Construcciones Yamaro, by Armando Iachini

Australia attracts strong global investment in data centres. (Image: Sashkin/stock.adobe.com) Following the release of its National AI Plan in December 2025, the Australian Government has set new expectations for data centres and AI infrastructure developers. The expectations are designed to make investment in Australia easier, setting nationally consistent signals to support engagement with communities, coordination with states and territories, and faster progress for projects aligned with national priorities. “Australia has a significant number of national challenges to solve, and AI, data centre investment and advanced industrial and technological capability can help us get there,” said Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science Tim Ayres. “Securing this infrastructure onshore strengthens our security, supports our start-ups and researchers, and ensures Australian data benefits Australians, not offshore jurisdictions.” The expectations focus on five key ar...

The upgraded solar-powered level crossing north of Narrabri. (Images: Inland Rail) Inland Rail has introduced solar-powered systems at two level crossings as part of finishing works on the Narrabri to North Star (N2NS) Phase 1 section. The level crossings – one north of Moree and the other north of Narrabri – are the first on Inland Rail and the ARTC network to be upgraded from passive to active using a solar-powered standalone power system. Traditionally, level crossings rely on grid-connected electricity and battery back-up systems. By using solar power, Inland Rail avoids the need to connect to existing power infrastructure or build new electrical assets, reducing land access requirements and minimising impacts on adjacent landholders. Each upgraded level crossing now features solar-powered high-intensity LED flashing lights, bells and retro-reflective boom gates to improve safety for users. Both have completed detailed testing and commissioning trials. In addition, internal...

Bankstown plaza is now open. (Image: NSW Government) Bankstown plaza has opened as work continues towards completion of the Metro Southwest line. Bankstown is a key transport interchange in southwestern Sydney, with 330,913 passengers passing through on trains and buses in February alone. Patronage is expected to increase when the Metro Southwest line opens in the second half of the year. The new plaza forms part of the broader station precinct upgrade. The 90-metre-long, tree-lined space creates a direct pedestrian link between the north and south sides of the station, connecting commuters to the future metro, buses, trains and Kiss-and-Ride parking. Designed to improve access and movement through the site, the plaza also increases public space within the precinct, with new lighting, shaded seating, benches and timber decking installed beneath the 150-year-old fig tree. Areas have also been future-proofed for dining and retail opportunities. Related stories: Sydney Metro nam...

Daracon Group’s pilot Role Ready program prepared eight new entrants for a strong start in the civil construction industry. (Image: Daracon Group) Daracon Group has secured $11,200 in Smart and Skilled funding, a NSW Government program, to deliver a new pilot initiative preparing eight new entrants for a strong start in the civil construction industry. The company’s funded, nationally accredited Role Ready program, delivered in partnership with Major Training Group, supports people new to civil construction and equips them with foundation skills as they begin their careers. Participants in the pilot group completed a suite of entry-level units, including carrying out manual excavation, working as a safety observer or spotter, communicating in the workplace, entering and working in confined spaces, working safely at heights, and identifying, locating and protecting underground services. The pilot program commenced on 2 February 2026 and concluded in mid-March. Developed by Daracon...

Artist’s impression: Street view of the new tower at 570 Little Bourke Street. (Images: MaxCap and Hickory joint venture) Integrated construction and development group Hickory and commercial real estate fund manager MaxCap have commenced construction on a $300 million purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) project in Melbourne’s CBD. Student accommodation operator UniLodge has been appointed to operate and manage the property, with students to be welcomed in Semester 1, 2028. Located at 570 Little Bourke Street, the 26-level building will deliver 892 student beds across 748 units, with amenities including a library, gymnasium, cinema, music room, group dining, lounges and games spaces. Designer Nettletontribe has reinterpreted the site’s historic façade and surrounding bluestone, sandstone and red brick context into a contemporary design that restores warmth and human scale to the streetscape. The project will also revive the historic Great Western Hotel, bring new retail sp...

About 613 cubic metres of concrete was poured over 90 hours. (Images: NSW Government) The $526.8 million Ryde Hospital Redevelopment has reached a key milestone, with the first major concrete pour for the new seven-storey Acute Services Building now complete. About 613 cubic metres of concrete was poured over 90 hours, forming the base structure of the new building. A sustainable concrete mix is being used for the project, with 40 per cent of traditional cement replaced with recycled materials, reducing carbon emissions while maintaining structural strength. The use of sustainable concrete is expected to save almost 4,800 tonnes of carbon emissions, equivalent to taking more than 1,000 cars off the road for a year or powering more than 800 New South Wales homes for 12 months. Related stories: Seven tenders released for High Speed Rail Newcastle to Sydney Contract signed for Blackwattle Bay redevelopment Sydney Metro names partners for Hunter Street Station precinct Th...

