Stage 2 Tunnelling – Cammeray to Birchgrove
Western Harbour Tunnel is being delivered in two stages. The northern section of the tunnel, Stage 2, is being delivered by ACCIONA.
Stage 2 includes connections from Stage 1 at Cove Street, Birchgrove, to the Warringah Freeway near North Sydney, tunnelling underneath Sydney Harbour, including complete tunnel fit-out. Click here to find out more about Stage 1.
Two types of tunnelling equipment will be used to build Stage 2: roadheaders between Cammeray and Waverton and Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) under the harbour from Birchgrove to Waverton.
Tunnelling on Western Harbour Tunnel Stage 2 started in November 2023 from the Cammeray temporary construction site. In May 2024 the first roadheader was launched from the Ridge Street construction site, commencing excavation of the Falcon Street off ramp between Warringah Freeway and Pacific Highway.
In October 2024, construction of the ventilation infrastructure in Cammeray commenced from the existing temporary construction site in Cammeray, in the median of the Warringah Freeway, and on the Ernest Street bridge where we have established a temporary construction support site.
Stage 2 roadheader tunnelling progresses through North Sydney toward Waverton
Tunnelling activities for the off ramp and mainline tunnels are progressing well. We expect the roadheader excavating the off ramp to reach the Pacific Highway at North Sydney by early December 2024, before transitioning into the mainline tunnel and continuing beneath Waverton. Tunnelling activities for the mainline tunnels from Cammeray are expected to progress beneath Walker Street by the end of November 2024, before continuing toward Miller Street, North Sydney.
Tunnelling activities are being carried out 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To view the final tunnel alignment for the project as well as tunnel distance and depth measurements, click here to view the tunnel tool.
We are excavating the tunnels in three phases:
Phase 1 – heading excavation which involves excavating the top of the tunnel and cross passages, installing ground support including large steel bolts into the rock and spraying concrete
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.
Read our start of tunnelling notification for more information.
Reducing our impact
Please be aware that 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 this will have on you. All work will be carried out in line with the Conditions of Approval for the Western Harbour Tunnel project, and we will monitor the impact of our work to adjust our activities as required. For more information on ground movement, vibration and ground-borne noise, please read our fact sheet.
Community Information sessions
We invite the community to join us at the Coal Loader Artisan Market to learn more about our tunnelling progress.
We also look forward to meeting the community at the following community markets where you can learn more about the project.
| Date & Time | Location |
|---|---|
| Sunday 15 December from 9:00am | The Coal Loader Artisan Market, The Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability, 2 Balls Head Drive, Waverton, NSW 2060 |
Prefer email? Let us know
The Western Harbour Tunnel and Warringah Freeway Upgrade projects would like to reduce their paper use by sending community updates via email. Click here to subscribe and share your thoughts on this initiative.
Construction notification map
View our current construction and tunnelling activities by location.
Explore the tunnel tool
Click here to find out more about the final tunnel alignment, depth and tunnel support facilities.
Property Condition Surveys
Learn about the Property Condition Survey process.
Frequently Asked Questions
See our FAQs for answers to some common questions people ask.
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Contact Us
For all general enquiries:
1800 931 189 (ask for Western Harbour Tunnel Stage 2)