Massive year of tunnelling for Sydney Metro West kicks off

Tunnel boring machines (TBMs) Beatrice and Daphne have been relaunched at the Five Dock Metro Station site to continue their journey toward Sydney Olympic Park, kicking off a massive year of tunnelling for Sydney Metro West. 

The TBMs will now make their way to their next stop, about two kilometres away, at the future Burwood North Metro Station site. 

The relaunch of TBMs Beatrice and Daphne marks a major milestone in the delivery of the 24-kilometre metro line between Westmead and Hunter Street in Sydney’s CBD, further progressing the development of Sydney Metro West. 

“Sydney Matro West has kicked off a huge year in tunnelling and over the next 12 month we will really see this transformational project take shape. 

“These mighty machines are really doing the heavy lifting as we move closer towards our goal of delivering even more public transport connections for the people of Sydney’s west,” Transport Minister Jo Haylen said. 

The two 1,300-tonne machines will tunnel about 200 metres a week to complete the second leg of their journey, with the TBMs expected to break through at the Burwood North site next month. 

The TBMs made tunnelling history in December 2023 when they arrived at the Five Dock site just minutes apart, achieving the first double breakthrough in the southern hemisphere. Upon their arrival, the massive machines underwent necessary maintenance works to ensure they will safely operate on their next leg of tunnelling. 

With the TBMs’ departure from the Five Dock site, works will continue to prepare the 200-metre-long, 22-metre wide and about 30-metre-deep cavern for the construction of the new metro station. 

A TBM at the Five Dock cavern (source: Sydney Metro)

Meanwhile, TBMs Betty and Dorothy are also making significant progress in building the tunnels between Sydney Olympic Park and Westmead, with over 1.3 kilometres and 930 metres into their journeys respectively. 

Two more TBMs are set to arrive at The Bays site in the coming months, ahead of the beginning of tunnelling works below Sydney Harbour later this year. 

Sydney Metro West will deliver a new 24-kilometre underground metro railway that will double the rail capacity between Parramatta and the Sydney CBD. Not only will this development provide fast, reliable, turn-up-and-go train services, but it will also connect new communities to rail services, support employment growth and housing supply. 

The project will also deliver new stations across the alignment, with Westmead, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock, The Bays, Pyrmont and Hunter Street in the Sydney CBD confirmed for the station locations. 

The development of Sydney Metro West reaffirms the State Government’s commitment to building more housing in the right places and where people want to live, improving affordability as well as reducing building and infrastructure costs while creating thriving communities. 

This commitment includes a proposal brough to the New South Wales Government by the Australian Turf Club that focus on the potential to build more than 25,000 new homes on the Rosehill Racecourse site which, in turn, will allow the government to explore the possibility of a new Metro West Station at Rosehill. 

“This once in a generation investment into transport infrastructure will also act as a catalyst for the delivery of much-needed housing. 

“As Sydney grows, fully- accessible and reliable rail services are crucial to keep our city moving. 

“By the end of the year, six enormous tunnel boring machines will be crushing through rock to deliver 24 kilometres of brand-new metro tunnels beneath Sydney,” Minister Haylen said. 

Sydney Metro West is targeted to open in 2032 and the project is estimated to create about 10,000 direct and 70,000 indirect jobs during its construction. 

Source: NSW Government – Media Releases; Sydney Metro (1, 2); Infrastructure Magazine