Drill Direct • Part of the Whitfield Group

Precision boring, locating, leak detection & vacuum excavation

Underground services installed, located and exposed without the open trench. Drill Direct pairs Vermeer directional drilling and vacuum excavation with Sewerin and Radiodetection locating equipment, operated by certified locators.

Enquire About Boring Service Location & Leak Detection

Trenchless & non-destructive

Under roads, driveways and live services, with minimal disruption.

Drill Direct is the Whitfield Group's precision boring and locating division. We have invested in the most advanced equipment on the market to suit today's demands on speed and accuracy, installing conduits and pipelines by horizontal directional drilling, exposing live assets safely by vacuum excavation, and locating services and water leaks before anyone breaks ground.

Because Drill Direct works alongside Whitfield Excavations' civil crews and SPS Plumbing, the same team can locate, bore, connect and reinstate. One contractor, one point of accountability.

Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) up to 600 mm
Underground boring for conduits & pipelines
Certified underground service location
Acoustic water leak detection
Vacuum excavation, 1,000 to 6,000 litre units
Dial Before You Dig notices & VEDN auditing

All Whitfield services

Vermeer VSK100XT vacuum excavation truck

600mmMax bore diameter

New services available

The Drill Direct fleet

Purpose-built Vermeer plant for trenchless installation, non-destructive excavation and tight-access site work, maintained by our own dedicated plant crew.

Vermeer D20x22 S3 Navigator horizontal directional drill on site

Horizontal directional drilling

Vermeer D20x22 S3 Navigator®, delivering up to 600 mm diameter shots

The D20x22 S3 features more power, increased speed, versatility and precise control. With class-leading rotational and carriage speeds it installs more linear metres per day, and its shorter, narrower, lighter design gets into sites competitive rigs can't. A newly designed hydraulic circuit adds power for drilling and for manoeuvring around the job site, powering up kerbs and slopes so crews work more efficiently, and the 5.3 km/h tracking speed gets us from one setup to the next sooner.

Up to 600 mm bores50.9 m/min carriage speed257 rpm rotation5.3 km/h trackingCompact, narrow footprint

Non-destructive vacuum excavation

Vermeer VSK100XT skid-mounted vacuum excavator

Safe exposure of live services and fast spoil removal. Current fleet options of 1,000, 3,000 and 6,000 litres. An integrated silencing system gives quieter operation on noise-sensitive sites; the dual oil-bath Roots™ blower with reverse flow offloads spoil faster and clears blockages quickly; an in-tank washdown system delivers a high-pressure spray to the tank interior while dumping, saving clean-up time; and an optional telescoping hydraulic boom maintains hose length during extension with remote-controlled vacuum shut-off.

1,000 / 3,000 / 6,000 LSilenced operationReverse-flow blowerHydraulic boom

Tight-access site work

Vermeer CTX100 mini skid steer

Powerful and compact, for speedy site clean-up and extremely handy in tight areas. Narrow tracks let the machine fit through a standard 91.4 cm gate, a chariot-style operator platform provides excellent visibility on the jobsite, and a single pilot-operated joystick gives a smooth range of motion for precise work around bore entry and exit pits, footings and landscaping.

Fits a 91.4 cm gateChariot-style platformSingle joystick control

Service location & leak detection

Find it first. Then dig.

We have invested in the most advanced equipment on the market today to suit today's demands on speed and accuracy: our Sewerin Aqua Phone paired with top-of-the-range Radiodetection equipment, giving consistency and delivering high-performance results time and time again.

Acoustic leak detection

Sewerin Aqua Phone A200

Water leak detection equipment with trained staff holding the latest skills to locate the actual water leak site, not just copper lines, but PVC and poly as well. That cuts down time in repairs and response time to expose the affected area, reducing precious decision-making when it counts.

Whether we are tracking down a residential leak through concrete or chasing a long-run mains leak under asphalt, the A200 delivers a clarity and confidence that other systems simply can't.

Pinpoints the leak site, not just the pipe route
Copper, PVC & poly water services
Residential leaks through concrete to mains under asphalt
Smaller excavation, faster repair, quicker reinstatement

Service location devices

Radiodetection TruDepth™ RD7200

Top-of-the-range Radiodetection locating equipment gives consistent, high-performance results for tracing underground power, communications, water and gas assets before excavation.

Pipes with a Cathodic Protection System can be followed using the CPS passive mode, and CPS compass mode ensures alignment with the target pipeline, so bore paths and trench lines are set with confidence.

Precision line & depth location
CPS passive & compass modes for protected pipelines
Pre-bore path proving & mark-out
Operated by AUS CertLoc certified locators

Certified locators. Dial Before You Dig compliant.

Our locators hold AUS CertLoc certification. We prepare Dial Before You Dig enquiries and notices of intention to commence excavation in trenches, shafts and tunnels, and provide VEDN installation and auditing. Everything you need before breaking ground.

Why Drill Direct

Locate, bore, connect, reinstate. One team.

Less disruption

Trenchless installation under roads, footpaths, driveways and established landscaping keeps traffic moving and reinstatement to a minimum.

Safer around live services

Certified location followed by non-destructive vacuum excavation exposes power, gas, water and comms assets without strike risk.

Faster leak repairs

Acoustic detection finds the actual leak site so crews open the smallest possible hole and get water back on sooner.

Own plant, own crews

Vermeer drilling, vacuum and skid-steer plant maintained in-house at our Swan Hill depot, so there is no waiting on hired-in equipment.

Group capability

Civil, plumbing and traffic management from the wider Whitfield Group, so bores are connected and sites reinstated by the same contractor.

ISO-certified systems

Delivered under our ISO 45001, 9001 and 14001 certified integrated management system, with SWMS and permits handled in-house.