Tunneling has started on the Melbourne North East Link
The 6.5-kilometer road tunnels between Watsonia and Bulleen are currently being dug as tunneling on the Melbourne North East Link has begun. The North East Link is part of Victoria’s Big Build project, which is completing more than 180 significant rail and road projects.
This enormous TBM equipment is the first of two that will assist in excavating the twin tunnels, which will remove 15,000 trucks from the local highways all while saving drivers up to 35 minutes of their commute. Each TBM is among the largest in the southern hemisphere, measuring 90 meters in length, 15.6 meters in height, and 4,000 tonnes.
TBMs are traditionally given names before they begin construction, and the Melbourne North East Link TBMs have been named TBM Zelda and TBM Gillian in honor of two trailblazing local women. Zelda D’Aprano AO (1928-2018), a well-known activist who lived in West Heidelberg, was famous for founding the Women’s Action Committee and famously chaining herself to a building after an equal pay appeal was dismissed in 1969. She played a pivotal role in the protracted effort to close the gender wage gap, spearheaded by other extraordinary women.
At Heidelberg’s Mercy Hospital for Women, Dr. Gillian Opie practices as a neonatal pediatrician. In order to provide screened pasteurized milk to newborns in Melbourne’s neonatal intensive care units (NICU), Dr. Opie launched Australia’s first breast milk bank more than ten years ago.
Both TBM Zelda and TBM Gillian will excavate up to 45 meters below the surface at a rate of about 10 meters per day. When possible, rock and dirt from the tunnels will be reused throughout the North East Link and other transportation sites. A sizable portion of the dirt will also aid in the rehabilitation of a former quarry at Point Wilson and the former Orica site in Deer Park. The Melbourne North East Link tunnels will be constructed entirely using renewable electricity.
The tunnels will be completed by 2026 and will open for traffic starting in 2028.