Tunnelling has commenced on the North East Link project in Melbourne’s northeast, a collaboration between the Australian and Victorian governments.
The first North East Link tunnel boring machine (TBM) has begun digging the 6.5-kilometre tunnel between Watsonia and Bulleen, expected to remove 15,000 trucks from local roads and reduce travel times by up to 35 minutes.
North East Link project
- The tunnel boring machines (TBMs) will dig up to 15 metres per day
- The North East Link is expected to reduce travel times by up to 35 minutes.
- The North East Link is currently set for completion in 2028
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
How the tunnel boring machines work
This TBM, one of two massive machines, will dig up to 15 metres per day and operate at depths of up to 45 metres. The machines, weighing 4,000 tonnes each, will also install tunnel walls made of approximately 44,000 locally produced concrete segments.
Over 100 workers, trained at the Victorian Tunnelling Centre at Holmesglen, will work underground on this project, which will be powered entirely by renewable electricity.
The excavated dirt and rock will be reused across the North East Link and other transport sites where possible. A significant portion of the material will also aid in the rehabilitation of the former quarry at Point Wilson and the former Orica site in Deer Park.
The two TBMs, named Zelda and Gillian, honour two influential Victorian women. Zelda D’Aprano AO, a late West Heidelberg resident, was a prominent women’s rights activist known for her work in closing the gender pay gap. Dr Gillian Opie, a neonatal paediatrician at the Mercy Hospital for Women in Heidelberg, founded Australia’s first breast milk bank.
Currently, over 6,700 people are working on the North East Link project, which is expected to create 12,000 jobs before its completion in 2028. The 2024-25 Budget saw the Australian Government commit an additional $3.25 billion to the project, bringing its total contribution to $5 billion, with the Victorian Government funding the remaining amount. Its also expected to create up to 50 MCG sized-areas of new parkland.
Cutting journeys by 35 minutes by 2028
Victorian premier Jacinta Allan described the start of tunnelling as “a major milestone on a project that will get thousands of trucks off local roads.”
Federal minister for infrastructure, transport, regional development and local government Catherine King emphasised that “building the North East Link is critical to future-proof Melbourne’s road network for the growing population of Victoria.”
Victorian minister for transport infrastructure Danny Pearson noted that “Victoria’s missing link has been talked about for decades – we’re getting on with building it to make sure our freeways are keeping up with our growing state.”
Federal member for Jagajaga Kate Thwaites highlighted the partnership between the Commonwealth and Victoria, stating, “This shows the Commonwealth is once again partnering with Victoria in infrastructure, in job creation and in building the economy, as we deliver this important project for our local community.”
Victorian member for Bundoora Colin Brooks added, “We’ve started building the longer 6.5-kilometre tunnels that the community asked for, which will get trucks off local roads, slash travel times, and create thousands of jobs.”
Learn more about the North East Link project here.
