FlowState Logistics moves shipping containers to Cairns, Townsville and Mackay by rail from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. One coordinator in Brisbane books the rail and the local carriers in North Queensland, and stays with the job until the container is on the ground.
Prices to Cairns, Townsville and Mackay
To Cairns, inc GST, your own container
| From | 20ft empty or up to 5 t | 20ft 5 to 10 t | 40ft empty or up to 10 t |
| Brisbane | from $3,910 | from $4,160 | from $7,130 |
| Sydney | from $5,690 | from $5,760 | from $9,840 |
| Melbourne | from $6,770 | from $7,140 | from $11,170 |
| Adelaide | from $6,830 | from $7,170 | from $11,660 |
| Perth | from $7,820 | from $7,820 | from $12,790 |
To Townsville, inc GST, your own container
| From | 20ft empty or up to 5 t | 20ft 5 to 10 t | 40ft empty or up to 10 t |
| Brisbane | from $3,760 | from $3,990 | from $5,610 |
| Sydney | from $5,540 | from $5,600 | from $8,320 |
| Melbourne | from $6,070 | from $6,420 | from $9,100 |
| Adelaide | from $6,130 | from $6,450 | from $9,590 |
| Perth | from $7,680 | from $7,680 | from $11,270 |
To Mackay, inc GST, your own container
| From | 20ft empty or up to 5 t | 20ft 5 to 10 t | 40ft empty or up to 10 t |
| Brisbane | from $2,950 | from $3,170 | from $4,720 |
| Sydney | from $4,950 | from $5,010 | from $7,660 |
| Melbourne | from $5,480 | from $5,820 | from $8,440 |
| Adelaide | from $5,550 | from $5,850 | from $8,930 |
| Perth | from $7,090 | from $7,090 | from $10,600 |
Leaving North Queensland? From Cairns, Townsville or Mackay to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide or Perth, use the calculator for your suburbs. It prices those lanes too.
The prices shown are indicative, inc GST, for your own container, written from our live calculator on 2 October 2026. "From" is the lowest price across our sample suburbs in each city. Your own price depends on your two addresses, the weight and the access, and the calculator shows the range for your suburbs.
These tables cover the lanes from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. For another town, or a move inside North Queensland, try the calculator, and if it cannot price the route online we will price it by hand within one business day.
Rail up the coast
Containers for Mackay, Townsville and Cairns travel by rail. Townsville freight arrives at the Stuart terminal and Mackay freight at Paget, and a local truck takes the container on to your site. A container on rail must have a current CSC plate. The plate is usually on the left hand door, and a photo is enough for us to check it. Without a current plate the container needs a survey first, which costs extra and which we can organise. See rail and the CSC plate.
Containers in North Queensland
If you need a container as well as the move, containers to buy and keep in North Queensland are arranged on request. See containers for sale.
Your suburbs, your price
Use the calculator with both suburbs, the size and the weight band. The estimate appears straight away and is confirmed by email within one business day. How the whole move is put together is on our interstate container transport page.
North Queensland by rail, priced now
Instant price for a 20ft or 40ft to Cairns, Townsville or Mackay from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide or Perth, confirmed within one business day.