Major projects across transport energy, water, communications and social infrastructure have been revealed as critical priorities for Australia over the next decade.

Infrastructure Australia has released the 2026 edition of its Infrastructure Priority List.

The list provides advice to the Australian Government on the highest priority projects that should be considered for investment over the next ten years.

All up, 68 projects are included.

Each of the proposed projects responds to one of five key priority areas which have been identified by Infrastructure Australia as critical to meeting current and future requirements.

These are:

• Delivering high productivity freight networks by enhancing the capacity, interoperability and resilience of nationally important freight corridors and networks for higher productivity rail and road freight.
• Improving port capacity and connectivity by increasing national ports capacity and strengthening import-export supply chains with last mile freight and intermodal connections for ports and port precincts.
• Building high-capacity transport for growing cities, including building safe, efficient and city shaping transport for fast-growing urban populations and unlocking priority growth areas and precincts for housing and development.
• Securing sustainable and reliable water supply by providing secure, climate-resilient water and wastewater capacity in cities and regions to support housing growth and increasing demands from water-intensive industries.
• Transitioning toward a clean energy economy by delivering large-scale renewable generation, storage and transmission, including enabling infrastructure, and by unlocking national economic opportunities from Australia’s energy transition.

(This program proposal involves relocating Western Australia’s primary container port from Fremantle to a new facility at Kwinana, supported by upgraded road, rail, and intermodal infrastructure to ensure efficient, resilient, and sustainable freight supply chains. The proposal will also incorporate replacement of the existing Kwinana Bulk Terminal and new roll-on roll-off and general cargo wharf facilities. This is critical as Fremantle Port handles most of Western Australia’s container trade and is forecast to reach its maximum practical capacity by 2040, with limited options for further expansion due to constrained industrial land and ageing assets. Image source: Westport)

Published as a requirement under the Infrastructure Australia Act 2008, the priority list represents Infrastructure Australia’s independent, evidence-based advice to the Australian Government on the highest priority projects which should be considered for investment over the next ten years.

The list represents independent advice to the government. The inclusion of any particular proposal does not infer that the proposal is supported by the Australian Government.

It should also be noted that inclusion on the list simply represents advice that the project should be considered. It does not infer that Infrastructure Australia endorses the project’s business case or viability.

(Recommended for consideration over a 5-10 year period the proposed Western Intermodal Freight Terminal The WIFT is a planned intermodal terminal in Melbourne’s west, designed to provide additional capacity for freight and enable seamless integration with the proposed Outer Metropolitan Ring Rail South and other key freight routes.)

Long-term infrastructure challenges

The release of the list comes as Australia faces long term infrastructure challenges across several areas.

First, a rapidly expanding population is generating enormous pressures in terms of housing, transport, urban growth, congestion and energy and water consumption.

All up Australia’s population is expected to grow from 27.6 million in 2024/25 to 41.0 million by 2065/66.

By that time, the populations of Melbourne and Sydney will have reached 9.1 million and 8.5 million respectively.

Additional challenges arise from other areas.

The nation’s water supply is set to be challenged over the long term not only by population growth but also greater rainfall variability, aging infrastructure and demands from water intensive industries such as agriculture as well as the rapid expansion of data centres.

By 2060, major cities of Perth and Sydney face projected water shortages of 365 GL and 254 GL per year respectively. By 2050, Melbourne and Adelaide face respective annual water shortages of 115GL and 70GL.

In energy, meanwhile, significant investment is needed to ensure that Australia can deliver a system which is secure, reliable and affordable as it transitions to a clean energy future.

Headline and non-headline projects

Unsurprisingly, some projects on the list have been the subject of media headlines.

One such project is Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop, which is envisioned to create a 90 km orbital loop linking middle suburbs across Melbourne’s southeast, east, northeast, north, northwest, west and southwest as well as creating a link from Melbourne’s CBD to the airport.

Both the first section of this (SRL East – currently under construction) and future possible sections have been included on the list.

This comes despite Infrastructure Australia having previously raised concerns about the business case for SRL East.

As mentioned above, inclusion on the list does not imply an endorsement of the project’s business case or viability.

However, the inclusion of SRL East on the priority list will provide a greater platform for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to deliver on his commitment to provide more funding for the project in the upcoming Commonwealth budget.

Other listed projects are less likely to generate headlines.

One example is the proposed Perth and South-Western Coast Water Security program.

This involves a proposal for a program of water supply and demand management interventions to improve water security in Perth and across the south-west coast of Western Australia.

This could include a mix of conventional water sources (dams etc.) as well as more innovative reuse and recovery options (such as recycled water and desalination plants) to provide additional sources of climate-independent potable and non-potable water.

This is critical in light of Perth’s water security challenges as mentioned above.

(The proposed Paradise Dam Improvement Project in Queensland involves construction of a new dam immediately downstream of the existing Paradise Dam., which suffers from serious structural deficiencies and does not meet safety requirements. This would meet dam safety standards and restore the yield of Paradise Dam to its original design levels, supplying water for agricultural, urban, commercial and industrial customers.)

Timely advice

Infrastructure Australia Chief Executive Officer Adam Copp said that the list provides timely and critical advice to the Australian Government.

He says that the list represents Infrastructure Australia’s top-down view of the proposals that can best strengthen the nation’s productivity, livability and sustainability now and for the future.

This is based on its assessment of the infrastructure gaps and opportunities across the nation.

“From our growing population and the strength of our economy to the livability and connectivity of our cities and regions—everything hinges on having the right infrastructure invested in at the right time,” Copp said.

“This investment blueprint will give the Australian Government the confidence, clarity and evidence it needs on what the highest priority proposals are for the country that can address critical infrastructure gaps and unlock economic opportunities.”

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