How much does landscaping cost in Cairns?
In Cairns, earthworks, retaining and hard surfaces cost more than plants and turf. The weather sets the calendar: Cairns Aero averages 436.1 mm in February but only 26.9 mm in August (BOM). Planting and turf take best when the weather is mild and moist. The table below prices 17 landscaping jobs for Cairns, with low, typical and high figures, followed by local notes on timing, rules and suburbs.
Comparing cities, or after the Australia-wide picture? See the national guide: Landscaping cost in Australia.
Detailed Pricing — Landscaping Cost in Cairns 2026
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaper (hourly rate) | $59/hr | $86 | $120 |
| Garden design / plan | $865per plan | $2,150 | $5,400 |
| Natural turf — supply & lay | $16/sqm | $30 | $43 |
| Synthetic turf — supply & install | $54/sqm | $81 | $130 |
| Retaining wall (timber sleeper) | $160/sqm | $325 | $540 |
| Retaining wall (concrete sleeper) | $270/sqm | $485 | $755 |
| Garden bed, new (soil prep, edging, plants + mulch) | $54/sqm | $110 | $195 |
| Irrigation system (automatic, multi-zone, front & back) | $2,700total | $4,325 | $6,500 |
| Paving / pavers | $65/sqm | $110 | $175 |
| Decking (hardwood) | $325/sqm | $540 | $650 |
| Basic backyard makeover | $5,400total | $10,800 | $16,200 |
| Full landscape (new home) | $16,200total | $43,200 | $64,800 |
| Irrigation — drip system, single zone for garden beds (incl. tap timer) | $865total | $1,500 | $2,375 |
| Bobcat or mini excavator with operator (per hour) | $97/hr | $120 | $175 |
| Green waste removal (one trailer or ute load) | $130total | $205 | $345 |
| Mulch, supplied and spread (per sqm, about 75 mm) | $9/sqm | $15 | $26 |
| Garden soil / topsoil, supplied and delivered (per cubic metre) | $76per cubic metre | $110 | $160 |
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Get Cairns quotes →Prices include GST. Based on Cairns metro area, October 2026. Outer suburbs may vary.
How Landscaping Costs Vary Across Cairns
Landscaping in Cairns is priced as one city range. Natural turf is $16–$43 per sqm and synthetic $54–$130; retaining in timber sleepers $160–$540. 72.3% of Cairns Aero’s annual rain falls from December to March (Bureau of Meteorology), so plant and lay turf with the wet season in mind.
Landscaping in Cairns: comparing the common jobs
Landscaper (hourly rate) or garden design / plan
Our Cairns table lists landscaper (hourly rate) at $59–$120 an hour and garden design / plan at $865–$5,400 per plan; they are priced on different units, so compare each against its own quote line.
Natural turf — supply & lay or synthetic turf — supply & install
Natural turf — supply & lay runs $16–$43 a square metre in our Cairns table and synthetic turf — supply & install $54–$130 a square metre. On typical prices, synthetic turf — supply & install is $51 dearer.
Retaining wall (timber sleeper) or retaining wall (concrete sleeper)
Retaining wall (timber sleeper) runs $160–$540 a square metre in our Cairns table and retaining wall (concrete sleeper) $270–$755 a square metre. On typical prices, retaining wall (concrete sleeper) is $160 dearer.
Figures are this page's table rows for Cairns.
What Affects Landscaping Costs in Cairns
Wet season scheduling
Cairns Aero records 2,019.1 mm of rain in an average year, and the bulk of it lands from January to March: 404.8 mm, 436.1 mm and 424.3 mm (BOM, Cairns Aero). By August the monthly average is down to 26.9 mm. Landscaping that needs dry ground or dry surfaces is easiest to schedule from June to October; in the wet, ask the landscaper how rain days are handled before you sign.
Heat that barely lets up
December and January average a 31.5 °C maximum and even July nights hold at 17.2 °C (BOM, Cairns Aero). That keeps landscaping in demand almost all year, so the practical saving is in timing: book well before the hottest stretch, and ask whether the price changes if the job slips into it.
Cairns watering rules
Permanent water conservation measures apply across Cairns: odd-numbered houses water on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and even-numbered houses on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, from 5 to 9 am and 5 to 9 pm, with no sprinklers on Mondays (Cairns Regional Council). Plan new turf and planting around those days.
What Cairns homes look like
Separate houses make up 71.0% of occupied Cairns dwellings, below the 74.8% across Queensland, while flats and apartments are 17.0%, well above the state's 12.5% (ABS 2021 Census). Apartment jobs bring body-corporate rules, lifts and parking into the price; a house brings yards, roof space and longer runs.
How to Save Money on Landscaping Cost in Cairns
Frequently Asked Questions — Landscaping Cost in Cairns
Our Methodology
These are independent estimates from public cost guides, marketplaces and industry rate data, and no tradesperson can influence them, so always get a few quotes. Last reviewed October 2026. Read our full methodology →