RLB CRANE INDEX®

Total construction work done in Queensland increased by 11.3% in the 2023 calendar year compared to 2022. Engineering activity was up 16.7% or $3.5bn, non-residential was up 0.4% or $0.4bn, and residential was up 10.5% or $1.5bn.

Within the residential sector, apartment work done grew by 27.0% compared to the previous year and was 15.8% above the long-term average.

Queen’s Wharf project—previously the largest project in terms of crane numbers in the region—saw four cranes removed, leaving only three cranes erected on site.

The residential sector continued to be the largest in Brisbane, accounting for 44% of all cranes (34 of 78 cranes). This is significantly lower than in both Melbourne and Sydney, where residential cranes account for 55% and 64% of all cranes in each city, respectively. Across South-East Queensland, residential cranes account for 67% of all cranes.

Civil cranes represent the second largest sector in Brisbane, 16 cranes remained on infrastructure projects.

The education sector also remained steady at three cranes, with two cranes removed and two added.

The mixed-use sector fell from 15 cranes to 12 cranes. Two new cranes were erected at:

Brisbane’s health sector saw a further two cranes erected on the Ecoscience Precinct in Yeronga, bringing the total number of cranes on the project to four.

With 62% of Brisbane’s cranes, the CBD and surrounding area continues to host the majority of cranes across the city. Crane numbers decreased by six, with 15 removals and nine additions. There are now 78 cranes across Inner Brisbane.

Activity in Brisbane’s east saw an increase of six cranes to bring the region’s total to seven cranes. This total equals the previous high count of seven cranes in Q1 2021.

The north has seen a significant fall in crane numbers, down to 10 from the 20 cranes in the last count. No new cranes commenced, and ten cranes were removed.

Cranes across the south grew by two to total four.

Crane activity in Brisbane’s west increased by one crane to nine, with three additions offset by two removals.