What landscaping costs in the City of Melton
Updated November 2026
These are guide ranges from 2026 national cost guides, with Melbourne pages used for retaining walls, shown ex GST. The source figures included GST and are not quotes from City of Melton landscapers. The landscaper's written quote is the price that counts, so confirm the GST position on it. Use the ranges to check a quote is in the right territory, then compare quotes on what they include.
Rates
- Landscaper, per hour: about $50 to $100. Most landscapers quote per project rather than hourly.
- Labourer, per hour: about $45 to $75
- Bobcat or mini excavator with operator, per hour: about $80 to $145
- Garden design or plan: about $725 to $4,550
Per square metre
- Natural turf, supply and lay: about $14 to $36
- Synthetic turf, supply and install: about $45 to $110
- Paving: about $55 to $145, with natural stone at the top of the range and above
- Hardwood decking: about $275 to $545
- New garden bed with soil, edging, plants and mulch: about $45 to $165
Retaining walls, per lineal metre
Walls are quoted per lineal metre at a stated height. These Melbourne guide figures are for a wall about 1 m high. A taller wall, or one carrying a load, is a different job and a different price.
- Timber sleeper: about $190 to $425
- Concrete sleeper: about $235 to $575
- Block: about $285 to $720
- Sandstone, including footings: about $320 to $635
Irrigation
- Single-zone drip irrigation for garden beds: about $725 to $2,000
- Automatic multi-zone system, front and back: about $2,275 to $5,450
Whole yards
These are the least certain figures on the page, because every yard is different.
- A basic backyard makeover: about $4,550 to $13,650
- Full landscaping for a new home: about $13,650 to $54,550
- Premium outdoor living: from about $36,350 to $90,900 and beyond
What moves the price in the City of Melton
Bare lots on new estates. On the western growth front a yard often starts from compacted fill and builder's rubble. Clearing, soil preparation and spoil removal are real cost lines, so check they are in the quote.
Clay that moves. Engineers describe the basalt clays of Melbourne's west as shrinking and swelling with the seasons. Paving bases, wall footings and drainage are where that is managed, and they are worth paying for.
Rock and excavation. Rock turning up in a dig slows the work and can change the price. Ask how the quote handles it.
Slope and walls. A cut or sloping lot may need retaining. Height, what the wall carries, engineering and any building permit all move the number.
Estate guidelines. Some developments have a Housing Design Guideline endorsed under the planning scheme. Check whether yours says anything about front gardens, fences or driveways before you settle on a design.
Access. Narrow side setbacks on new lots mean barrows instead of a bobcat, which costs time.
Materials and plant size. Natural stone against pavers, hardwood against composite, advanced trees against tube stock.
Registration and insurance. Structural landscaping under a domestic building contract worth more than $10,000 must be done by a practitioner registered with the Building and Plumbing Commission. For contracts from 1 July 2026, Victoria's home warranty insurance generally applies to eligible domestic building work valued at more than $20,000. Ask whether your job needs either.
Comparing quotes
Put the quotes side by side and compare what is structural and what is soft, the base and drainage under paving and behind walls, plant sizes, soil preparation, irrigation, spoil removal, and who handles any permit. The cheapest quote often leaves one of those out.
Frequently asked questions
Do these prices include GST?
No. The source guides quoted prices including GST, and they have been converted to ex GST here. Confirm the GST position on each written quote.
Are these Melton prices?
No. They are national 2026 guide ranges, with Melbourne figures for retaining walls. They have not been checked against quotes from City of Melton landscapers.
Why is a full new-home yard such a wide range?
Because it can mean turf and a few garden beds, or retaining walls, paving, a deck, irrigation and established plants. Ask for an itemised quote so you can see where the money goes.
Does a landscaper need to be registered?
Not for planting, turf or garden maintenance. For structural work such as walls, paving and decks, a domestic building contract worth more than $10,000 must be carried out by a practitioner registered with the Building and Plumbing Commission.