Our crane hire projects
Real jobs from our crew, how we planned them and how they went on the day. First up: the morning Whitsunday Crane Hire made the Big Mango in Bowen disappear for Xero.
Making the Big Mango disappear
Bowen's Big Mango is one of Queensland's best known roadside landmarks. In February 2023 it disappeared one morning, and for a couple of weeks an inflatable half mango stood in its place.
It was a campaign for Xero with a simple message: don't pay half your bills, pay them on time and in full. Once the point was made, the real Mango went back in one piece.
Our job was the hard part. Lift a 10 metre tall, 7 to 10 tonne mango with no lift points off its base, get it under the power lines and over a fence, and hide it, without anyone seeing it coming. Then do it all again in reverse.
Read the story in Mackay and Whitsunday Life.
Our 55T Zoomlion, 20T Franna and 15T Franna.
About 10 hours to remove it and 10 to put it back, both starting early in the morning.
A five-person crew on the job, from first lift to final placement.
Slings, chains and come-alongs, set up for a load with no lift points.
Three cranes, one mango
The Mango couldn't go down on the ground, and it couldn't stay upright under the power lines. So the cranes worked together the whole way.
Lift and tip it
The 55T lifted the Mango off its base while a Franna tailed the bottom, laying it on its side so it would fit under the lines.
Walk it under the lines
Both Frannas took the load and walked the Mango, still on its side, under the power lines to the other side.
Over the fence
The 55T packed up, moved to a new spot and passed the Mango over the fence. The Frannas tailed it down and it was hidden away.
Back in full
After a couple of weeks with the inflatable half mango, we ran the whole lift in reverse and the real Mango went back on its base.
Secret, awkward and under the wires
- Keeping it secret. We couldn't tell the crew what the job was until the day, so everything was planned and checked well before anyone arrived on site.
- A load with no lift points. A giant mango isn't built to be picked up. The rigging had to hold an odd shape safely while it was tipped and turned.
- Power lines overhead. We had to make the Mango disappear without ever setting it down, and keep it clear of the lines the whole way. Read how we plan lifts near power lines.
Planning took two phone meetings with the client, a site visit and a full lift plan. The site was private property, and council approval was arranged on the Big Mango side, so the crew could focus on the lift.
Want the client's side of the story? Read what they said on our testimonials page.
More jobs coming soon
We're adding more case studies from our marine, mining, building and residential work. In the meantime, here's where to see more of what we do.
What we lift
Building and civil, marine and industrial, residential, mining, and rigging and transport.
Plan your lift
What we need from you for a quote, and how a job runs from first call to lift day.
The Whitsundays and the islands
From the Big Mango in Bowen to the resort islands, we lift across the whole Whitsunday region, plus mine sites from Coppabella to Collinsville.
Whitsunday Islands
Lifts on the resort islands.
Airlie Beach
Our home patch, close to the yard.
Proserpine to Bowen
Across the rest of the region.
Western mine sites
Mine and industrial work out west.
Talk to Lofty or Casey about your lift
Free, no-obligation quotes and on-site assessments. Call-outs 24/7, staffed yard hours Monday to Friday, 6am to 4pm.