This research and data was paid for by OurTop10.com.au. If you use it, please cite and link to our client and Primara Research. Thank you.
The Riverina region is recovering from a 14% building approval decline in FY25 (508 to 439 approvals), with a strong 20% rebound in the first four months of FY26 (187 approvals). Wagga Wagga is driving the recovery, bucking regional trends with consistent growth while other centers like Griffith collapsed from 188 to just 81 approvals. Wagga Wagga East is the standout performer with approvals nearly tripling from 10 to 28, while the city's surrounds remain the largest growth area at 35 approvals, signaling urban sprawl into neighboring areas.
reveals building approvals across the Riverina are rebounding strongly after a challenging 2024-25 financial year, with house approvals up 20% in the first four months of the current financial year following a 14% annual decline.
The Riverina recorded 439 house approvals in FY25, down from the previous year's 508 approvals. However, early indicators suggest the region is back on track, with 187 houses already approved in the first four months of FY26. If this pace continues, the region could reach 561 approvals by June 2026, surpassing both previous years.
Wagga Wagga Bucks Regional Trend
While the FY25 decline was largely driven by significant drops in Griffith (from 188 approvals to just 81) and Tumut (from 30 to 12), Wagga Wagga has emerged as the region's standout performer with consistent growth.
The Wagga Wagga region recorded 286 house approvals in FY25, up from 231 the previous year. The momentum has continued into FY26, with 114 approvals already recorded in the first four months, a 16% increase on the same period last year. At this rate, Wagga Wagga could see an additional 218 houses approved between now and June 2026.
- 20% Riverina wide approval increase in first 4 months of FY26
- -14% Previous year's decline
- 561 Projected approvals for FY26 if current pace continues
- 187 Houses approved in first 4 months of FY26
Wagga Wagga East Powers Growth
The recent surge is being driven primarily by Wagga Wagga East, which has seen approvals nearly triple from 10 to 28 in the past four months compared with the same period in FY25.
However, the surrounds of Wagga Wagga remain the largest area for new approvals at 35, indicating the city's ongoing expansion into surrounding areas.
This construction rebound reflects young Australians fleeing unaffordable capital cities for regional areas. Wagga Wagga's success demonstrates viable inland alternatives exist, but the nearly tripled approval rate in Wagga Wagga East warns that competition is intensifying even in country NSW. The stark contrast with Griffith's 57% collapse shows regional growth is uneven, not all country towns benefit from the capital city exodus. For those considering regional relocation, Wagga Wagga represents opportunity, though the rapid expansion into surrounding areas risks replicating the urban sprawl problems that plague major cities.
