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Accountants for Mining Services Businesses

Acctivate helps established Australian businesses understand where profit and cash are moving, prepare for larger financial commitments and test important decisions before money is committed. We provide accounting for growing businesses that need clearer reporting, forward tax planning and support that keeps pace with a more complex operation.
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  • Strong Contracts Do Not Always Produce Strong Cash Flow

A large contract can increase revenue while equipment, labour, mobilisation, accommodation and slow customer payments absorb more of the return than expected.

Accounting Experience Behind the Advice

Acctivate combines qualified accountants, registered tax-agent services and commercial experience supporting established Australian businesses with complex costs, cash flow and reporting needs.
2025 Accounting Consultant of the Year

Elle Green was named Accounting Consultant of the Year at the 2025 Women in Finance Awards.

Chartered Accountants

Acctivate is led by Chartered Accountants Elle Green and Simon Burke, each with more than a decade of accounting and advisory experience.

Registered Tax Agents

Acctivate provides registered tax-agent services under the professional obligations of the Tax Agent Services Act.

Recommended by Business Owners

Acctivate is rated 5/5 from more than 150 client reviews.

Accounting That Reflects How Mining Services Businesses Operate

Understand Contract Margins

Measure revenue against labour, subcontractors, equipment, travel, accommodation, mobilisation and site overheads to see what each contract contributes.

Manage Equipment Commitments

Assess the full cost of financing, operating, maintaining and replacing equipment before expanding the fleet or accepting asset-intensive work.

Control Remote Workforce Costs

Account for wages, allowances, travel, accommodation, payroll obligations and roster-related costs when pricing and reviewing site work.

Protect Working Capital

Forecast the gap between paying employees, suppliers and lenders and receiving approved payments from a small number of major clients.
  • A BUSY FLEET CAN LOOK HEALTHY BEFORE IT FEELS HEALTHY
Revenue may be increasing while vehicle margins are going backwards.
A transport business can be operating at full capacity and still feel constant pressure on cash. Driver wages, fuel, finance, maintenance, tolls and insurance are often paid before customer invoices are collected. Additional contracts can lift turnover while weaker pricing, empty kilometres or underused vehicles reduce the return. Without reporting by vehicle, customer or contract, one combined profit figure can hide where the business is losing margin.
Five star Google reviews.
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Years’ Experience
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Brisbane-based Chartered Accountants.
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Accounting Consultant of the Year, Women in Finance Awards.
2024

What Should a Mining Services Accountant Help You Understand?

Annual accounts may show whether the business made a profit, but they rarely explain which sites, contracts and assets produced it. Useful reporting should show where margin is being made, where cash is tied up and whether the business can support its next commitment.
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Is Each Contract Producing an Acceptable Margin?

Contract value is not the same as contract profitability.

A proper review may need to include:

  • Direct employee and subcontractor costs
  • Superannuation and payroll on-costs
  • Mobilisation and demobilisation
  • Flights, vehicles and accommodation
  • Site allowances and roster costs
  • Equipment hire or ownership costs
  • Repairs and consumables
  • Project management and administration
  • An appropriate share of business overheads

A contract can appear attractive during tendering and still produce a weak return once site variations, downtime, travel and indirect costs are recognised.

Reporting by contract, client or site helps show which work is contributing to the business and which work needs to be repriced or reconsidered.

The finance repayment is only part of the cost of owning heavy equipment. The business may also carry registration, insurance, fuel, scheduled servicing, tyres or tracks, transport, storage, compliance costs, unexpected repairs and periods when the equipment is not billable. A machine can generate substantial revenue on one contract and remain idle between projects while its repayments continue. Management reporting should connect equipment revenue with ownership, operating and downtime costs. This gives the owner a more realistic basis for deciding whether to buy another asset, hire equipment or subcontract part of the work.
Winning another contract does not automatically mean the business can fund the work. The new project may require equipment deposits, mobilisation, payroll, travel, accommodation and supplier payments before the first progress claim is approved. The business should model: The upfront cash required The expected claim and payment schedule The effect of approval delays Equipment repayments Additional payroll commitments Tax and superannuation payments The result if the project starts late or runs over budget Acctivate can assess the accounting and cash-flow effect of the expansion. Advice about a particular lending product or finance provider may require a licensed finance professional.

