Victoria has been named Australia’s strongest state for construction tendering activity, outperforming larger markets on several key measures, according to new research from construction tender platform, EstimateOne.
The study examined tender and project data across six states during the first quarter of 2026, assessing each market against tender volume, project volume, tender intensity, public sector participation and sector demand.
While New South Wales remains the nation’s largest market by project count, Victoria ranked first overall due to its combination of high tender activity and strong public sector visibility.
Victoria recorded 1,612 tenders during the quarter, ahead of New South Wales with 1,514 and Queensland with 1,382. It also posted the highest tender intensity in the country at 1.78 tenders per project, ahead of South Australia at 1.48 and Queensland at 1.46.
According to the ‘Which State is Strongest for Tendering?’ report, this reflects a market in which projects are more likely to proceed through competitive procurement processes, creating greater visibility and opportunities for contractors and suppliers.
New South Wales maintained the largest project pipeline with 1,137 projects, ahead of Queensland’s 948 and Victoria’s 906.
Despite its sheer scale, the state’s lower tender intensity and larger share of private sector work reduced the volume of publicly visible opportunities compared with Victoria and Queensland.
Elsewhere, Queensland emerged as the strongest alternative major market, ranking second overall.
The Sunshine State recorded more than 1,000 public tenders during the quarter and demonstrated solid tender intensity, highlighting continued opportunities for businesses targeting government-funded work.
Notably, Queensland issued more public tenders than New South Wales, with 1,031 versus 957, despite having a smaller overall project base.
Public sector procurement remains a dominant feature across all state markets, accounting for the majority of tender activity nationwide.
Victoria led the country with public tenders representing 81.2 percent of all opportunities, followed by Queensland at 74.6 percent, South Australia at 73.7 percent and Western Australia at 71.5 percent.
New South Wales was the least public-weighted market at 63.2 percent, with a significantly higher proportion of private sector projects than any other state.
The analysis also found that project size and sector composition varied considerably between states.
Mid-market projects valued between $1 million and $5 million accounted for the largest share of activity across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland – 47.3 percent, 43.5 percent and 43.0 percent, respectively – providing a substantial pipeline for contractors in the commercial construction sector.
Victoria and Queensland were driven by education projects, while commercial developments dominated in New South Wales and South Australia. Western Australia showed stronger demand in government and refurbishment work.
Overall, Victoria ranked first nationally, followed by Queensland and New South Wales. South Australia placed fourth, ahead of Western Australia and Tasmania.
