$1.15bn tunnelling contract awarded for North West Rail Link

The New South Wales (NSW) Government has awarded the $1.15 billion tunnelling and station civils contract for its flagship North West Rail Link project.

A joint venture of Thiess, John Holland and Dragados (TJHD) a deliver the programme of works which includes constructing 15 kms of twin-bored tunnels and excavation works for five underground stations.

The tunnels, which will run between Bella Vista and Epping, will become ‘the longest rail tunnels ever built in Australia’, according to TJHD.

The JV said it expects to place an order for four new tunnel boring machines (TBM) in the next few weeks.

Tunnelling is scheduled to begin by the end of 2014.

Announcing the contract award, Thiess managing director Bruce Munro said: “Thiess has been delivering major projects in New South Wales for decades and between us, Thiess and John Holland have built 70 per cent of Australia’s major underground infrastructure over the last 10 years.

“Together we have more tunnelling experience in Sydney sandstone than any other contractor and when combined with the international expertise of Dragados, we will deliver a fantastic transport outcome for the people of northwest Sydney.”

Early proposals for the North West Rail Link date back to the late 1990s.

NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell said: “The people of the North West have waited far too long for this historic day – now it’s all hands on deck as we deliver Australia’s biggest public transport infrastructure project.”




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