Frequently Asked Directional Drilling Questions

With more than 24 years of operations throughout NSW and decades of combined industry experience, the team at Bedrock Drilling is knowledgeable in all areas of excavation and boring work. We've compiled some of our most commonly received queries below for our customers' convenience.


If you have anymore questions not listed here, or work needing to be taken care of, give us a call and we will be more than happy to assist with your needs.

  • How does horizontal directional drilling work?

    Pilot hole directional drilling is a process whereby a drill machine on an incline ramp bores a hole into the ground on a significant angle. This means a tunnel is created which covers great horizontal distance without the need for underground manual work. The general process is split into three parts:


    1. Pilot Hole – drilling a small diameter pilot hole along the designated path using a steerable drill stem
    2. Prereaming – increasing the bore diameter into the size needed for the installation of the utility
    3. Pullback – the drill cord is used to pull the pipeline or cable through the enlarged hole
  • What equipment do you use for directional drilling?

    Our main machine is a Vermeer D24x40 directional drill, but we also have an all-terrain Ditch Witch JT3020. Please view our Equipment page for more information.

  • Will you work on residential construction projects?

    Yes, we are happy to take on residential work, particularly projects in the Illawarra region. Our fleet also includes mini excavators and other equipment suitable for work on smaller blocks of land.

  • Do you take on government contracts?

    We do! Our team regularly performs work for local, state and national government agencies, and has recently completed projects for the NBN rollout.

  • What areas do you service?

    Though we are based in Kiama, we regularly travel out to many areas of New South Wales, including, Orange, Campbelltown, Illawarra, Wollongong, Shellharbour, Sydney, Batemans Bay, Yass, Wagga Wagga, Narrandera, Port Macquarie, Bathurst, Armidale, Albury, Tamworth, Dubbo, Goulburn, Southern Highlands and the Hunter Valley.