Artist’s impression: Bank Street Park. (Images: NSW Government) Construction is underway on the 1.1-hectare Bank Street Park in Sydney’s Blackwattle Bay, the first open space to be delivered within the wider Bays precinct redevelopment. Connected to Bays West by the Glebe Island Bridge, the project forms part of the broader transformation of more than 10 hectares of former industrial land into a sustainable harbourfront destination. Bank Street Park is also a NSW Government Women in Construction pilot project, being delivered by BESIX Watpac in partnership with Infrastructure NSW, targeting 50 per cent participation of women across the project lifecycle, well above the industry average of 12 per cent. “We’re proud to partner with Infrastructure NSW on a project that advances greater equity across the industry and aligns with BESIX Watpac’s commitment to supporting women to build fulfilling careers in construction – currently 87 per cent of the BESIX Watpac team delivering this ...

Project representatives mark the start of construction on site. (Images: Webuild) Webuild has commenced construction on the Osborne Park Hospital expansion, a component of the Western Australian Government’s $1.8 billion New Women and Babies Hospital Project. Located within the Osborne Park Hospital precinct in Stirling, the redevelopment features two key new buildings. The six-level main clinical building will provide expanded women and newborn inpatient facilities, a mother-baby unit to support the mental health of expectant and new mothers, a family birth centre, obstetrics theatres, a pharmacy and outpatient clinics. Another four-level building will be constructed on site to house support services for the campus, including a new kitchen, pathology and sterilisation services. Webuild project director Brendan Sweeney said the project represents a major redevelopment that will integrate directly with the hospital’s existing operations, services and campus circulation. Rel...

The Women in Construction Summit 2026 will be held in both Sydney (5 to 7 May) and Melbourne (12 to 14 May). (Image: Quest Events) Ahead of the Women in Construction Summit 2026, Quest Events spoke with Cathryn Greville , CEO of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), for her insights into the ongoing challenge of attracting and retaining women in construction. Greville shares her perspective below. How would you describe the current state of gender diversity in construction? Very poor. Women comprise only 12.4 per cent of the sector overall and 3.4 per cent of tradespeople. Gaps exist across experience levels (both entry-level and senior roles and everywhere in between), but notably, there are not enough women in leadership positions. At the other end, only 4.7 per cent of construction apprentices in training are women, yet women make up 6.4 per cent of apprenticeship cancellations/withdrawals. A staggering 72 per cent leave their apprenticeships in the first...

The Fitzroy to Gladstone Pipeline project. (Images: BMD) The $983 million Fitzroy to Gladstone Pipeline is one of the largest water infrastructure projects in Central Queensland’s history. It spans 117 kilometres of pipeline that crosses varied terrain, involving engineers, environmental specialists, subcontractors and project managers working across the state. It’s also the kind of project where the old ways of tracking progress start to show their limits. Before work like this can be approved, paid for and moved forward, someone has to verify it actually happened. On a regional infrastructure site that stretches across the landscape, sitting more than 500 kilometres from the joint venture’s Brisbane head office, that’s not as straightforward as it sounds. Weekly progress reporting, BIM-to-as-built validation, subcontractor payment claims: each of these requires visibility that a folder of 2D photos and a time-lapse camera simply can’t provide. BMD senior project engineer Wei K...

Member for Caloundra Kendall Morton (left), Stockland general manager David Laner, Stockland head of town centre development Adam Renai, Deputy Premier of Queensland Jarrod Bleijie and Stockland executive general manager for town centres Marco Ettorre break ground. (Image: Renae Droop/RDW Photography) Stockland has started construction on the Aura Town Centre, a new retail, dining and entertainment precinct within its largest master-planned community on the Sunshine Coast. Spanning about 16,300 square metres, the first stage of the Aura Town Centre will feature a Woolworths and an ALDI supermarket, two mini-majors and around 55 specialty retailers and kiosks. Deputy Premier of Queensland Jarrod Bleijie joined Stockland representatives and the local community at the project site to officially break ground. “Queensland is open for business and delivering a better lifestyle through a stronger economy. A thriving community needs a heart and helps make a development a place to ca...

Strategic infrastructure investment supports connectivity, productivity and long-term national growth. (Image: methaphum/stock.adobe.com) Infrastructure Australia has released its Infrastructure Priority List, outlining a national investment blueprint for the next decade. The Infrastructure Priority List (IPL) provides independent, evidence-based advice to the Australian Government on the highest-priority proposals for investment over the next 10 years. The list features 68 proposals aimed at strengthening transport connectivity, ports and freight networks, water security, and supporting the transition to a net zero and clean energy economy. Infrastructure Australia chief executive officer Adam Copp said the list reflects a national assessment of infrastructure gaps and opportunities, identifying proposals to strengthen productivity, liveability and sustainability. “From our growing population and the strength of our economy to the liveability and connectivity of our cities and...