The cost of a remote employee extends beyond ordinary wages.

Depending on the engagement, the business may also carry flights, transfers, accommodation, meals, allowances, overtime, leave, training and the administrative cost of managing complex rosters.

If these costs are grouped into general payroll, management may not see whether the contract rate is covering the actual cost of supplying labour to the site.

Australian tax treatment can also vary depending on whether accommodation, travel or allowances are provided. The ATO notes that certain housing assistance and holiday transport provided to employees in eligible remote areas may qualify for FBT concessions, subject to specific conditions.

The arrangement should be reviewed before assumptions are made about its tax treatment.

Mining services businesses can pay wages, suppliers, equipment financiers and travel costs weeks before a client pays.

Reported profit may include invoices that have been raised but remain unpaid. At the same time, loan principal, asset purchases, owner drawings and tax payments reduce cash without necessarily appearing as ordinary expenses in the profit and loss statement.

The issue becomes more serious where:

  • One client represents a large share of revenue
  • Claims require several levels of approval
  • Variations remain unapproved
  • Payment terms extend beyond 30 days
  • Payroll is large relative to available cash
  • Equipment repairs occur unexpectedly
  • Several projects mobilise at the same time

Cash-flow forecasting should show when commitments fall due, when customer receipts are expected and how long the business could operate if a major payment is delayed.

A major mining client can provide consistent work and support rapid expansion.

It can also create significant concentration risk.

The business should understand:

  • The percentage of revenue produced by the client
  • The percentage of profit produced by the client
  • The employees and equipment dedicated to the contract
  • Whether those resources can be redeployed
  • How much cash is tied up in unpaid claims
  • What commitments remain if the contract ends
  • Whether the client’s payment terms are funding pressure elsewhere

The largest customer is not always the most profitable customer. Contract-level reporting helps separate volume from actual contribution.

  • We look beyond the total contract value.

Why Mining Services Businesses Choose Acctivate

A mining services business may appear successful while carrying an underperforming project, underused equipment or a level of customer concentration that is not visible in the annual accounts. Acctivate connects accounting and tax work to the operational decisions behind the result.

  • 01

    Review performance by contract, site, client or service division

  • 02

    Explain the difference between reported profit and available cash

  • 03

    Assess major equipment and workforce commitments before they are made

  • 04

    Consider tax, payroll, finance and management reporting together

  • 04

    Clarify upcoming lodgements, payments and information requirements

  • 05

    Adjust reporting as contracts, assets, entities and operating regions change
Speak with an accountant who understands your business

Mining Services Businesses We Support

  • Mining Equipment Suppliers Manage inventory, imported equipment, finance, customer deposits and working capital across high-value sales.
  • Mobile Maintenance Providers Track labour, travel, parts, vehicles and site costs across field-service contracts and shutdown work.
  • Engineering and Technical Services Review project margins, employee utilisation, work in progress and delayed client approvals.
  • Drilling and Exploration Contractors Monitor mobilisation, specialised equipment, consumables, crew costs and project timing.
  • Civil and Earthmoving Contractors Measure machine utilisation, fuel, operators, repairs, subcontractors and site profitability.
  • Mining Labour-Hire Businesses Manage large payroll commitments, debtor timing, allowances and client concentration.
  • Shutdown and Maintenance Contractors Separate labour, travel, accommodation, materials and overtime across short, intensive projects.
  • Electrical and Instrumentation Providers Track technicians, testing equipment, materials, travel and contract variations.
  • Camp and Site-Service Providers Review accommodation, catering, cleaning, facilities and remote workforce costs.
  • Mining Transport Providers Understand fleet, driver, fuel, maintenance and contract costs across remote operations.
  • Environmental and Compliance Services Monitor specialist labour, equipment, travel, reporting time and project recovery.
  • Mining Technology and METS Businesses Manage development costs, recurring contracts, equipment, implementation work and expansion.

