Stage 2 includes connections from Stage 1 tunnels at Cove Street, Birchgrove to the Warringah Freeway near North Sydney, and complete tunnel fit out of both Stage 1 and 2 tunnels. Click here to find out more about Stage 1, which is now complete

Two types of tunnelling equipment will be used to build Stage 2:

• roadheaders between Cammeray and Waverton, Birchgrove, north of Cove Street

• tunnel boring machines (TBMs) from Birchgrove, north of Cove Street and under Sydney Harbour to Waverton.

Certain construction activities will involve the use of machinery that generates noise, light, and vibration. We will do everything we can to reduce the impact of our activities on you. We will carry out work in line with the Conditions of Approval for the Western Harbour Tunnel project, monitor the impact of our work and adjust our activities as required.

You can find more information on ground movement, vibration and ground-borne noise in our fact sheet.

Tunnelling activities are approved to be carried out 24 hours a day, seven days a week 

To see Western Harbour Tunnel alignment, and the distance and depth measurements, click here to view the tunnel tool.

Our roadheaders are excavating the tunnels in three phases:

• Phase 1 – heading excavation which involves excavating the top of the tunnel and cross passages, and stabilising the tunnel by installing large steel rods (rock bolts) into the rock, and spraying concrete (shotcreting)

• Phase 2 – benching excavation which involves excavating the floor of the tunnel

• Phase 3 – drainage excavation which involves excavating channels in the floor of the tunnel using a trenching machine and jackhammers.

Roadheader tunnelling is progressing well through North Sydney towards Waverton and Sydney Harbour.

Read our latest monthly tunnelling notification for more information.

From March 2025, we will excavate the two TBM launch chambers using two roadheaders below Birchgrove, one for each TBM. More information is available in the fact sheet tunnelling from Birchgrove to Waverton.

The TBMs arrive in Sydney in 2025. Once the underground launch chambers are ready in 2026, we will start to assemble the TBMs underground, accessing the work area using the Stage 1 tunnels. We will provide more information about TBM tunnelling closer to this time.

• Cross passage construction, Rozelle:
  To complete the tunnels excavated in Stage 1 and gain access to the Stage 2 tunnels below Birchgrove, we will excavate a construction cross passage under Evans Street near Percy Street in Rozelle. The cross passage will support our construction activities and improve worker safety.  More information is available in the fact sheet Rozelle Construction Cross Passage.
  

• Tunnel fit-out activities (Rozelle, Balmain, Birchgrove):
  We will be working in the Stage 1 tunnels from late February 2025. This includes the installation of stormwater and groundwater drainage systems, pavement construction, line marking, painting, installation of electrical conduits, road signs, street lighting and electrical panels.

When we’ve completed tunnel excavation, the tunnels will be fitted out with operational infrastructure. This includes power, lighting and ventilation, fire safety, tolling and traffic management controls (also known as an intelligent transport system or ITS). The tunnels will then go through an extensive testing process before opening to traffic.

Read our Inner West tunnelling notification for more information