The average hourly rate to hire a bookkeeper ranges between $40 to $75 but this can increase quite a bit depending on where you are located in Australia, the type of work required, the complexity of a job and a bookkeeper's, qualifications, skills and experience level. The average cost to hire a bookkeeper can exceed $200 in some cases. 

For tasks that mostly involve data entry you'll be quoted much less, whereas for more complex tasks such as BAS preparation, bank reconciliation and setting up your accounting software you can expect to pay a bit more.