about A$147 to A$180, so ask about it before you agree. Garden size is usually given in square metres, so state the area in that unit.

What to write in the request

Say what work you need, the area of the garden in square metres, the number of plants, the condition of the plot and whether green waste must be taken away. Add your suburb in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide or elsewhere, how often you want visits, the date of the first one and your budget. Gardeners who receive these details can quote per visit or per month without a long back-and-forth.

Get offers through BlaBlaPrice: describe the garden in a request, and the AI asks about anything missing, then looks through local gardeners' websites and price lists and shows the prices and businesses it found. Gardeners who receive the request reply in the chat with their own price and terms. Your contact details stay hidden until you choose to share them. For related work, see household services, or create a request on the home page.