Best Submersible Bore Pumps in Australia (House, Stock and Irrigation)
The shortlist we give people who ring up and say "I just need a bore pump that works".
The best submersible bore pump for most Australian homes and small farms is the Tuhorse 4 inch 1HP 240V A-12 package at $963. It runs off a normal single phase supply, lifts water up to 98 metres, pushes up to 58 litres a minute, and arrives as a matched pump, motor and starter box, so the electrician wires one thing in and you are done.
That covers the typical house or stock bore. Deeper bores, 3 inch casings, high flow irrigation and three phase sites each need a different pump, and buying on horsepower alone is how people end up with a pump that hums and delivers a trickle. So below is the best pick for each job, with the real specs and the real price.
Short on time? See the Tuhorse 4 inch 1HP A-12 or browse every submersible bore pump we sell.
The shortlist at a glance
Each pick below is a live Waternex bore pump package chosen for one job, and the table shows casing size, supply, head, flow and price.
| Pick | Best for | Casing | Supply | Max head | Max flow | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuhorse A-12 1HP | Best overall, house and stock | 4 inch | 240V | 98m | 58 L/min | $963 |
| Tuhorse S-08 0.5HP | Best budget, shallow bores | 4 inch | 240V | 69m | 35 L/min | $893 |
| Tuhorse T-22 0.75HP | 3 inch bore casings | 3 inch | 240V | 70m | 50 L/min | $973 |
| Tuhorse BF-06 1HP | High flow from a shallow bore | 4 inch | 240V | 46m | 117 L/min | $963 |
| Tuhorse A-30 3HP | Deepest bore on single phase | 4 inch | 240V | 236m | 58 L/min | $1,463 |
| Tuhorse BF-32 5.5HP | Deep and high flow, three phase | 4 inch | 415V | 232m | 117 L/min | $1,873 |
| Tuhorse ES-06 10HP | Irrigation volume | 6 inch | 415V | 88m | 633 L/min | $3,063 |
Prices current as of October 2026, AUD including GST. Maximum head and maximum flow are the end points of the pump curve, not figures you get at the same time.
Best submersible bore pump overall: Tuhorse 4 inch 1HP A-12
The Tuhorse A-12 is the best all-round submersible bore pump because it covers the depth most Australian house and stock bores actually sit at, on a 240V supply, for under a thousand dollars.
It is a 1HP (750W) stainless steel 4 inch pump with a single phase motor and starter box. Rated maximum head is 98 metres, maximum flow is 58 L/min (3,500 litres an hour), running current is 6.3A and the outlet is 1.25 inch. Warranty is 12 months return to base, and delivery inside Australia is free.
Why it wins: 6.3A is an easy load for a normal rural supply, and 98 metres of head leaves real margin for a bore with water at 30 to 50 metres feeding a tank up the hill. Most people do not need more pump than this. They think they do.
Who it does not suit: a 4 inch pump needs a 4 inch or larger casing, and anyone pumping from below about 70 metres should step up the A series instead (see the table further down).
View the Tuhorse A-12 1HP package →
Best budget submersible bore pump: Tuhorse 4 inch 0.5HP S-08
The Tuhorse S-08 is the cheapest submersible bore pump package worth buying, at $893 for a 4 inch stainless pump, a 0.5HP single phase motor and starter box.
It is rated to 69 metres of head and 35 L/min, drawing 3.6A. That suits a garden bore, a shed or a small stock trough on a shallow bore with water close to the surface. It will not run a house with three people showering and a sprinkler going, and it will not keep up on a deep bore. Spend the extra $70 on the A-12 if you are anywhere near those limits.
View the Tuhorse S-08 0.5HP package →
Best bore pump for a 3 inch casing: Tuhorse 3 inch 0.75HP T-22
The Tuhorse T-22 is the pick for older or narrow bores with a 3 inch casing, because a 4 inch pump physically will not go down the hole.
