What is a forestry contractor?

Under the Owner Drivers and Forestry Contractors Act 2005 a forestry contractor is:

• someone that runs a business to harvest forest products using motorised equipment that they supply
• someone that runs a business to transport forest products. They supply the vehicles and operate at least one of them

The Act applies to contractors, not employees.

A forestry contractor can be a natural person, company (except a publicly listed company) or partnership.

Information booklet for forestry contractors

The Victorian Forestry Contractors Information Booklet is a practical resource to help forestry contractors to successfully operate a business. It covers:

• rights and obligations under the Owner Driver and Forestry Contractors Act 2005 and the Owner Drivers and Forestry Contractors Code of Practice
• the role of Wage Inspectorate Victoria (WIV) as regulator
• guidance for running a successful small business
• other laws and regulations that apply to forestry

Hirers and freight brokers are required to give a forestry contractor a copy of the information booklet prior to hiring them in certain circumstances.

An updated version of the information booklet was published in February 2022 incorporating recent changes to the Act. These changes introduce penalties for hirers of contractors in the Victorian transport or forestry sector, who fail to comply with key provisions of the Act and outlining the role of Wage Inspectorate Victoria as the regulator of the Act.

Download a copy of the information booklet:

• Victorian Forestry Contractors Information Booklet (PDF 474.63 KB)
• Victorian Forestry Contractors Information Booklet | accessible version (DOCX 182.96 KB)

Understanding your business costs

Our forestry rates and costs schedules outline the typical operating costs of a forestry contractor business based on the type of vehicle or forestry equipment you operate. The schedules aim to help you to better understand your cost structures, and how increases and decreases in different cost items can affect profits.

In certain circumstances, hirers and freight brokers are required to give forestry contractors copies of the rates and costs schedule that relates to their vehicle or equipment.

Using written contracts

As a contractor, you have a right to require a written contract for ongoing engagements of no fixed duration or for a period of 30 days or more. The written contract must specify the minimum hours of work or income level you will receive and the rates to be paid. It should also state the minimum amount of notice to be given if the contract is terminated (this applies to engagements that are longer than 3 months).