'Big Build' TBM launch site starts construction
Construction of a launch site for a tunnel boring machine (TBM) is now underway in Burwood, Melbourne, Australia – the most significant work yet on SRL (Suburban Rail Loop) East.
Part of the state of Victoria's AU$30 billion (UK£15.8 billion) Big Build, the SRL will link every major rail line from the Frankston Line to the Werribee Line via Melbourne Airport.
Excavators, cranes, and pile-drilling rigs are currently constructing a 19m deep, 38m long, and 29m wide space – enabling TBMs to be launched from a concrete podium in 2026.
Crews are installing secant piles as a retaining wall around the edge of the launch site before 34,500 tonnes of soil is removed and 1200 tonnes of steel struts installed.
Hundreds of early jobs have already been created as workers move underground services and utilities, and prepare sites for major construction in Box Hill, Monash, Glen Waverley, Clayton and the train stabling site in Heatherton.
The first tunnelling contract for SRL East has been awarded to a consortium of global tunnelling leaders. The Tunnels South contract is for 16km of twin tunnels from Cheltenham to Glen Waverley – the longest in Australia. A consortium of CPB Contractors, Acciona Construction and Ghella will deliver this huge construction package, and trains will be running by 2035.
The Tunnels North contract between Glen Waverley and Box Hill is now in the Request for Proposal stage and will be awarded in 2024. 2 consortia have also been shortlisted to build the fleet of high-tech SRL trains, the signalling system, and operate and maintain the SRL East network.
SRL East will create up to 8000 direct jobs during construction, with exciting opportunities for training and reskilling, and supporting additional Victorian jobs across the supply chain.
With trains running by 2035, SRL East will deliver huge benefits for Burwood – with a direct train line to Deakin University for the first time, better connections to jobs and healthcare across Melbourne’s middle suburbs, and more diverse housing options close to public transport.
Subscribe to the weekly newsletter
