Major tunnelling begins for Suburban Rail Loop

Construction is now underway on Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East, with tunnel boring machines set to launch from the suburb of Clarinda.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Suburban Rail Loop Harriet Shing have visited the Clarinda site to mark the milestone, with the first tunnel boring machines (TBMs) expected to arrive later this year.

Two TBMs will tunnel north to Glen Waverley and two south to Cheltenham, excavating the southern section of the 26km SRL East alignment.

In an Australian-first, tunnelling will begin via a “flying launch” technique that enables the TBMs to start excavation while still being assembled behind the cutterhead. This approach reduces surface disruption and expedites delivery. Each TBM will take around three months to assemble and progress at rates of up to 90 metres per week.

The State Government says excavation of the second launch site in Burwood is also halfway complete and on track for mid-year completion, ahead of tunnelling from Burwood to Glen Waverley beginning in 2026.

The SRL is designed to link Melbourne’s major health, education and employment precincts with a new orbital rail line, easing pressure on radial transport routes and taking an estimated 600,000 cars off roads daily.

SRL East alone is expected to create up to 8,000 direct jobs, with more than 3,000 workers already active on the project.

Suburban Connect – a consortium of CPB Contractors, ACCIONA, and Ghella – will deliver the 16km twin tunnels between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley, while Terra Verde will construct the tunnels north of Glen Waverley to Box Hill.

With plans for 70,000 new homes near SRL stations, the project is also being promoted as Australia’s largest housing enabler.