Australia’s construction pipeline remains active, with the latest Rider Levett Bucknall Crane Index reporting 840 cranes in operation across the country in Q1 2025.

This sustained high level of activity underscores the ongoing strength in residential and civil infrastructure development, an important signal for mortgage lenders assessing future housing supply and lending opportunities.

According to Ewen McDonald, Oceania Director of Research and Development at Rider Levett Bucknall, crane numbers have consistently remained above 800 for the past six quarters.

While current activity levels are slightly below the record 882 cranes recorded 18 months ago, the figures still represent a resilient construction sector, especially amid supply chain constraints and rising input costs.

Sydney continues to lead with 373 cranes, followed by Melbourne with 199, Brisbane with 65, and the Gold Coast with 59.

Other key urban areas include Perth (41 cranes), Canberra (22), Adelaide (19), and Darwin (2).

These concentrations of construction indicate where new housing stock is likely to come online, providing mortgage providers with valuable geographic insights for future loan demand.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics further supports the positive outlook, with total construction activity rising by 2.7% in 2024, equating to a $7.6 billion increase over the previous year.

Within this, residential construction also posted a 2.7% gain, reinforcing a steady flow of new housing stock to market.

While non-residential construction declined slightly, the civil engineering sector grew by 5.8%, reflecting robust infrastructure investment.