Family-owned and run, drilling since 1978
A Far North Queensland family business with licensed drillers, our own rigs and crew, and a name built on word of mouth.
Our storyNearly five decades of drilling
Ingham Drilling has been drilling bores since 1978. The business has grown thanks to a loyal, long-standing customer base and plenty of word of mouth.
Director Norm Bliesner started in the drilling industry in 1968, as a driller's offsider with the then Irrigation and Water Supply Commission. He holds a Class 3 driller licence, and his experience underpins the business and its consulting work.
In 2005 the business moved to Cairns and added environmental drilling, bore monitoring and exploration drilling to its water bore work. Today we drill anywhere in Queensland, and in 2026 we launched the Pre-Purchase Bore Report for people buying rural land.
ADIA member. Ingham Drilling is a member of the Australian Drilling Industry Association, the national body for the drilling industry.
- 1968Norm starts drillingAs a driller's offsider with the Irrigation and Water Supply Commission
- 1978Ingham Drilling beginsWater bore drilling for local clients
- 2005Move to CairnsEnvironmental, monitoring and exploration drilling added. Jared Bliesner returns as manager
- 2026Pre-Purchase Bore ReportGroundwater reports for property buyers anywhere in Queensland
Licences & standardsQualified, trained and insured
Licensed drillers
Our drillers hold Queensland Class 2 and Class 3 driller licences.
Ongoing training
Field staff keep up their individual competencies, safe work practices, risk assessment and management training.
Paperwork done
We check approvals before we start, and complete and lodge the drilling log for every bore.
Industry member
Ingham Drilling is a member of the Australian Drilling Industry Association (ADIA).
Our fleetOur own rigs and support trucks
Three truck-mounted rigs, including a UDR650 on a Mercedes Actros and a Mobile B80 on a MAN TGM 8x4, plus support trucks with a high-capacity ELGi compressor. Every job is done with our own gear and crew.
UDR650 on a Mercedes Actros
UDR650 drill rig on a 2007 Mercedes-Benz Actros 3244, with a Cummins deck engine and down-the-hole hammer drilling.
Mobile B80 on a MAN TGM 8x4
Mobile B80 drill rig on a 2011 MAN TGM 8x4, with a separate Caterpillar deck engine.
Iveco Acco 8x4 + ELGi compressor
2013 Iveco Acco support truck carrying a 2020 ELGi high-capacity air compressor.
Also in the fleet: our long-serving Leader truck-mounted rig, Iveco Acco and Volvo supply trucks, pipe trailers, a wheel loader, a Kubota tractor and a team of utes (Mazda BT-50, Nissan Navara and Ford Ranger).
What customers sayWord of mouth since 1978
Great service. Quick response and have done a great job with our bore. Would not use anyone else.
The boys at Ingham drilling done an excellent job for me found good water for me well done boys thank u
Ready to find water?
Request a quote online in a couple of minutes, or call the office. We're on the phone Monday to Friday, 8am–5pm, and by phone or appointment on weekends.