Do You Know Which Contracts and Sites Make Money?

A mining services business can have strong revenue, busy crews and valuable equipment while still lacking a clear view of where its margin is being earned.

Tell us about your contracts, equipment, workforce and current reporting. We can review what information is available, what is missing and whether the existing accounting support still suits the operation.

Where Mining Services Businesses Lose Financial Control

Problems often begin beneath the total revenue figure.

A business may know its turnover and bank balance without understanding the financial position of each contract, site or equipment group.

Common pressure points include:

  • Pricing tenders without calculating fully loaded labour and equipment costs
  • Treating mobilisation and demobilisation as incidental expenses
  • Failing to allocate travel, accommodation and site allowances accurately
  • Buying equipment based on contract value rather than forecast cash flow
  • Allowing idle equipment costs to disappear into general overheads
  • Measuring whole-of-business profit without separating projects
  • Carrying unapproved variations for extended periods
  • Paying payroll and suppliers while waiting for claims to be approved
  • Depending heavily on one mine, principal contractor or customer
  • Using one entity or cost centre for unrelated operating divisions
  • Falling behind on BAS, PAYG, superannuation or payroll obligations
  • Treating major repairs as isolated surprises instead of recurring asset costs
  • Withdrawing owner funds before allowing for tax and upcoming mobilisation
  • Applying remote-work allowances or benefits without checking the tax treatment
Speak with an accountant who understands your business

What Better Financial Control Looks Like

Contract-Level Reporting
See the revenue, labour, equipment and site costs associated with important contracts rather than relying on one combined result.
Planned Equipment Costs
Allow for finance, maintenance, downtime and replacement before the cash is required.
Visible Workforce Commitments
Understand upcoming wages, allowances, travel, accommodation and payroll obligations.
Forecast Contract Cash Flow
Compare mobilisation and operating costs with expected claims, approvals and payment dates.
Clear Responsibilities
Know what Acctivate manages, what information is required and which obligations are approaching.

Meet the Accountants Behind Your Business

Acctivate’s client work is supported by named accountants with experience across cash flow, taxation, reporting, payroll, business structures and growing operations.

Elle Green
Director and Chartered Accountant

Elle is a Chartered Accountant with over a decade of experience supporting small businesses. Known for her approachable style and ability to explain complex concepts clearly, Elle specialises in small business taxation and cash flow management.

Outside of work, Elle is a devoted mum and wife who believes business should support life — not compete with it. Originally from Bellingen, NSW, she brings a strong sense of community into everything she does. When she’s not working with clients, you’ll find her at the beach, doing reformer Pilates, cheering on the Sydney Roosters, or spending time with her beloved staffy.
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Trusted advisor known for her approachable style and practical insights.
Simon embodies Acctivate’s values and prides himself on being “fired up”.

Simon Burke
Director and Chartered Accountant

Simon is a Chartered Accountant with nearly a decade of experience across accounting and business advisory. His focus is on helping businesses build strong foundations through better cash flow, smarter structures, and practical efficiency.

Driven by curiosity and a lifelong interest in how businesses operate, Simon embodies Acctivate’s values of being proactive, determined, authentic, and curious. Outside the office, he enjoys golf, reading, and supporting the Collingwood Magpies.
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Ale Hurtado
Business Specialist

Ale brings nearly a decade of industry experience and a warm, relationship-focused approach to her role at Acctivate. Originally from Colombia, now calling Brisbane home, she specialises in tax, compliance, and business advisory support.
With qualifications in Finance, Commerce, and International Business, Ale blends technical expertise with a pragmatic mindset. Outside the office, she enjoys time with family, running along the river, travelling, and expressing creativity through fashion and design.
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Strategic thinker with a focus on structure, protection, and growth.

Odiza Mae Gutang
Senior Accountant

Tyrone provides strategic and advisory guidance to Acctivate, drawing on extensive experience in the insurance and business advisory sectors. He founded Strata Insurance Solutions in 2011 and has supported hundreds of clients across residential and commercial insurance.
Her work with Australian firms over the past six years has expanded her expertise in global accounting practices. Outside of work, Odiza enjoys travelling — particularly solo adventures — and is a passionate volleyball fan.
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Strategic thinker with a focus on structure, protection, and growth.

