Tunnellers' visions to shape Australia's High-Speed Rail
Some of Australia’s most experienced, world-class tunnelling and construction experts have been appointed to work on the detailed planning of Australia’s High Speed Rail. The Newcastle to Sydney High Speed Rail project has moved further into the Development Stage with three major construction consortia shortlisted for an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) process following a competitive tender: Acciona John Holland Joint Venture Advanced Alliance Joint Venture: Gamuda Engineering, FCC Construction Australia, Samsung C&T Corporation; GoFar Joint Venture: CPB Contractors, Ferrovial Construction (Australia), VINCI Construction Grands Projects Australia.
These groups will now compete with each other to develop plans for Area Package 1, which is the section of the Newcastle to Sydney route between Berowra and Ourimbah. This approach seeks to get the best outcome on construction costs and program timeframes: About 35km of twin tunnels between Berowra and Ourimbah, delivered using tunnel boring machines; Construction of the Central Coast High Speed Rail Station at Gosford; and Installation of all rail and station systems and other structural and surface infrastructure works across the Berowra to Ourimbah section of the corridor.
The three consortia, which include international High Speed Rail expertise, are part of the High Speed Rail Authority’s ECI process, which is doing the work to finalise the cost, scope, design and approvals for High Speed Rail to get it construction-ready and allow for the Australian Government to make an investment decision at the end of the Development Phase.
High speed trains will allow a journey between Newcastle and Sydney in around one hour on a dedicated new High Speed Rail system, with trip times of around 30 minutes from the Central Coast to either Newcastle or Sydney. The consortia will adopt advanced manufacturing into delivering High Speed Rail. An Advanced Manufacturing Facility would use automation, robotics and precision manufacturing to deliver the railway more efficiently.
This facility will create skilled jobs and more opportunities for Australian manufacturers and suppliers to help deliver Australia’s High Speed Rail. No major construction contract will be awarded until a government decision-making process is complete. One of these three groups would then be selected by the Australian Government’s High Speed Rail Authority to deliver the tunnelling work and associated construction work in Area Package1.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King: "We said we’d go metre by metre, and carefully plan the first stage of High Speed Rail between Newcastle and Sydney. That’s what we’re delivering with these new contracts. "The three consortia will determine the best and most innovative ways to drive tunnels between Berowra and Ourimbah, while ensuring Australians get value for money.
"We know the roads between Newcastle and Sydney are congested, and the existing rail line is reaching capacity. We must invest in new ways to travel between New South Wales’ largest cities. That’s why this careful planning work is getting underway.
"I look forward to seeing what these three consortia come up with." Quotes attributable to High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker: "Over the past 15 years, Australia has developed a world-class tunnelling industry with hundreds of kilometres of tunnels built here – now we’ll be working with some of the best of the best on Australia’s High Speed Rail. "This is the critical next step of the Development Phase for the Newcastle to Sydney High Speed Rail project.
"Our tunnelling and construction experts will now work with us to map out the best high speed rail route between Newcastle and Sydney: things like the diameter of the tunnels we will build for Australia’s first high speed trains, what kind of mega tunnel boring machines we need and how we build the first high speed rail station at Gosford."