Updated 4 November 2026. First published 26 July 2025. 8 min read. For farmers and contractors.

Contract Harvesting Rates Australia 2026: Header, Chaser Bin and Harvest Contractor Costs

Australian Custom Harvesters' 2026 harvest rates guide lists Class 6-9 header rates from $680 to $950 per engine hour, excluding GST, with fuel supplied by the grower. Those rates are an Australia-wide benchmark valid from 1 February 2026, not a fixed quote for every paddock.

Use the figures below as a starting point for planning harvest work in NSW, QLD and other grain regions. Final quotes still depend on crop, yield, distance, field conditions, fuel terms, machine setup and whether extra gear such as chaser bins or trucks is included.

Source: Australian Custom Harvesters, Harvest Rates, checked 27 October 2026. ACH rates are suggested rates only. Always confirm GST, fuel, travel, crop condition, paddock size, levies and any minimum charges before agreeing to work.

How to Use These Contract Harvesting Rates

The ACH figures are useful because they make the quote conversation less woolly. A farmer can check whether a header quote is in the right band for the machine class. A contractor can use the same benchmark to explain why a bigger machine, longer travel, difficult crop or poor paddock conditions may cost more.

The figures should not be copied into a job ad as a guaranteed price. The real quote still needs the crop type, expected yield, paddock size, distance between blocks, unload setup, fuel arrangement, operator requirements and whether the job includes chaser bins, trucks or extra support gear.

NSW and QLD Harvest Rate Context

A northern NSW or southern QLD quote needs the actual crop, expected yield and readiness of each block. State your preferred harvest window, unloading setup and whether you need a header only, a chaser bin or grain cartage as well. Confirm how weather delays, travel and waiting time are billed rather than relying on a general planting-season forecast.

For farmers, the practical move is to share enough detail early so contractors can quote properly. For contractors, the practical move is to state whether your quote follows the ACH hourly benchmark, a tonne rate, a hectare rate, or a blended rate for the full job.

If you are still lining up operators, use the NSW and QLD harvest contractor availability guide alongside this rates page. Then check the local harvesting pages for NSW harvest contractors and QLD harvest contractors.

Per Hour, Per Hectare or Per Tonne?

Harvesting rates are often discussed per engine hour because machine time is easy to track. Farmers, though, usually want to understand the likely cost per hectare because that is easier to budget against crop area and expected return.

Ask contractors to show the assumptions behind the rate. A per hectare quote needs crop type, likely yield, paddock size, travel, unloading setup and weather risk. A per hour quote needs clarity on minimum hours, waiting time, fuel and whether chaser bin or cartage work is included.

If the quote is per tonne, check the yield assumption carefully. A tonne rate can suit good average conditions, but it can get messy when crop density, lodged areas or grain logistics change the time needed to finish the job.

Contract Harvesting Rates per Hectare: Worked Examples

Convert an hourly quote by dividing the charge per engine hour by hectares completed per engine hour over the same billing period. Do not divide by an optimistic cutting capacity if the bill also includes engine time spent unloading or waiting. Ask the contractor which hours are billable.

Header cost per hectare = hourly charge ÷ hectares completed per billed engine hour. At the ACH Class 8 benchmark of $850 per engine hour, an assumed 5 hectares per billed hour gives $170/ha. At an assumed 8 hectares per billed hour, the same header rate gives $106.25/ha.

Those work rates are arithmetic examples, not measured machinery performance or an Australian per-hectare price range. Crop, yield, paddock conditions and logistics determine your actual output. Both examples exclude GST, grower-supplied fuel, chaser bin charges, cartage and travel.

Add support equipment without counting it twice

For an illustrative 100-hectare job, assume the Class 8 header bills 20 engine hours at $850 and the chaser bin bills 20 engine hours at $300. The header costs $17,000 and the bin costs $6,000, giving $23,000 or $230/ha before GST, fuel, cartage and travel. Actual header and bin hours can differ; use each machine’s own billed hours.

If the header quote already includes a chaser bin, do not add another bin charge. Check the grain cartage rates guide for the separate transport conversation.

Convert a tonne quote using your yield assumption

Cost per hectare = quoted dollars per tonne × tonnes per hectare. An illustrative $30/t quote at 3 t/ha is $90/ha; at 5 t/ha it is $150/ha. These are calculations, not new rate recommendations. Confirm the crop and included services before comparing a tonne quote with an hourly one.