It is a 0.75HP (550W) 240V pump rated to 70 metres of head and 50 L/min, drawing 4.4A, with a 1 inch outlet. At 75mm wide it is long and skinny, 1,161mm, so check the casing is straight before you drop it in. Price is $973.
View the Tuhorse T-22 3 inch package →
Best high flow bore pump for shallow bores: Tuhorse 4 inch 1HP BF-06
The Tuhorse BF-06 is the best submersible bore pump when the water is close to the surface and you want volume, with up to 117 L/min from the same 1HP, 6.3A motor as the A-12.
The trade is head: the BF-06 tops out at 46 metres where the A-12 reaches 98. Same horsepower, different impeller stack. That is the whole point of the letter codes in the Tuhorse range, and it is why "1HP bore pump" on its own tells you almost nothing. If your pumping water level is 15 metres and you are filling a big tank or running garden irrigation, the BF-06 moves twice the water. Outlet is 1.5 inch. Price is $963.
View the Tuhorse BF-06 1HP package →
Best deep bore pump on single phase: Tuhorse 4 inch 3HP A-30
The Tuhorse A-30 is the deepest single phase submersible bore pump we sell, rated to 236 metres of head at up to 58 L/min on a 240V supply, for $1,463.
3HP is about where 240V runs out of road for bore pumps. The A-30 draws 14A running, which is a serious load, so get your electrician to confirm the supply and the cable run down the bore before you order. If you need to go deeper or move more water than this, you need three phase.
The A series is a ladder: same 58 L/min flow, more head with every step in horsepower. Pick the step that covers your total head with margin.
| Tuhorse A series (4 inch, 240V) | Power | Running current | Max head | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-12 | 1HP / 750W | 6.3A | 98m | $963 |
| A-16 | 1.5HP / 1100W | 8.6A | 129m | $998 |
| A-20 | 2HP / 1500W | 10.6A | 162m | $1,088 |
| A-30 | 3HP / 2200W | 14A | 236m | $1,463 |
Prices current as of October 2026, AUD including GST.
View the Tuhorse A-30 3HP package →
Best three phase bore pump: Tuhorse 4 inch 5.5HP BF-32
The Tuhorse BF-32 is the best 415V submersible bore pump for a farm with three phase power, combining up to 232 metres of head with up to 117 L/min in a 4 inch casing, for $1,873.
It runs at 10.3A on 415V and comes with a three phase auto control box. The pump is 2,076mm long and weighs 42kg, so this is a job for a proper pump hoist or a bore contractor, not two blokes and a rope. It suits deep stock bores feeding several troughs, or a deep bore running a decent irrigation line.
View the Tuhorse BF-32 5.5HP package →
Best submersible bore pump for irrigation: Tuhorse 6 inch 10HP ES-06
The Tuhorse ES-06 is the pick for irrigation volume, moving up to 633 L/min (38,000 litres an hour) from a 6 inch bore on 415V, for $3,063.
Maximum head is 88 metres, running current 18.5A, outlet 3 inch, weight 80kg. It needs a 6 inch or larger casing and a three phase supply, no exceptions. If your bore is deeper, the 15HP ES-08 ($3,373) keeps the same 633 L/min top flow and pushes head to 120 metres. Before buying either, know what your bore can actually yield. A pump that outdraws the bore just sucks it dry and runs itself to death.
View the Tuhorse ES-06 10HP package →
How to pick the right submersible bore pump
The right submersible bore pump is set by four things: casing diameter, total head, the flow you need, and the power you have.
1. Casing diameter
Casing diameter decides which pumps physically fit: a 4 inch pump needs a 4 inch or larger bore casing, a 6 inch pump needs 6 inch or larger, and a 3 inch casing limits you to 3 inch pumps like the T-22. Check the drilling report, or measure the inside of the casing at the bore head.
2. Total head
Total head for a bore pump is the pumping water level, plus the height from the bore head to the tank or house, plus pipe friction, plus any pressure you want at the outlet (10 metres for every bar). A bore with water drawn down to 35 metres, a tank 8 metres above the bore head and a long poly run is roughly a 50 metre job before pressure. Pumping straight into a house at 3 bar adds about 30 metres more.