Our Process for Transport and Logistics Businesses

Understand the Operation

We review the vehicles, customers, contracts, employees, subcontractors, finance arrangements, depots, software and current reporting.

Identify Margin and Cash Pressure

We examine fuel, labour, repairs, debt, customer payment terms, tax commitments and costs that may not be fully recovered.

Establish Useful Reporting

We agree on the customers, vehicles, contracts or locations that need to be separated and how often the results should be reviewed.

Review as the Operation Changes

Forecasts and reporting are adjusted as vehicles, staff, operating costs, customers, finance arrangements and locations change.
  • From a $90,000 repair operation to $12 million in annual revenue

How an Asset-Intensive Business Scaled Nationally Without Losing Control of Cash Flow

This client operates a concrete pumping equipment business rather than a transport company. However, the financial challenge will be familiar to fleet and asset-heavy operators: substantial equipment costs had to be funded before the resulting revenue was received.

An opportunity arose for the business to become the sole Australian dealer for a concrete-pump brand. It required imported equipment, finance, construction timelines and significant upfront spending.

Acctivate prepared a detailed cash-flow forecast mapping import costs, expected sales, build timing and repayments. That information supported the successful trade-finance application.

As the operation expanded, Acctivate also helped establish the deferred-GST arrangement, moved the business to monthly BAS lodgements and remained involved in its financial decisions.

Over approximately seven years, annual revenue increased from $90,000 to $12 million and the business developed from a local repair operation into a national equipment company.

Read the full case study

Frequently Asked Questions

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What Should a Transport Business Accountant Monitor?
The reporting should cover more than revenue and annual profit. Depending on the operation, it may need to show contract margins, vehicle costs, fuel recovery, driver and subcontractor costs, debtor timing, maintenance, finance commitments, tax reserves and performance by depot or service division.
Start with the contract revenue and deduct the direct costs required to complete the work. Those costs may include wages, superannuation, fuel, tolls, subcontractors, loading time, empty running, maintenance and an appropriate allocation of administration, insurance and depot overheads. The calculation must reflect the way the specific operation works. A generic cost-per-kilometre figure may not capture waiting time, route conditions, specialised equipment or customer service requirements.
Yes. An accountant can model the deposit, repayments, fuel, registration, insurance, maintenance, driver costs and expected utilisation against forecast customer receipts. The model should also test less favourable conditions, such as delayed contract commencement, reduced utilisation or a major repair elsewhere in the fleet. Vehicle and lending recommendations may require a licensed finance professional.
Profit may include invoices customers have not yet paid, while wages, fuel, repairs and repayments have already left the bank account. Loan principal, asset purchases and owner drawings can also reduce cash without appearing as ordinary operating expenses in the profit and loss statement. This is why profit reporting and cash-flow forecasting need to be reviewed together.
Fuel tax credit eligibility and record requirements depend on the fuel, vehicle, business use and whether travel occurs on public roads or elsewhere. Rates and road-user-charge settings can change, so the applicable period must be checked rather than relying on a fixed rate published in general website copy. The ATO provides current guidance and rates for eligible heavy-vehicle fuel use.
It may. The ATO requires businesses providing relevant road freight services to review whether contractor and subcontractor payments must be reported in a Taxable Payments Annual Report. Where the rules apply, the current annual due date is 28 August. Mixed-business and reporting rules should be checked against the operation’s actual activities.
The answer depends on the real working arrangement, not only the wording of an agreement or whether the driver holds an ABN. Road transport workers may be covered by employment awards, contractor protections or other workplace rules. Classification and entitlement questions should be reviewed by an appropriate employment or workplace-relations adviser.
Yes. Acctivate can review the current records, identify outstanding work, arrange the authorised transfer of information and clarify responsibility for upcoming BAS, tax, payroll and reporting requirements. Changing accountants does not remove existing lodgements, debts or record-keeping responsibilities.
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