A quarterly snapshot is only useful if it tells you something the monthly view does not. This one does: the category mix shifted more than the state rankings did. If you only track which state has the most DAs, you already know the answer. The more interesting question is what kind of work is actually landing.
Q1 2026 national DA snapshot: 23,973 applications across 341 councils, with activity clustering in South East Queensland, Western Sydney, and Melbourne's inner ring.
The Quick Numbers
The DA Leads public dataset at the end of Q1 2026 covers 23,973 development applications across 341 councils. We have covered the state-by-state breakdown and the suburb-level clustering story in separate articles. This report focuses on what the quarterly view adds: category trends, council-level shifts and approval track patterns.
| State | Visible DAs | Q1 Story |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | 10,327 | Still the largest pipeline. See NSW vs VIC comparison for the full breakdown. |
| Queensland | 4,998 | Logan alone accounts for 1,744 DAs. The corridor concentration story is covered in our growth suburbs piece. |
| Victoria | 4,758 | Category diversity remains strong, especially in renovation and tree removal. |
The Category Story: Renovation Is Still the Biggest Slice
The single most useful Q1 finding is not about geography. It is about project type.
Renovation and extension work accounts for 4,582 DAs (19.1%) of the full dataset, making it the largest trade category. New dwellings sit at 3,008 (12.5%). Subdivision is third at 2,400 (10.0%).
| Category | DAs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Renovation / Extension | 4,582 | 19.1% |
| New Dwelling | 3,008 | 12.5% |
| Subdivision | 2,400 | 10.0% |
| Commercial / Industrial | 1,704 | 7.1% |
| Swimming Pool / Spa | 1,429 | 6.0% |
| Demolition | 1,053 | 4.4% |
That matters for anyone selling to trades. The visible planning pipeline is still heavily homeowner-led. Builders who focus on extensions, structural alterations and larger remodelling jobs are looking at the main category, not a side one. See our full 23,973 DA analysis for the deeper breakdown.
Council Movers: Who Changed in Q1
The top council rankings are fairly stable quarter to quarter. Logan stays on top. Brisbane stays second. But a few councils moved noticeably:
- Onkaparinga (SA) climbed into the national top 10 with 737 DAs in 2026 so far, making it the highest-ranked South Australian council by a wide margin. Port Adelaide Enfield follows at 579.
- Camden (NSW) continues to grow, reaching 642 DAs. It sits inside the south-west Sydney growth belt alongside Liverpool (626) and Campbelltown (555).
- Moreton Bay (QLD) reached 565, reinforcing that SEQ's growth story extends well beyond Logan.
For the full council ranking table, see busiest councils in Australia.
Granny Flats: Still 73% NSW
One category worth tracking separately: granny flats and secondary dwellings. The Q1 snapshot shows 996 nationally, with 727 in NSW alone (73%). Queensland is next at 169. Victoria sits at just 72.
This concentration has not changed much from late 2025. If your business depends on granny flat demand, NSW is still the obvious first market. Victoria's lower numbers partly reflect stricter planning controls. Our granny flat permits guide for Victoria explains why.
What Actually Changed from Q4 2025
Quarterly reporting is most useful when you compare it to the previous quarter rather than reading it as a standalone league table. Three things look different from late 2025:
-
South Australia is more visible. Onkaparinga and Port Adelaide Enfield both appear in the national top 15. SA was barely on the radar in Q3 2025 because DA Leads coverage was thinner. This is partly a data expansion effect, but the underlying activity is real.
-
Renovation share held steady. Despite new dwelling construction getting more media attention, the renovation category stayed at 19% through Q1. Homeowner-led planning activity has not faded.
-
Regional NSW is generating real volume. Dubbo (75 DAs), Orange (64) and Bathurst (59) are not one-category overflow markets. They each mix commercial, residential and renovation work. For trades outside the Sydney metro, these regional councils are worth watching.
What to Watch Next Quarter
The state rankings are unlikely to change much. NSW will probably stay on top, and Logan will probably stay the busiest single council.
The more useful things to watch are smaller signals. South Australia's visibility is growing as more councils come into the dataset. If that continues through Q2, SA could become a meaningful fourth state for trade opportunity.
At the category level, keep an eye on whether swimming pool and spa DAs pick up as spring approaches. That category sat at 1,429 in Q1, or about 6% of the total. A seasonal bump in Q3 and Q4 would be normal. A flat line would suggest something has changed in the market.
The Bottom Line
If you have already read our state comparison and growth suburb articles, this quarterly report adds three things: the category breakdown showing renovation as the dominant project type, South Australia's emergence in the council rankings, and specific regional councils generating mixed-category pipelines outside the capital cities.
Browse all leads, explore by state, or use the councils directory to dig into specific markets. For suburb-level clustering, see growth suburbs where development is happening. For the NSW vs VIC comparison, see how development activity compares. If you are new to the DA process, our what is a development application explainer covers the basics.
