Earthmoving Outlook 2025 - 26: What’s Driving the Demand?

If you’ve tried to get a machine or a good operator lately, you’ll know how busy things are out there. Engineering construction across Australia jumped more than 5% this year, and private projects are up over 12% (Australian Bureau of Statistics, June 2025). Between farm access work, road upgrades, and regional infrastructure jobs, there’s hardly a loader sitting still.

The demand’s coming from everywhere - civil projects, rural subdivisions, and landholders tidying up or expanding. Contractors say they’re booking weeks ahead, and hire gear is thin on the ground. That’s great for business, but it’s also lifting the bar on maintenance, reliability, and safety.

From big contractors to local operators, everyone’s chasing gear that can do more than one job. Light material buckets are getting a workout during moving grain, fertiliser, loading trucks, moving feed, and mulch. It’s that versatility that keeps jobs ticking when machines are stretched thin.

Many operators are also shifting toward smarter scheduling and sharing resources, pairing up with other local companies to tackle larger contracts without overstretching. With the weather swinging between wet and dusty, those windows of workable days matter more than ever.

The market looks pretty steady with moderate growth predicted throughout next year (around 1% nationally), especially in regional NSW and QLD.

If you’re planning jobs into 2026, now’s the time to lock in your resources and keep gear serviced.