October 2025
From expanding transportation reach and efficiency to securing energy supply and independence, Australia is taking on some of its most significant infrastructure challenges head-on. Each new megaproject reflects the country’s commitment to modernizing how people move, power their homes and connect across regions as well as building a foundation for long-term growth.
Let’s take a look at five such megaprojects beginning construction this year in the Land Down Under, listed in alphabetical order. (Note: The details provided reflect information available at the time of publishing. Given the dynamic nature of construction, project timelines and costs may evolve.
Bruce Highway Upgrade
Location: Queensland, South Australia
Sector: Transportation
Total Cost: $9 billion AUD
Construction Start: March 2025
Anticipated Completion: 2032
Stretching more than 1,600 kilometers along Queensland’s eastern coast, the Bruce Highway is a vital north–south corridor serving more than 60% of the state’s residents. This large-scale upgrade to existing infrastructure is designed to make the route safer and more efficient as population growth, coastal tourism and freight transport continue to increase.
Safety is the project’s primary driver with 41 deaths were recorded along the highway in 2024 alone. Planned improvements include new overtaking lanes, upgraded intersections, enhanced flood drainage, safety barriers and additional rest areas.
With the Queensland and Australian governments committing a total of $9 billion to the project, the Bruce Highway Upgrade emphasizes the importance of long-term infrastructure that supports regional growth and mobility, especially as Brisbane, at the southern end of the route, prepares to host the 2032 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Goschen Rare Earths and Mineral Sands Project
Location: Victoria, Southeastern Australia
Sector: Mining
Total Cost: $337 million AUD
Construction Start: 2025
Anticipated Completion: 2026 (first production)
As the world transitions to net-zero emissions, demand is surging for the rare earth elements (REEs) that enable clean energy technologies. Meeting that demand starts with locating and developing reserves that contain abundant deposits, and Victoria, in southeast Australia, is home to one such site: the Goschen Rare Earths and Mineral Sands Project.
The facility will mine xenotime, zircon, ilmenite and other rare earth elements used in everyday products, from phones and medical devices to electric vehicles and rechargeable batteries. By extracting these so-called “rare” earths (more common than their name implies), Australia is positioning itself as a strategic alternative supplier, both politically and economically, to China’s world-leading reserves. Diversifying the global supply chain helps reduce energy vulnerabilities for Australia and for other countries alike.
What sets the Goschen site apart is its mineral sand deposit composition. Accessing the REEs requires a relatively simple dig-and-separate process, unlike most sites where minerals are contained within hard rock that must be blasted and drilled to extract.
Suburban Rail Loop (SRL)
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Southeastern Australia
Sector: Transportation
Total Cost: $30–34 billion AUD
Construction Start: May 2025
Anticipated Completion: 2035 (SRL East)
The Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) is more than a massive infrastructure project responding to the transportation needs of 5.3 million people who live and work around Melbourne, it’s preparing for what’s ahead. The city’s population is expected to climb to 9 million within the next 25 years, rivaling London’s current size, and that growth is already straining roadways and public transport systems.
The new 90-kilometer above- and below-ground rail network will form a loop around Melbourne’s central business district, shortening commutes and removing hundreds of thousands of vehicles from the roadways. It will link key destinations across the region, including Melbourne Airport, employment centers, health facilities, education hubs, recreational areas and surrounding suburbs.
Major construction on SRL East (the first 26-kilometer stage from Cheltenham to Box Hill), began this spring. There’s early scrutiny from an advisory infrastructure agency and the federal government over its high cost and reported health effects on nearby residents during construction, highlighting the stakes involved in delivering a project of this scale.
Summerfield Battery Energy Storage System
Location: Summerfield, South Australia
Sector: Energy
Total Cost: Undisclosed
Construction Start: February 2025
Anticipated Completion: 2027
South Australia is adding to its renewable energy network with the Summerfield Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), the state’s first giga-scale battery project. Joining wind and solar installations that already supply about 72% of the state’s power, the Summerfield BESS is one of six large-scale battery projects currently under construction. Together, they’re helping position South Australia to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2027, the first major grid in the world to do so.
