Bore drillers' licences
Queensland is part of a national licensing system for water bore drillers that aims to protect groundwater resources while ensuring that all drillers are properly skilled and that their work meets minimum construction standards. As the state licensing system is based on the national system, Queensland drillers should find it relatively easy to obtain licences to work in other parts of Australia.
The legislation empowers the department to authorise water bores and license water bore drillers to ensure that:
- only those drillers who meet the required standard are licensed
- drillers’ work is monitored to check that they continue to meet this standard.
For this to work, landholders must ensure they employ only licensed drillers who do work that meets, or is better than, the minimum standards.
Expecting a driller to construct a bore that does not meet the minimum requirements is unfair, as this puts them in breach of their licence, without which they cannot legally operate.
Finding a licensed driller
The department maintains a public register (PDF, 38K)* of licensed water bore drillers, which you can consult to find one in your area.
The register details only those Queensland licensed drillers who have elected to be included.
This extract of the register is generally updated annually. For more recent information please contact:
Principal Technical Officer (Drilling)
Phone (07) 4048 4875.
Applying for a drillers' licence
To help applicants for a drillers' licence, the department has prepared a kit which consists of:
- an application form for a water bore drillers' licence
- Water Act 2000 examination and notes
- enrolment forms for ADITC examinations
- a copy of the Water bore drillers licensing handbook
- copies of water bore construction standards
- an explanation of the required fees and application process.
Email the Drillers Licensing office in Mareeba or phone (07) 4048 4875 if you would like a kit or any driller's licence application forms sent to you.
Please provide:
- your name
- postal address
- telephone contact
- details of what you are interested in (e.g new licence, amended licence, renewing an existing licence).
Licensing handbook
The Queensland Water Bore Drillers’ Licensing Handbook (PDF, 151K)* explains:
- the licensing system
- how it applies to different types of water bores
- what drillers have to do to obtain or upgrade licences.
* Requires Acrobat Reader
Last updated: 10 June 2009