Road Base: What It Is, What It's Used For, and How to Get It Right

Road base is one of our most popular products at the yard — and one of the most misunderstood. People come in asking for it for everything from driveways to cattle lanes to under shed slabs. The good news is, most of those applications are spot on. Here's what you need to know about road base before you order.

What Is Road Base?

Road base (also called road base gravel or crusher dust base) is a compacted gravel material made from crushed rock and fine particles. The mix of coarse aggregate and fines is what makes it so effective — when compacted, the different particle sizes lock together and create a dense, stable surface.

In Queensland, road base is typically made from crushed basalt, granite, or similar hard rock. It's engineered to compact well and drain reasonably — not like straight gravel that washes away, but not solid like concrete either.

What Is Road Base Used For?

Road base is one of the most versatile materials in any landscaping or construction project. Common uses include:

Driveways and Laneways

This is the most common use. A compacted road base driveway handles vehicle traffic well, drains adequately, and is far cheaper than bitumen or concrete. For Queensland properties — particularly rural and semi-rural blocks — it's often the most practical choice.

Under Slab and Shed Bases

Road base is commonly laid under concrete slabs to create a stable, level sub-base. It gives the concrete something solid to sit on and helps prevent cracking from uneven ground movement.

Parking Areas

If you need a firm area for multiple vehicles — farm equipment, boats, trailers — compacted road base holds up far better than bare dirt or loose gravel.

Cattle Lanes and Farm Tracks

On rural properties, road base is widely used for internal tracks, feedlot lanes, and heavily trafficked areas around sheds and yards. It handles heavy machinery and doesn't turn to mud in the wet season the way bare ground does.

Yard and Outdoor Areas

Level, compact road base also makes a good base layer under pavers, retaining walls, and outdoor entertaining areas.

How Deep Should Road Base Be?

Depth depends on the application and the load it needs to handle:

• Foot traffic / light use: 75–100mm compacted
• Residential driveway: 100–150mm compacted
• Heavy vehicle access: 150–200mm compacted
• Under concrete slab: 75–100mm compacted

As a rule: if in doubt, go deeper. Adding more road base before you compact is far easier than pulling it all up later.

Does Road Base Need to Be Compacted?

Yes — this is important. Road base performs well when it's compacted, but poorly when it's just spread loose. Loose road base will shift under traffic, wash in heavy rain, and won't give you the firm surface you're after.

For small domestic jobs, a hired plate compactor will do the job. For larger jobs, a roller is better. Always compact in layers — no more than 100mm at a time — for best results.

If you're putting road base under a concrete slab, get it compacted and checked before the pour.

How Much Road Base Do You Need?

• 1 tonne covers approximately 5–7m² at 100mm depth (compacted)
• 1 cubic metre (loose) compacts down to approximately 0.8–0.85 cubic metres

These are approximate figures — road base density varies by source material. If you're ordering for a specific project, let us know the dimensions and we can help you work out quantities.

Tips Before You Start

• Check ground levels first. Remove any soft or organic material before laying road base. Laying over topsoil or grass will cause it to sink.
• Consider edging. On driveways and paths, a concrete, timber, or steel edge helps keep the road base in place over time.
• Think about drainage. Road base isn't waterproof — design your project so water has somewhere to go, or you may end up with pooling issues.

Order Road Base from Burrum Landscape Supplies

We stock road base in bulk at our Howard yard. Whether you're after a couple of tonnes for a small driveway or a full truckload for a farm track, we can sort you out.

Burrum Landscape Supplies
Howard, QLD
Bulk orders available — load yourself or arrange delivery
Delivery available across Hervey Bay, Maryborough, and surrounding Wide Bay areas

Not sure how much you need? Call us or drop by the yard and we'll help you work it out.