Know the water before you buy
A pre-purchase bore report built from every registered bore and Queensland Government water record around the property, then reviewed by an experienced driller. You'll know how deep bores go, how much water they find and what it's like before you sign.
Book and pay online through our secure ServiceM8 booking page.
Why it mattersOn a rural block, the bore is often the water supply
Once you've settled, you're stuck with whatever water is under the ground. The records that tell you what to expect are public, but they're spread across several government systems and written in drillers' shorthand. We pull them together and explain what they mean for the block you're looking at.
Ground changes block to block
Depth, yield and water quality depend on the rock under the property. In our sample area, bores in one rock type had a median yield of 10 L/s, and bores in another had 0.6 L/s, all within 5 km.
A bore is a big cost
Knowing the likely depth and yield up front helps you budget for drilling, casing, a pump and tanks, and gives you something solid to weigh against the asking price.
Water quality isn't guaranteed
Some bores strike hard, salty or mineral-rich water. The report flags what nearby bores recorded and compares lab results against the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
The rules vary by location
Water plans and management areas decide whether you need a licence or permit. The report shows which rules apply at the property's address.
What's in the reportEvery registered bore, read and explained
We start from the property's address and lot on plan, read every registered bore within 5 km and the full government bore report for each one, and add the geology, monitoring records, rainfall and water rules. The Pre-Purchase Bore Report includes:
- Water outlook scorecardChance of finding water, likely yield, depth, water level, quality and rules, each rated
- Property and bore mapsLot boundary, bores within about 600 m, and every bore within 5 km on the geology map
- Nearest bores in detailDepth, yield, water level and what the driller logged going down
- Depth, yield and water levelCharts and statistics within 1, 2 and 5 km
- Geology and bore profilesThe rock under the block and the strata logs of the nearest bores
- Water levels over timeGovernment monitoring bores near the property, with long-term trends
- Water qualitySalinity and lab results compared with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines
- Rainfall and climateRainfall records back to 1889 from the SILO climate database
- Water rules and next stepsWater plan, licence needs, an indicative drilling cost range and our recommendations
Images are from our sample report for a demonstration address in Yungaburra. Data: Queensland groundwater database, Geological Survey of Queensland, QSpatial and SILO (CC BY 4.0).
PricingChoose your report
One-off price, paid online when you order. All prices include GST.
Bore Snapshot
- Map of registered bores within 5 km
- Typical depth, yield and water level nearby
- Water outlook rating
- Water rules for a household bore
- PDF emailed within 2–3 business days
Pre-Purchase Bore Report
- Everything in the Snapshot
- Full government bore report read for every bore within 5 km
- Geology, bore profiles and aquifer notes
- Water level trends and water quality
- Rainfall records back to 1889
- Indicative drilling cost range and next steps
- Reviewed by an experienced driller
Report fee credited if we drill your bore
Buy the property and book Ingham Drilling to drill your bore within 3 months of the report date, and we'll credit the full report fee toward the drilling price.
How it worksFour steps, mostly online
Order and pay online
Enter the property address and pick your report on our secure booking form. Pay by card when you order.
We pull the records
We find the lot on plan, then every registered bore and the government geology, monitoring, rainfall and water-rule records around it.
A driller reviews it
An experienced driller checks the figures, reads the bore logs and writes up what they mean for this block.
Report emailed to you
Your PDF report is emailed within 2–3 business days of ordering.
Free sampleSee exactly what you'll get
Download our full sample report for a demonstration address in Yungaburra on the Atherton Tablelands, built from live public data.
- 15 pages, with maps, charts and tables
- 243 registered bores reviewed within 5 km
- Water outlook scorecard and key findings up front
- Plain-English explanations throughout
FAQCommon questions
What is a pre-purchase bore report?
It's a desktop review of the public groundwater records around a property you're thinking of buying. We read every registered bore nearby, the geology, government water-level monitoring, water quality records, rainfall and water rules, and an experienced driller explains what it all means for getting water on that block.
What isn't it?
- It isn't a guarantee that you'll find water, or of how much or what quality.
- It isn't a hydrogeological or engineering assessment.
- It isn't a quote for drilling. Cost ranges are a guide only.
- It isn't a water test, a licence or permit approval, or a building inspection.
Can you guarantee there's water on the property?
No. Nobody can know for sure until a bore is drilled. The report shows what bores around the property have found, which is the best evidence available before you drill. Failed holes are rarely registered, so we point out where the records might look better than reality.
Which areas do you cover?
All of Queensland. The government records we use cover the whole state. In remote areas with few registered bores, the report will say so, so you know how much weight to put on it.
How long does it take?
Reports are emailed within 2–3 business days of ordering.
What do I need to give you?
The property address, or the lot on plan if it doesn't have a street address yet, plus your name and email. The desktop reports use public records, so you don't need access to the property.
Can I get a refund?
Yes, a full refund if you cancel before we start the records search. Once the search is underway or the report has been delivered, the fee isn't refundable. This doesn't affect your rights under Australian Consumer Law.
Looking at a property right now?
Book and pay online in a few minutes, or call the office on 07 4222 6666.
Important information
Pre-Purchase Bore Reports are a desktop review of publicly available Queensland Government records and our interpretation of them. They're a guide only. They aren't a guarantee of groundwater quantity or quality, a drilling quote, or a hydrogeological or engineering assessment. Public records can be incomplete or out of date. Data includes the Queensland groundwater database, Geological Survey of Queensland mapping, QSpatial and SILO climate data, used under CC BY 4.0.