The water beneath Australia’s thriving farmland.
Groundwater · Large diameter · Exploration · Since 1959Drilling has always been the work no one sees. Yet beneath every thriving farm, every flowing town tap and every growing community is water someone had to find. For more than six decades, across Australia’s vast landscape, that someone has been Slade.
We don’t just drill holes. We unlock the reliable, sustainable water that lets agriculture flourish, towns grow with confidence and industry operate at scale.
From Far North Queensland to Victoria, from coastal dune sands to deep alluvium and hard rock, we bring the experience of three generations to every bore — and we build each one to perform for decades.
Every green field
starts underground.
From the surface to the source.
Six steps between a dry paddock and water you can rely on. Scroll down through the ground with us.
- 01 · Read the land
Every project starts above ground.
We study your site, the local geology and the records of bores already drilled nearby, to choose where to drill and how deep to plan for.
- 02 · Drill down
Down through every layer.
The rig drills through topsoil, sands, clays and rock, and we log every layer on the way, so we know exactly where the water-bearing ground starts and ends.
- 03 · Case & screen
Built to stay open for decades.
Strong casing lines the hole. Where the water is, we fit screens — slotted pipe that lets water in and keeps sand out — packed with clean gravel.
- 04 · Develop the bore
Clearing the way for water.
We clean out the fine particles around the screen so water flows freely into the bore. A well-developed bore gives more water and lasts longer.
- 05 · Test the flow
Know what you can count on.
A pump test measures how much water the bore can reliably supply, and how the water level responds, so there are no surprises later.
- 06 · Water you can rely on
Handed over, ready to work.
A finished bore, built to last, ready for your pump, tanks, troughs or town supply. Then it’s over to the green fields.
Find the water beneath you
Unearth
/ʌnˈɜːθ/ verb.To discover what lies hidden beneath the surface.
Exploration, test drilling and investigation that reveal the true potential of the ground — diamond coring, RC, DHH and large-diameter air core, to depths of 1,500 m.
Supply
/səˈplaɪ/ verb.To provide what is needed — reliably, and at scale.
High-capacity production bores and borefields for town water, industry and mine sites, delivering yields of up to 200 L/s.
Sustain
/səˈsteɪn/ verb.To keep something alive and thriving over time.
Irrigation, stock and drought-resilient water supplies that keep Australian farmland productive through every season.
Safeguard
/ˈseɪfɡɑːd/ verb.To protect from harm or loss.
Dewatering, monitoring networks and aquifer-protecting construction — so the groundwater resource is preserved for generations to come.
Water is the foundation. Everything else is built on it.
Deep expertise. Vast landscapes.One standard of excellence.
Founded by William Edwin Slade on the Central Coast of NSW
Combined drilling experience across three generations
Large-diameter capability for water supply & mine services
Exploration drilling depth capability
Production bore yields delivered for mine water supply
Trusted where the stakes are highest.
Water authorities, councils and major mining operators have relied on Slade for decades — from Far North Queensland to Victoria.
Sibelco / Consolidated Rutile
Large-diameter production, dewatering and water supply bores — stainless steel screens, gravel packed and grouted to surface.
Cape Flattery Silica Mine
Large-diameter production bores with steel casing, stainless steel screens and gravel pack.
SEQ Water, North Stradbroke Island
A 15-bore production borefield drilled through dune sands, with every bore pump tested.
Gosford / Wyong Joint Water Supply
Test holes and stainless steel production bores with four Slade rigs engaged — including environmentally sensitive sites, delivered in line with EPA guidelines.
State Electricity Commission of Victoria
1,000 mm diameter dewatering bores at the Morwell open cut, each pump tested.
Tenterfield Shire Council
Town water, emergency drought supply and firefighting bores — including refurbishing and deepening the Shirley Park bore Slade first built 30 years earlier.
Trusted by water authorities, councils & industry
Leave every landscape better than we found it.
Lost-time-injury free
Safety is our number one priority. Every crew member is trained and equipped to identify, manage and remove hazards.
Protecting the aquifer
Every bore is constructed and sealed to protect the groundwater resource — preserving it for the communities that depend on it.
A lighter footprint
Efficient equipment, less fuel and less waste — with every site cleaned up and restored when we leave.
1959 · William Edwin Slade and his first rig, built on a T-model Ford.
The name on the rig is the name on the business.
When Slade drills your bore, the people on site own the company. We’ve been here for three generations — and we’ll still be here for the life of your bore.
Your own reliable water supply starts here.
Residential, rural and lifestyle property bores now have a dedicated home, with the same three generations of expertise behind every one.
Visit Slade WaterLet’s unearth what’s possible.
Tenders, feasibility studies or urgent supply — talk directly with the people who will drill it.
Discover what’s beneath your siteWhat’s beneath your land?
Five quick questions. See the registered bores around your site, how deep they go and what they’re used for — explained in plain English. Then get a straight answer from the people who drill them.
Who’s the water for?
Where’s your site?
Enter an address or nearest town. We’ll scan the registered bores around it, and keep widening the search until we find some.
Scanning…
Based on registered bores recorded by state water agencies. Nearby bores are a guide only and don’t guarantee water at your site — we’ll confirm with a site assessment.
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What does the water need to do?
Pick all that apply.
How big, and how soon?
Adjust what applies. We’ll work out a rough daily figure.
A rough guide only. Real needs change with climate, season, soil and how water is used — we’ll refine it with you.
Where should we send your site snapshot?
You’ll get a summary of the bores around your site, and a call from the Slade team.
Thanks. Your site snapshot is on its way.
A member of the Slade team will call you within one business day to talk through your site.
- We call youWithin one business day, to talk through your site and what you need.
- Site assessmentWe look at your land, the local bore records and your water needs.
- Your quoteA clear scope and price, with no surprises.
- Drill, test & hand overWe drill, test the flow and hand over a bore built to last.