Headstone discovery at Airport Central site
The Airport Central construction site has now been established near the Control Tower at Terminal 1, and diaphragm wall construction for the station box is underway.
Late last year whilst undertaking earth levelling at our Airport Central Station site, the work crew came across a broken headstone. Archaeologists were invited on site and their investigations linked the discovery to East Perth Cemeteries and the National Trust.
The National Trust was subsequently able to identify the headstone as that of Theodosia Madeline Clifton James who died 4 April 1891 at the age of seven months. She was the daughter of John Charles Horsey James (WA’s first Commissioner of Land Titles and inaugural president of the WA Cricket Association) and Rebecca Catherine James (eldest daughter of Charles and Maria Clifton). It is believed that Madeline is buried in the same grave as her father at East Perth Cemetery, and her headstone was moved during a clean-up of the cemetery.
With so much of the work for the Forrestfield-Airport Link conducted underground there will no doubt be continued discoveries along the way. In fact, alongside the headstone were pieces of broken dinnerware and bottles dating from the 1950s.
Work begins within the rail reserve
Establishment of the Bayswater construction site along Railway Parade is now underway, marking the start of work within the active rail reserve.
The tunnel portal, referred to as Bayswater Junction, will be built in the road reserve near Tonkin Highway, west of Guildford Road. The portal will provide the entry/exit from the tunnels for the trains.
Before construction of the Bayswater Junction can begin, a retaining wall will be built adjacent to Railway Parade to support the temporary relocation of the Midland Line. The rail line is being moved to the edge of the reserve to provide more space for our team to work safely within the active rail reserve to build the portal.
Traffic management along Railway Parade will remain in place until later this year, to allow this construction to occur. For more information, view the website construction pages.
Things are changing quickly at Forrestfield
Forrestfield construction site, along Dundas Road, continues to be a hub of activity. By the end of May the installation of concrete pads and internal roads will be completed east of Dundas Road.
Excavation of the dive structure, located to the west of Dundas Road, is also well underway. The dive structure is where the TBMs will begin their tunnelling journey to Bayswater. The first TBM will begin tunnelling in July this year; the second will begin two months later.
Work has now begun to install double barrel culverts for services to be supplied east and west of Dundas Road. Pipes installed in the culverts will transfer water, electricity, slurry and compressed air, which are essential for the operation of the TBMs.
For more information, view the latest works update.
Construction begins along former Brearley Avenue
Following the partial closure of Brearley Avenue in January, works are now well underway to prepare the Belmont Station construction site with clearing complete and service relocations progressing for Atco Gas, Western Power and Telstra.
Two community site walks were held in April to provide residents with information on upcoming works and expected impacts.
Over the coming weeks, works will continue to backfill the Southern Main Drain, near Central Avenue, lift the old road bitumen along Brearley Avenue, and remove the topsoil. This work is expected to finish late-May.