Adelaide's skyline is packed with cranes, with 28 operating across the city and a score of 467 on the latest RLB Crane Index as construction momentum remains on full display.
Adelaide remains the national leader amongst state capitals on the RLB Crane Index Q3 2026 report, with the score of 467 sitting well ahead of Sydney at 207, Melbourne at 193, Perth at 112 and Brisbane at 110.
The standout result is housing. Residential cranes make up 64% of all cranes in Adelaide, with 18 cranes delivering major housing projects in the CBD and across metro Adelaide.
There was a 38 per cent increase in residential cranes since the last Index, nearly four times the increase in the national rate (10.3 per cent).
New residential cranes added since the last count include:
- UniLodge on Waymouth / Journal Student Living, Adelaide (two cranes)
- Trinity Student Accommodation, Adelaide
- Franklin Tower, Adelaide
- Shannon Place Apartments, Adelaide
- Brougham Gardens Apartments, North Adelaide
- Buckingham Arms, Medindie
- Otello Unley, Unley
- Wirra Mikangka, Eastwood
Other new cranes include an additional crane at Festival Tower Two and a crane at the Avive Health Centre in the city. Two cranes are also operating at the new Women's and Children's Hospital.
The crane count reflects a construction industry that is growing faster than anywhere else in the country.
According to the Index, total construction work done in South Australia rose 15.0 per cent in 2025–26 – the strongest growth of any state or territory, ahead of New South Wales (5.7 per cent), Queensland (6.7 per cent), Western Australia (9.0 per cent) and Victoria (0.2 per cent).
Engineering construction in South Australia grew by 21.2 per cent, non-residential activity rose by 15.5 per cent and residential activity increased by 5.8 per cent.