RLB CRANE INDEX®

Overall, Melbourne saw net crane increases in the civil sector (up 15), data centres (up five), civic (up four), mixed use (up three), commercial (up one), aged care (up one) and education (up one).

This reflects the continued public works activity that has been fuelling the engineering sector for the past few years. Some of these projects include the Westgate Tunnel, North-East Link, Level Crossing Removals, and the Metro Tunnel project, all of which are all contributing to a record number of civil cranes. The current number of 47 civil cranes is above the previous sector high of 32 cranes in Q1 2024.

The residential sector experienced positive movement between Q3 2024 and Q1 2025, with an increase of thirteen cranes. Over the past six months, 55 cranes were added to residential sites, while 42 cranes were removed.

Overall, Melbourne saw net crane increases in the civil sector (one), data centres (four), hotel (one), and residential (thirteen). This reflects the continued public works activity that has been fuelling the engineering sector for the past few years. Some of these projects include the Westgate Tunnel, North-East Link, Level Crossing Removals, and the Metro Tunnel project, all of which are contributing to a record number of civil cranes. The current number of 48 civil cranes is above the previous sector high of 47 cranes in Q3 2024.

A decline in net crane numbers was seen in health (seven), aged care (two), civic (one), education (two), mixed-use (three), and retail (one).

The residential sector currently accounts for 46.7% of all cranes in Melbourne, while the civil sector accounts for 24.1%.

The commercial sector saw cranes commence at:

• 41-53 Cremorne Street (Cremorne)
• 99 Green Street (Cremorne)
• 120 Balmain Street (Cremorne)
• 1-19 Graingers Road (West Footscray)

Nine additional cranes commenced work on the North-East Link, with ten long-term crawler cranes at the Bulleen Road Interchange and four additional cranes at the Greensborough Road Interchange. This brings the total number of cranes working on this important infrastructure project to 39 across four work fronts. This project has the largest number of cranes working on one project in Australia.

New cranes have commenced at:

Data Centres/Industrial

• Amazon Fulfilment Centre (Craigieburn, one additional crane)
• CDC Brooklyn campus one (Brooklyn, two cranes)
• 192 Swan Drive (Derrimut, four cranes)

Civil

• North East Link (Greensborough Road and Bulleen Road, nine cranes)
• SRL (Heatherton, one crane)

In other sectors, cranes were placed on projects at:

• Bell Street (Preston, Health)
• Little Lonsdale Street (Melbourne, Hotel)
• SKY SQR (Box Hill, Mixed Use)
• Queen Victoria Market (Melbourne, Retail)

Residential developments with more than one crane include: Ancora / Regatta (Docklands), 6-34 High Street (Preston), East Brunswick Village (Brunswick), Prince and Parade (Brunswick), Homes VIC (Flemington), The Archer (Flemington), Homes Victoria’s Bluff Road (Hampton East), Homes Victoria, Barak Beacon (Port Melbourne), Homes Victoria’s Essex Street (Prahran), Homes Victoria’s Simmons Street (South Yarra), and 1175 High Street (Armadale).