Construction is progressing rapidly on the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) with major works now underway to prepare the tunnel boring machine (TBM) launch site in Clarinda, where tunnelling will begin in 2025. The TBMs are expected to start arriving on site later this year, ahead of excavation of the southern section of SRL East tunnels.
The Suburban Connect consortium is delivering 16 kilometres of twin tunnels between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley, while the Terra Verde consortium will build the section from Glen Waverley to Box Hill.
Four TBMs will launch from the Clarinda site—two heading north towards Glen Waverley and two south towards Cheltenham. For the first time in Australia, TBMs will utilise a ‘flying launch’ method, enabling excavation to commence while assembly continues behind the machine in a smaller launch area. Each TBM will take around three months to assemble and will progress at a rate of up to 90 metres per week.
In Burwood, excavation of a second TBM launch site is also advancing, with tunnelling expected to commence there in 2026.
Construction of SRL East, running from Cheltenham to Box Hill, is forecast to create up to 8,000 direct jobs. More than 3,000 people are currently working on the project.
Once operational in 2035, SRL East will significantly improve access to employment, healthcare, and education across Melbourne’s eastern and south-eastern suburbs. The new rail line is also expected to drive residential development near the six new SRL East stations, with planning informed by community feedback gathered during consultations in March and April 2025.
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