How much does lawn mowing cost in Cairns?
In Cairns, block size, slope, edging and green-waste removal set the price. The weather sets the calendar: Cairns Aero averages 436.1 mm in February but only 26.9 mm in August (BOM). Growth speeds up sharply in the warm months. The table below prices 13 lawn mowing 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: Lawn mowing cost in Australia.
Detailed Pricing — Lawn Mowing Cost in Cairns 2026
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small lawn up to 100sqm | $49per visit | $65 | $110 |
| Medium lawn 100–250sqm | $70per visit | $110 | $160 |
| Large lawn 250–500sqm | $97per visit | $150 | $225 |
| Extra-large lawn 500sqm+ | $150per visit | $215 | $380 |
| Edging & trimming (add-on, when not included in the mow) | $22add-on | $27 | $54 |
| Hedge trimming (small hedge) | $65per job | $110 | $195 |
| Garden clean-up (half day) | $160per visit | $270 | $430 |
| Garden clean-up (full day) | $300per day | $485 | $755 |
| Weed removal (hourly) | $54/hr | $70 | $97 |
| Lawn aeration (lawn up to about 150 m²) | $86per job | $160 | $270 |
| Turf laying (per sqm) | $16/sqm | $27 | $43 |
| Fortnightly maintenance plan (medium) | $65per visit | $81 | $130 |
| Gardener hourly rate | $49/hr | $70 | $110 |
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Get Cairns quotes →Prices include GST. Based on Cairns metro area, October 2026. Outer suburbs may vary.
What to Know About Lawn Mowing Work and Cost in Cairns
Greater Cairns is home to 153,425 people (ABS 2021 Census), strung along the coast from Palm Cove and the northern beaches through the city and Edge Hill to the southern estates at Mount Sheridan, Bentley Park and Edmonton. A lawn mowing contractor working the whole area spends real time on the Captain Cook Highway and the Bruce Highway, so ask whether travel is charged.
The calendar is tropical. Cairns Aero averages 2,019.1 mm a year, with 436.1 mm in February and 26.9 mm in August (BOM), and the cyclone season runs from November to April (QRA). Planned lawn mowing goes best in the dry; storm and emergency work takes priority in the wet.
Rules sit with Cairns Regional Council and the State: CairnsPlan 2016 overlays (flood, coastal, bushfire, acid sulfate) can apply to a lot, and the Property Report tool shows which. Ask the lawn mowing contractor who handles any permit and whether it is in the price.
Lawn mowing in Cairns: comparing the common jobs
Small lawn up to 100sqm or medium lawn 100–250sqm
Small lawn up to 100sqm runs $49–$110 per visit in our Cairns table and medium lawn 100–250sqm $70–$160 per visit. On typical prices, medium lawn 100–250sqm is $45 dearer.
Large lawn 250–500sqm or extra-large lawn 500sqm+
Large lawn 250–500sqm runs $97–$225 per visit in our Cairns table and extra-large lawn 500sqm+ $150–$380 per visit. On typical prices, extra-large lawn 500sqm+ is $65 dearer.
Edging & trimming (add-on, when not included in the mow) or hedge trimming (small hedge)
Our Cairns table lists edging & trimming (add-on, when not included in the mow) at $22–$54 add-on and hedge trimming (small hedge) at $65–$195 per job; they are priced on different units, so compare each against its own quote line.
Figures are this page's table rows for Cairns.
What Affects Lawn Mowing 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. Lawn mowing that needs dry ground or dry surfaces is easiest to schedule from June to October; in the wet, ask the lawn mowing contractor 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 lawn mowing 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 Lawn Mowing Cost in Cairns
- Book outdoor lawn mowing for June to October, when Cairns Aero averages under 50 mm a month, rather than January to March.
- Get lawn mowing sorted before December; Cairns maximums average 31.5 °C from then into January.
- Water new turf and plants on your allowed days: odd numbers Tue/Thu/Sat, even numbers Wed/Fri/Sun.
- In an apartment, check body-corporate rules, parking and lift bookings before the lawn mowing contractor arrives.
- Get three written quotes with the same scope, so the Cairns prices line up item by item.
- Ask what the quote leaves out: call-out, disposal, travel past the northern beaches or south of Edmonton.
Frequently Asked Questions — Lawn Mowing 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 →