Tunnel segment production has commenced at the project’s batching plant facility, and key infrastructure has been installed east of Dundas Road in Forrestfield to support tunnelling operations.In the coming weeks TBM Grace will be lowered into the dive structure using a 600t crawler crane – one of the largest cranes in Perth.
But what one TBM can do, two can do better. TBM Sandy has just reached Australian shores and will now be assembled and tested onsite at Forrestfield before launching from the dive structure later this year.
TBMs officially named
The two tunnel boring machines that will dig the tunnels for the Forrestfield-Airport Link have been officially named.
The first TBM has been named Grace, in honour of pre-primary student Grace McPhee who was nominated by her classmates at Edney Primary School in High Wycombe. The students said Grace, who is undergoing treatment for leukaemia, was the toughest person they knew - a toughness the TBM would need to bore through the earth. TBM Grace is decorated with artwork by Year 6 Walliston Primary School student Georgia Fields.
The second TBM, which will begin work in September, has been named Sandy - suggested by High Wycombe Primary School Year 4 student Sarah Spratt. Sarah was inspired after finding a sandgroper in her backyard, as the local insect (which is also a colloquial name for Western Australians) is 'excellent at tunnelling, just like the TBM'. TBM Sandy will be decorated with artwork by Rossmoyne Primary School Year 5 students Faith Brand and Jood Al Jashammi.
Thank you to all the students who entered our TBM competition.
Belmont Station designs released
On Sunday 18 June Premier Mark McGowan and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti released artist impressions for Belmont Station and surrounds. The station, located at the junction of Brearley Avenue and Dunreath Drive, will be a 15-minute train journey from the CBD.
The station design is influenced by the natural landscape and urban fabric of the Redcliffe locality and surrounding Belmont area. Associated infrastructure includes six bus bays, 500 car parking bays, and a north-south thoroughfare for pedestrians between Bulong and Central avenues.
View the Belmont Station animation.
Construction of Belmont's underground station box begins
Eighty people attended a community information session for Belmont Station last week. The event provided an opportunity for community members to find out more about the project, view concept designs for the station and meet the project team.
Guide walls are currently being built at the Belmont construction site - the first step in the diaphragm wall (d-wall) construction method to build the underground station box. As their name implies, guide walls are built to guide the position and verticality of the d-walls. A range of equipment required to build the d-walls will arrive onsite soon, with construction to begin in mid-July.
Works underway to build retaining wall in Bayswater
Work is progressing to construct a retaining wall along Railway Parade. The wall, up to 5m high, is expected to be finished later this month then backfilling will be undertaken until the end of August. The wall is being constructed to support the temporary relocation of the Midland Line. This will allow more room for the construction team building the Bayswater Junction to work safely within the rail reserve.
The temporary rail line will be constructed closer to Railway Parade between August and December, after which the existing Midland Line will be removed.
To find out more view the Bayswater works fact sheet.
Forrestfield site ready to support tunnelling
After six months of building diaphragm walls, and with excavation now complete, the dive structure (tunnel portal) is ready for the first TBM to be lowered into position and begin tunnelling later this month. The dive structure is approximately 260m long and up to 22m wide.
Preparation of the Forrestfield construction site east of Dundas Road is also progressing well. Key infrastructure, including slurry separation plant, grout plant and water treatment plant, will be fully installed and ready to support TBM operations over the life of the project.