What Changes the Final Quote?

The same Class 8 header can be fairly priced in different ways depending on the job. A clean, even wheat crop with good access is not the same as a lodged crop, scattered blocks, a wet paddock edge, a long travel leg or a job where the contractor needs to bring extra staff and support machinery.

The biggest quote variables are machine class, crop condition, expected tonnes per hectare, travel, fuel, chaser bin support, grain cartage, operator hours, accommodation and whether there is a minimum call-out charge. If the price is materially above or below the ACH benchmark, the quote should explain why.

Why More Booked Hours Matter for Contractors

Header ownership has heavy fixed costs: finance, depreciation, insurance, repairs, maintenance and transport all need to be covered before there is profit. More booked hours do not make a bad rate good, but they can spread fixed costs over more work.

A contractor charging the ACH Class 7 benchmark of $780 per engine hour, ex GST with fuel supplied by the grower, still needs enough seasonal hours to cover the ownership base. That is why filling gaps between local jobs matters. It is also why farmers should expect serious contractors to ask detailed questions before quoting.

Chart: Header Economics across operating hours

Filling the Harvest Window in NSW and QLD

One practical way to add more jobs is to cover a wider region. On the east coast, harvest generally moves from Queensland into northern NSW, then further south as the season progresses. Contractors who can move between regions may be able to keep machinery working for longer, provided travel, staff and accommodation still make sense.

This is where rates and job detail need to meet. A rate that works for a local block may not cover a longer move, especially if the contractor is bringing a header, chaser bin, operator and support vehicle.

Use AgPages to Get Better Job Detail Before Quoting

AgPages helps farmers describe the job before the quote conversation starts: location, service needed, timing, crop and job notes. That makes it easier for contractors to decide whether the job fits their machinery, region and season calendar.

For farmers, that means fewer cold calls and a better chance of finding a contractor who actually services the area. For contractors, it means fewer vague leads and more job context before committing time to a quote.

Before You Lock in a Harvest Contractor

Ask what the quote includes, what it excludes and what changes the price. The most important details are GST, fuel, machine class, chaser bin support, travel, minimum hours, waiting time, crop condition and whether the contractor charges by hour, tonne, hectare or the full job.

If you are a contractor, put those details in writing. If you are a farmer, share enough job context to avoid a nasty surprise once the header is already on the road.

FAQ

What are contract harvesting rates per hectare?

Divide the hourly charge by hectares completed per billed engine hour. For example, $850 per engine hour divided by an assumed 5 hectares per billed hour is $170 per hectare for the header alone, excluding GST, fuel and support equipment. This is an arithmetic example, not a market rate.

What are contract harvesting rates in Australia in 2026?

Australian Custom Harvesters' 2026 guide lists Class 6-9 header rates from $680 to $950 per engine hour, excluding GST, with fuel supplied by the grower[5]. The guide is an Australia-wide benchmark valid from 1 February 2026. It is not a guaranteed quote for every job.

What is the 2026 contract harvesting rate in NSW?

There is no single NSW-only rate that suits every job. Use the Australian Custom Harvesters 2026 benchmark as the starting point: $680 per engine hour for a Class 6 header, $780 for Class 7, $850 for Class 8 and $950 for Class 9, ex GST with fuel supplied by the grower[5]. NSW quotes may move up or down depending on crop, region, travel and conditions.

Does the header rate include fuel?

The ACH 2026 header rates are listed with fuel supplied by the grower[5]. If a quote includes contractor-supplied fuel, ask for that to be written clearly because it changes the comparison.

What does chaser bin support cost in 2026?

Australian Custom Harvesters lists $300 per engine hour for a chaser bin, tractor and operator, excluding GST, with fuel supplied by the grower, valid from 1 February 2026[5]. Check whether the contractor's quote includes the bin, tractor, operator, fuel and travel.

Should I compare harvest quotes per hour or per hectare?

Ask contractors to explain both where possible. Per hour is useful for machine time and difficult conditions. Per hectare is easier for budgeting when crop, paddock and yield assumptions are clear.

When should farmers book harvest contractors in NSW and QLD?

Start before October where possible, especially if the job needs a header, chaser bin and grain cartage. The NSW and QLD availability guide explains what to include before posting the job.

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