Use the pumping water level, not the standing level. The water drops when the pump runs. As a rule of thumb, not gospel, pick a pump whose maximum head is well above your total head, then check the curve on the product page to confirm the flow at your number.
3. Flow
Flow is set by daily use and peak demand: a house needs roughly 20 to 40 L/min at the tap at peak, while stock and irrigation are worked out from litres per day. Rule of thumb only: cattle drink around 50 to 100 litres a head a day in summer, sheep around 5 to 10. Never size a pump above what the bore can yield.
4. Power supply
Single phase 240V bore pumps top out at about 3HP, so anything bigger needs a 415V three phase supply. No power at the bore at all? Look at a solar bore pump instead. Our best solar water pumps guide covers those kits.
What is not in the box
Every Tuhorse package includes the pump, the motor and the starter or control box, but not the poly pipe, the stainless steel safety cable or the installation.
Budget for poly pipe from the pump to the tank, a stainless safety cable to hold the pump (rope rots, do not use rope), and the electrician. Electrical connection must be done by a licensed electrician, and bore work by a licensed driller where your state requires it.
What about Grundfos, Davey and Lowara
Grundfos SP, Davey and Lowara make excellent submersible bore pumps and they are the names most people already know, and they are priced like it.
We do not stock them. For a house tank or a stock trough, a Tuhorse stainless package does the same job for a lot less, with a 12 month warranty and free delivery. For a big irrigation bore where downtime costs real money, get the bore tested and the pump properly specified whichever brand you buy, and we can quote that.
Pumping from a well or shallow bore with the motor kept above ground? The REEFE RSWE145-2 deep well jet pump (80 L/min, 66 metres total head, 240V, 2 year warranty) is the alternative, and there are more in our deep well pumps range.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best submersible bore pump in Australia?
For most homes and small farms, the best submersible bore pump is the Tuhorse 4 inch 1HP 240V A-12 package at $963, because it lifts up to 98 metres at up to 58 L/min on single phase power as a complete pump, motor and starter box. For deeper bores the 3HP A-30 reaches 236 metres, and for irrigation the 6 inch 10HP ES-06 moves up to 633 L/min.
How much does a submersible bore pump cost in Australia?
A submersible bore pump package in Australia costs from about $893 for a small 4 inch 0.5HP 240V unit to $3,000 to $4,300 for a 6 inch 10HP to 15HP three phase irrigation pump, as of October 2026. Most house and stock bore pumps land between $960 and $1,500, plus pipe, safety cable and installation.
What size bore pump do I need?
The bore pump size you need is set by casing diameter, total head and flow: total head is the pumping water level plus the lift to the tank plus pipe friction plus outlet pressure at 10 metres per bar. Choose a pump that fits the casing and delivers your flow at that total head, not just its maximum head.
Can I run a bore pump on 240V single phase?
Yes, submersible bore pumps run on 240V single phase up to about 3HP, such as the Tuhorse A-30 at 14A running current. Bigger pumps need a 415V three phase supply, and all bore pump wiring must be done by a licensed electrician.
How long does a submersible bore pump last?
A submersible bore pump typically lasts many years when it is sized to the bore yield, protected from running dry and kept out of sand. The most common causes of early failure are a pump that outdraws the bore, sand in the water and poor electrical supply, so get those right before blaming the pump.
Still not sure which one fits? Ask us
Send us your casing size, bore depth, standing and pumping water level, tank height, power supply and how much water you need, and we will match the pump. It takes a few minutes and saves you buying the wrong one.
Get a bore pump recommendation →
Shop all submersible bore pumps →
Need surface pressure after the tank? See our multistage pressure pumps or the full water pumps range.
This guide is general information for Australian property owners and is not a substitute for advice on your specific bore and site. Electrical work must be done by a licensed electrician, and bore work by a licensed driller where your state requires it. Confirm final sizing with us before you buy.