Western Harbour Tunnel
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Stage 1 tunnelling
Learn about tunnelling from Emily Street, Rozelle to Cove Street, Birchgrove.
Stage 2 tunnelling
Learn about tunnelling from Cove Street, Birchgrove to Warringah Freeway, North Sydney.
Project overview
Watch this video to find out about Sydney's third Harbour crossing.
Explore the tunnel tool
Click here to find more about the final tunnel alignment, depth and tunnel support facilities.
Berrys Bay master plan
The Berrys Bay master plan has been shaped by the community and provides a vision to transform the former industrial land into usable public open space.
Latest News
Tunnel Boring Machines get the green light!
31 January 2024
The Department for Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) has approved the Modification to the Western Harbour Tunnel project. This decision is a significant step towards enhancing road connections in and around Sydneyโs CBD, with a clear commitment to minimising disruption for the community and the environment during construction.
We consulted communities across the lower north shore, inner west and Emu Plains about the Modification in July and August 2023, and we will continue to engage with these communities as we work to deliver the Western Harbour Tunnel.
About the Modification
The Modification Report was submitted in July 2023, proposing to amend the Western Harbour Tunnel project granted planning approval in January 2021.
The approved Modification means that we are changing the construction methodology for tunnelling under the Sydney Harbour between Birchgrove and Waverton from an Immersed Tube Tunnel to using Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs). This change will reduce construction impacts on the community and environment by:
not dredging in Sydney Harbour
reducing the overall number of construction support sites by removing the need for construction support sites at Yurulbin Point, Berrys Bay, White Bay North and Victoria Road
removing the need for cofferdams in Sydney Harbour at Birchgrove and Balls Head
removing impacts to Birchgrove Ferry Wharf and ferry services
reducing impacts to ferries and boats on Sydney Harbour.
Approval of the Modification also means there will be a new construction support site at Emu Plains and changes to our existing support sites at the City West Link Portal, Glebe Island and Ridge Street, North Sydney.
All other construction activities and elements of the approved project not included in the Modification Report will continue to proceed as planned.
As with any major infrastructure project of this scale, the approved changes are subject to the Ministerโs Conditions of Approval. You can learn more about these conditions and view the full Modification Report here on the Department for Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI)'s Major Projects portal.
Stage 2 reaches major milestone with the start of tunnelling from Cammeray
2 November 2023
Western Harbour Tunnel Stage 2 has now reached a major milestone with the start of roadheader tunnel excavation on the north side of the Harbour from November 2023 at Cammeray.
In late November 2023 we plan to launch the first roadheader from the Cammeray temporary construction site to excavate a temporary access tunnel from the Cammeray construction site underneath road reserve towards the Warringah Freeway, where it will start excavating the mainline tunnels, travelling south underneath the Warringah Freeway towards our Ridge Street temporary construction site.
Read our Start of Tunnelling notification for more information. To learn more about our construction activities and how we manage any potential impacts from our tunnelling activities, please refer to our Stage 2 fact sheets.
Online information session
We invite the community to attend an online information session on Thursday 16 November prior to tunnelling commencing at Cammeray, where project representatives will share a presentation on roadheader tunnelling and answer questions. Please click here to register.
Community information sessions will be scheduled before tunnelling starts in each suburb along the alignment.
Community Information Centre opening soon in North Sydney
From Tuesday 21 November 2023 you can visit our team and learn more about the project at our Western Harbour Tunnel Stage 2 Community Information Centre. We are located on Level 9, 60 Miller Street, North Sydney and open Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm, or by appointment.
Submissions Report for the Western Harbour Tunnel Modification, now online!
16 October 2023
From 19 July to 15 August 2023, we invited the community to have their say on proposed changes to the way we build the Western Harbour Tunnel under Sydney Harbour.
The proposed modification to the approved Western Harbour Tunnel project requires a Submissions Report where each of the formal submissions are identified and responded to. This report is now publicly available at the NSW Department of Planning and Environmentโs Major Projects portal here.
We met with over 200 community members in North Sydney, Birchgrove and Emu Plains during the public exhibition period. We heard a lot of important feedback on the proposed Modification, including concerns about the changes to traffic and access, the new construction methodology for tunnelling under the harbour and tunnel depth.
The Department of Planning and Environment is now considering how the project has addressed community and stakeholder concerns before providing a recommendation and assessment for determination by the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces.
Image: Modification community information session |
Exhibition period for the Western Harbour Tunnel Modification has now closed
17 August 2023
From 19 July to 15 August 2023, we invited the community to have their say on proposed changes to the way we build the Western Harbour Tunnel under Sydney Harbour.