The battery will store 960 MWh of energy, enough to deliver 240 MW of power for 50,000 homes for four hours a day. As the state builds out its energy storage capacity, systems like Summerfield will help balance the variability of wind and solar power, storing excess renewable energy when supply is strong and feeding it back into the grid when demand spikes.
The Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Sector: Transportation
Total Cost: $15.4 billion AUD
Construction Start: May 2025
Anticipated Completion: 2031
Twenty-one. That’s the number of stop-and-wait-and-go traffic lights drivers will avoid when the throughway between the River Torrens and Darlington in Adelaide, South Australia, is completed in 2031. The nonstop expressway will streamline traffic flow, shaving up to 40 minutes off rush-hour traffic and dramatically reducing congestion.
The Torrens to Darlington Project, known as T2D, is the last portion of Adelaide’s nonstop 78-kilometer North-South Corridor to be constructed. Touted as South Australia’s most significant infrastructure project, in terms of size, cost and complexity, the 10.5-kilometer stretch will feature twin three-lane, bidirectional tunnels totaling 6.7 kilometers, connected by open roadway sections on either side and between them. Construction will take place in a dense urban corridor, requiring careful coordination to minimize disruptions to surrounding communities, utilities and existing road networks.
Completing the vision for a safer, more efficient transportation network for commuters, tourists and freight haulers alike, the federal and South Australian governments are fully funding the T2D project, each providing $7.7 billion.
Technology’s Potential in Managing Australia’s Megaprojects
For today’s megaprojects to stay on time and on budget, it makes sense to pair modern initiatives, such as those Australia is championing, with modern tools. Technology that centralizes data, automates reporting and delivers real-time visibility is giving project teams the control they need to keep costs and schedules aligned, and reduce the delays and overruns that can throw major infrastructure efforts off course.
Projects like the Suburban Rail Loop and Torrens to Darlington Tunnel involve multiple contractors, funding sources and work packages that all have to move in sync. Even a slight delay in one area can ripple across the entire project. Integrated cost-and-schedule systems pull all that data onto a single platform, giving teams a real-time view of progress and performance. With that kind of visibility, issues can be spotted early, letting managers make adjustments before delays or cost overruns take hold.
Large-scale initiatives, such as the Bruce Highway Upgrade and the Suburban Rail Loop, span years and involve governments, communities and private contractors. Keeping everyone on the same page is essential; it requires transparency. Centralized dashboards and automated reporting tools can deliver tailored insights for each stakeholder group, fostering trust, supporting regulatory compliance, and ensuring everyone stays aligned as the work progresses.
Cost escalation, supply chain strain and weather-related risks are part of life for Australia’s ambitious construction projects. Predictive analytics and forecasting tools turn live cost, schedule and performance data into forward-looking insights. Teams can run what-if scenarios, like the impact of flooding or equipment delays, before they hit, helping managers stay ahead of potential setbacks.
Whether it’s a remote site like Goschen or a dense urban corridor like T2D, construction teams need real-time access to project data. Mobile collaboration tools give field teams that visibility, letting them update progress, costs and performance metrics straight from the job site. That live data flow keeps office and field teams operating from the same, current picture, so decisions are faster and reporting stays accurate.
Sustainability is a growing focus for Australia’s megaprojects, from mining operations like Goschen to transport and energy infrastructure. Carbon tracking tools provide teams with a clear, real-time view of emissions, helping them make informed choices about materials, processes and energy use. They also support reporting and compliance, so projects can stay on track with sustainability goals without slowing progress.
As these megaprojects advance, the ability to unify data, communication and cost visibility will be key to keeping progress on track and outcomes on target.
Building for Today and Tomorrow
Australia’s newest megaprojects highlight the country’s commitment to delivering infrastructure for today that will also support future growth. These large-scale initiatives, from highways and tunnels to rail and renewable energy, are part of a broader construction trend happening in other regions of the world. All are facing challenges in cost, schedule, stakeholder coordination and sustainability. Technology can play a crucial role in helping project teams navigate these challenges and keep projects on track.
Want to see what megaprojects are taking shape in other regions in 2025? Check out what’s happening across the US & Canada and Europe.
Contruent Enterprise helps companies worldwide manage megaprojects and their associated costs. Learn more or request a demo today.