TBM Jessie,  the first TBM for the Sydney Metro West - Eastern Tunnelling Package,  is about to be launched. It will carve out a 2.3-km tunnel from The Bays to Hunter Street in the CBD, establishing Sydney’s second under harbour railway crossing.  

This follows Sydney Metro’s first successful crossing between Blues Point and Barangaroo as part of the City & Southwest project.  

The 1,100-t machine is named after Jessie Street (1889-1970), an Australian activist, who championed women’s rights and fought against Aboriginal discrimination. Her legacy includes pivotal roles in the 1967 referendum and the inclusion of 'sex' in the UN Charter's anti-discrimination clause.  

TBM Jessie is the fifth TBM to start tunnelling on Metro West, with the sixth and final TBM to also launch from The Bays later this year to support Jessie’s city-bound journey. TBM Jessie is expected to reach Hunter Street by mid-2025.  

The TBMs will cross under Sydney Harbour, alongside the Anzac Bridge, heading to the Pyrmont Station site. The TBMs will then continue under Darling Harbour before reaching the Hunter Street Station site in the heart of the Sydney CBD.  

This is the first mixed shield (slurry) TBM to be used on Metro West, which is specifically designed to excavate through sandstone and under Darling Harbour that are expected under Sydney Harbour.  

Operating 24 hours a day, five days a week, TBM Jessie will work at a rate of 90 m per week.  TBMs will create tunnels 7 m in diameter and at an average depth of 37 m, removing about 460,000 t of material during construction.  

By connecting Parramatta to Hunter Street, Sydney Metro West will double rail capacity between the two CBDs, linking new communities to rail services and supporting employment growth and housing supply.  

For further information on the project click here, here and au/11 for tunnelbuilder archive. Visit https://www.sydneymetro.info and https://www.ghella.com. 22/24.