Excavation works for the new Hunter Street metro station—set to become the busiest stop on the Sydney Metro West line—have now been completed, marking a major milestone for the infrastructure megaproject.
The future station will serve as the Sydney CBD terminus for the 24-kilometre Sydney Metro West, which is due to double rail capacity between Greater Parramatta and the central city when operational in 2032.
Forecasts indicate up to 10,000 passengers per hour will pass through Hunter Street station during the morning peak by 2036, accessing the station via George, Bligh and O’Connell Streets. A direct pedestrian link to Martin Place Station on the M1 Line is also planned.
Over a 20-month period, a team of 57 workers and a single roadheader excavated over 240,000 tonnes of material—equivalent to more than 290 Olympic swimming pools. The resulting underground cavern measures 20 metres high, 28 metres wide, and 180 metres long.
The excavation required detailed precision due to the station’s location beneath the densely built-up Sydney CBD. Work occurred within 1.8 metres of the M1 Metro Line and directly beneath heritage-listed structures, including the State Library of NSW. Turnback tunnels for the station are positioned just eight metres below the Tank Stream and 21.5 metres beneath the City Circle Line.
Tunnel boring machines Jessie and Ruby are currently progressing towards the station from The Bays, with arrival expected later this year.
“Connecting Sydney’s two CBDs by underground metro is a truly city-shaping project and it is exciting to see the Hunter Street station now excavated. Sydney Metro West will not only provide fast, reliable rail services but also play a key role in our agenda to boost housing supply in areas well-serviced by public transport,” New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said.
“The excavation of Hunter Street metro station is a feat of engineering when you consider the dig came mere metres away from other underground infrastructure, including the other metro line. I want to thank the workers who so expertly got this done safely in one of the densest parts of the CBD. This station is going to be such an important gateway to Sydney’s west, getting people to Parramatta in about 20 minutes, and linking precincts like Sydney Olympic Park, Burwood, the Bays and the health district of Westmead,” Minister for Transport John Graham added.
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