We displayed the Modification Report which outlined a modification to the approved Western Harbour Tunnel project to change the construction methodology for crossing under Sydney Harbour between Birchgrove and Waverton from the approved Immersed Tube Tunnel (IMT) method to Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs).
During this submission period we held four information sessions and an online information session to support the community in understanding our proposed changes and to encourage submissions to be provided to the Department of Planning and Environment for consideration.
Whatโs next?
All concerns raised in your submissions during the public exhibition period for the Modification will be addressed in a Submissions Report to be provided to the NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and made publicly available on the NSW Major Projects Planning Portal.
The Minister will consider how the project has addressed community and stakeholder concerns before providing a recommendation and assessment.
Image: Modification community information session |
Western Harbour Tunnel Modification Report is now on public exhibition
20 July 2023
Transport for NSW invites you to have your say on a Modification to the approved Western Harbour Tunnel project to change the construction methodology for crossing under Sydney Harbour between Birchgrove and Waverton from the approved Immersed Tube Tunnel (IMT) method to Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs).
This proposal brings significant community and environmental benefits such as:
No dredging of Sydney Harbour
No cofferdams in Sydney Harbour
No construction activities at Yurulbin Point
No changes to Birchgrove ferry services
Returning Berrys Bay early to the community
Come and talk with us about the Modification at community information sessions in North Sydney or Balmain between 24 July and 2 August or join our online session on 8 August. Find out more here.
If youโd like to know more about the Modification, please click here to view Modification portal page or read the full Modification Report here.
Submissions close at 11.59pm Tuesday 15 August 2023 and must be made in writing directly to the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.
Image: precast concrete segments |
Stage 2 early works commence
22 May 2023
Western Harbour Tunnel will see a new motorway built underneath Sydney Harbour to connect North Sydney to Rozelle, bypassing the CBD. Stage 2 includes the connections from Stage 1 at Cove Street, Birchgrove, to the Warringah Freeway near North Sydney, and complete tunnel fit-out.
Since Transport for NSW awarded the Western Harbour Tunnel Stage 2 contract to ACCIONA to December 2022, we have been planning activities in preparation for early work to support the development of detailed design and site establishment. Our team will now begin site investigation work and adjusting the layout of existing temporary construction sites in preparation for main work and tunnelling activities to commence later in the year.
Early work will start Monday 22 May 2023, weather permitting. Most work will take place during the day from 7.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday and 8.00am to 6.00pm Saturday.
Works will be undertaken in North Sydney, Cammeray, Waverton, Birchgrove, Balmain, Rozelle, Lilyfield and Sydney Harbour.
For more information, view the notifications for work both north and south of the Harbour here.
Image copyright: State of New South Wales (Transport for NSW) |
Major milestone for Sydney's new harbour tunnel
1 December 2022
Sydneyโs historic third harbour crossing has reached another major milestone with the $4.24 billion contract to deliver stage two of the project awarded to ACCIONA.
The project has reached a significant milestone. After a successful competitive tender process, we have awarded the second and final stage of the Western Harbour Tunnel (WHT) to delivery partner Acciona Construction Australia to design and build this stage, which includes:
Connection to Stage 1 at Birchgrove
Tunnelling between Birchgrove and Warringah Freeway
Complete tunnel fit-out.
Transport has determined the TBM methodology to be the best overall solution to deliver Stage 2 tunnelling beneath Sydney Harbour. Our specialised TBM machines will each tunnel for about 1.5km from Birchgrove to Waverton including under the Sydney Harbour seabed, connecting the northern and southern ends of the project.
For more information, please see the Transport for NSW media release.
Major milestone for Sydney's new harbour tunnel
1 December 2022
Sydneyโs historic third harbour crossing has reached another major milestone with the $4.24 billion contract to deliver stage two of the project awarded to ACCIONA.
The project has reached a significant milestone. After a successful competitive tender process, we have awarded the second and final stage of the Western Harbour Tunnel (WHT) to delivery partner Acciona Construction Australia to design and build this stage, which includes:
Connection to Stage 1 at Birchgrove
Tunnelling between Birchgrove and Warringah Freeway
Complete tunnel fit-out.
Transport has determined the TBM methodology to be the best overall solution to deliver Stage 2 tunnelling beneath Sydney Harbour. Our specialised TBM machines will each tunnel for about 1.5km from Birchgrove to Waverton including under the Sydney Harbour seabed, connecting the northern and southern ends of the project.
For more information, please see the Transport for NSW media release.
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