Vishu Kaushik secured a mechanical draftsperson role with Jennings Plumbing. (Image: TAFE NSW) A father of two who arrived in Australia seeking a better life has returned to his chosen field in the construction industry with the help of TAFE NSW. Vishu Kaushik emigrated to Australia from India in 2016. Despite 11 years’ experience as a mechanical engineer, he initially worked outside his profession at a Caltex service station to support his young family. “It was a difficult time. I left my country and was starting from zero and I endlessly applied for jobs in my field,” said Kaushik. “I was even going door to door with my résumé but was getting lots of knockbacks.” Support came through the  Institute of Applied Technology – Construction (IATC) , delivered by TAFE NSW, universities and industry partners. After a stint in a manufacturing job, the Oran Park father turned to IATC’s popular microcredentials. These bite-sized, flexible qualifications are aimed at helping existing ...

Land development and subdivision construction are forecast to grow across Victoria over the coming decade. (Image: Aisyaqilumar/stock.adobe.com) Land development sector activity in Victoria is forecast to rise almost 40 per cent by 2030, shrugging off recent stagnant growth and concerns around persistent housing stock deficiency. New data released by Civil Contractors Federation (CCF) Victoria reveals the housing infrastructure sector will benefit from a contraction in investment and activity in transport construction. “Housing is arguably the biggest public policy priority across Victoria and Australia at present. As the state’s population continues to soar, the Government will only prioritise and accelerate housing stock rollout further,” said CCF Victoria interim executive director Annie Kessell. “This will rely heavily on civil contractors to deliver the enabling infrastructure and services, such as demolition, land clearing and development, and subdivision construction. Th...

Vale Peter Bennett, chief executive officer of Clough. (Image: Webuild Group) Clough has announced the passing of chief executive officer Peter Bennett. The company shared the following statement. Statement from Clough It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of our chief executive officer, Peter Bennett. Our entire organisation is grieving the loss of an exceptional leader, colleague, and friend. Peter was widely respected for his integrity, his unwavering commitment to excellence, and his genuine care for people. His influence on our company, our culture, and our industry will endure for many years to come. Peter led with humility, strength, and a clear vision for our future. He inspired those around him and created an environment built on trust, collaboration, and respect. His passing is an immeasurable loss for all of us who had the privilege of working with him. Our thoughts are with Peter’s family, friends, and all who are feeling the impact of this ...

The Warringah Freeway Upgrade. (Image: Transport for NSW) The Warringah Freeway Upgrade Joint Venture partners, CPB Contractors and DT Infrastructure, have won the Collaboration for Project Excellence category at the 2025-26 Consult Australia Awards for Excellence. The annual awards acknowledge effective partnerships, shared goals and outcomes, innovation through collaboration and positive impact. Commencing in 2021, the Warringah Freeway Upgrade has upgraded the freeway from its original construction in the 1960s to add extra lane capacity for the new Western Harbour Tunnel entries and exits. Improvements to the freeway will also make it safer and easier to use, more efficient and reliable for the benefit of all road users, including public transport users. Regarded as one of Australia’s most complex road upgrades, the project team has optimised available nightly lane closures to reduce the impact of works for the 250,000 motorists who use the freeway each day. Related stories...

Asta Vision Plus has been built around specific, day‑to‑day pain points in modern construction and infrastructure delivery. (Image: Gorodenkoff/stock.adobe.com) Elecosoft has released Asta Vision Plus, an upgrade to Asta Vision that gives construction and infrastructure delivery teams secure, AI‑ready API access to project schedule data. Many construction businesses still rely on spreadsheets, file exports and email to move program data between applications, creating version conflicts, rekeying errors and blind spots that only surface when projects are already off track. The upgrade is designed to address these challenges by making Asta Vision a governed system of record for project and program data and a reliable data foundation for business intelligence (BI) and artificial intelligence (AI) use cases. At the core of Asta Vision Plus is Asta Vision API, which provides secure, structured access to Asta Powerproject program data, including projects, tasks, workflows, progress peri...

Last year’s winning project – the New Bridgewater Bridge by McConnell Dowell. (Image: ACA) Entries for the Australian Construction Achievement Award (ACAA) are open, inviting submissions from project teams delivering outstanding industry outcomes. By Jon Davies, CEO of the Australian Constructors Association. Every year the Australian construction industry delivers incredible projects. They’re complex, ambitious and often nation‑defining. Yet as an industry, we’re not great at pausing to acknowledge what it actually takes to deliver them. We finish one job and immediately shift to the next. The ACAA interrupts that cycle. Now in its 29th year, the ACAA is one of the construction industry’s longest running and most respected honours. What makes it different is its simplicity. It isn’t a category-based awards program with multiple winners. There is just one national award each year, recognising the project that sets the benchmark for excellence across the Australian construction i...