List of tunnels in Australia explained

This is a list of tunnels in Australia which includes any road, railway, waterway or other form of tunnel, anywhere in the country.

New South Wales

Name Image Locale Carries Type Length[1] Notes
ft
Rail 10000m (30,000feet)
Bilson Tunnel Rail 3300m (10,800feet)
Blue Cow Tunnel Kosciuszko National Park Skitube Rail 2600m (8,500feet)
Rail 488m (1,601feet)[2]
Road 550m (1,800feet) Two in-line dual tunnels that carry runways for Sydney Airport
Avon TunnelDombarton to AvonMaldon – Dombarton railway lineRail4000m (13,000feet)A planned single track tunnel. Only a few metres at each end were evacuated. 150.7372°, -34.4451° [3]
Coal mine
Rail Used by Zig Zag tourist railway on the Lithgow Zig Zag
Rail 205m (673feet) Two tunnels
Rail 1160m (3,810feet) On the border between New South Wales and Queensland[4]
Box Vale tunnel Box Vale rail line unlined tunnel through final spur
Bullio Tunnel (Wombeyan Caves Rd Tunnel) Wombeyan Caves Road Road 22m (72feet)
Sydney water supply Water 3600m (11,800feet) Built from 1827 to 1837 and remains in limited use[5]
Bylong Rail TunnelSandy Hollow to Maryvale Line, No 3 of 5 Rail 1975m (6,480feet) At the time of its construction, it was the longest rail tunnel
Main North line Rail 1313m (4,308feet) 1-4 in use, 5 deviated; double track; longest tunnel is 602m (1,975feet)
Bungendore - Queanbeyan rail Rail Brooks Bank tunnel and two Pine Range tunnels
Rail 281m (922feet) No longer in use
Sydney underground railways Rail 5000m (16,000feet) Estimate of tunnel length from Central to Circular Quay and return. Two tunnels
, Blue Mountains Main Western line Rail 493m (1,617feet) Replaced by Ten Tunnels Deviation; used by Zig Zag tourist railway
Colinton rail tunnel ColintonRail 161m (528feet) No longer in use
Cooks River Tunnel Between Sydney Airport and Road Under Cooks River
North Coast line Rail 369m (1,211feet) Two tunnels (See also Border Tunnel)
Sydney central business district Cross City Tunnel Road 2100m (6,900feet) Two tunnels[6]
Tweed Valley Road 134m (440feet) Twin tunnels; opened in 2002[7]
Sydney central business district Pedestrian 300m (1,000feet)
Rail Two tunnels of unknown length between Glenreagh and Timber Top
Eastern Distributor Tunnel Road 1700m (5,600feet) Completed in 2000; tolled on exit, northbound only; unique 'piggyback' design with three lanes, northbound, stacked on top of three lanes, southbound[8] [9]
Sydney Rail Erskineville to Bondi Junction
Sydney Rail 13000m (43,000feet)
Rail Rail trail-cycleway
Gib tunnel Main South line Rail 516m (1,693feet) Two tunnels; one single-track line; and one double-track line adjacent
Main Western Line (since deviated) Heritage 634m (2,080feet)
Between Lapstone and Glenbrook Main Western line Rail 283m (928feet) Double-track line, in use
Glowworm Tunnel Rd Tunnel Glowworm Tunnel Road Road 160m (530feet)
Helensburgh Tunnels including the
Helensburgh Glow Worm, Lilyvale and Otford tunnels 		Rail 3257m (10,686feet) Seven disused tunnels; previous use between 1884 and 1920[10] [11] [12]
plus
Seven in use dual line tunnels plus one single tunnel
Road 274m (899feet)
Road 3600m (11,800feet)
Long Island Main North line Rail 263m (863feet) Two tunnels; one Disused single track tunnel used for storage and a Double track, in use, adjacent
Malaita Point Rail through post of a coal mine
Main Western line Rail 974m (3,196feet) Former single-track line; since deviated as double-track line, in use. Only double-track line length shown
Merewether Bluff Rail Disused, Australia's first two railway tunnels, 1861 & 1862, privately operated[13]
Road 5500m (18,000feet) Dual tunnels[14]
M4-M5 Link Between Haberfield and M4/M5 / Road 9200m (30,200feet)
Between Beverly Hills and Road
Between and St Peters Road 9000m (30,000feet)
Moore Park Tunnel Light rail from Eastern Distributor to Anzac Parade
Mount Alexandra short tunnel on horse drawn tramway replacement
Mount Rennie Katoomba Narrow Neck Rail 395m (1,296feet) Disused; previous use shale transport
Mullet Creek Main North line Rail 456m (1,496feet) Double track, in use, from the Hawkesbury Bridge Platform and Jct (end Hawkesbury Bridge deviation)
New Main Tunnel Main South line Rail 183m (600feet) Double track, in use, between Picton station and Redback tunnel
Between and Rail 1320m (4,330feet) Rail use between 1907 and 1932; converted to pedestrian and tourism use[15]
Pacific Motorway /Hills MotorwayRoad 9000m (30,000feet) Opened 31 October 2020[16]
Old Main Tunnel Picton Main South line Rail 181m (594feet) Disused; previous use between 1867 and 1919
Between and Light rail 1500m (4,900feet) Two double-track tunnels; completed in 1922; estimated length[17]
Redbank Tunnel Main South line Rail 181m (594feet) Double-track, in use;[18] deviated, filled in[19]
North Coast line Rail 9550NaN0 Five tunnels, opened in 1922
, near Byron Bay, Tweed Valley Road 434m (1,424feet) Opened 18 December 2015[20]
Stockrington Maitland 3 tunnels
Between Woolloomooloo and under Sydney Harbour Sydney Harbour Tunnel Road 2800m (9,200feet) [21]
Between and Power supply 1760order=flipNaNorder=flip Approximate distance[22] [23]
Between Bella Vista and Epping stations Rail 15500m (50,900feet) Opened May 2019[24]
Between Chatswood and Sydenham stations in Sydney Rail 15500m (50,900feet) Under construction[25]
Tank Stream tunnel Between Hyde Park and Circular Quay;
Sydney central business district 		Storm water 700m (2,300feet) Estimate of remnants of 1860s tunnel[26]
Main Western line Rail 2822m (9,259feet) Replaced the Lithgow Zig Zag; ten tunnels of ranging in length from 70to[27]
Main North line Rail 370m (1,210feet) Dual tunnels ranging in length from 165to[28] [29] [30] [31]
Road 334m (1,096feet) [32]
Water Two tunnels
Between Wondabyne and Woy Woy stations Main North line Rail 5544feet Opened 15 August 1887; double track[33] mile4ch = 1848 yd 5544 ft-->
Sydney central business district Pedestrian 180m (590feet) [34]

Queensland

Name Image Locale Carries Type Length Notes
ft
Airport Link Road 6700m (22,000feet) Australia's longest road tunnel (at the time)[35]
Rail heritage 192m (630feet) [36]
Richmond Gap, connecting New South Wales and Queensland Rail 1600m (5,200feet) On the border between New South Wales and Queensland (see New South Wales section above)
Rail 272m (892feet) Comprises two single-track tunnels[37]
Between Woolloongabba and Bowen Hills, Brisbane Clem Jones Tunnel Road 4800m (15,700feet) Two parallel tubes under the Brisbane River[38]
From Dutton Park rail to Boggo Road busway stations in Brisbane Rail 5900m (19,400feet) Two bored tunnels under construction with one complete in 2021 but not operational[39]
Rail 140m (460feet) single line rail tunnel[40]
Rail 100m (300feet) Disused line[41]
Dutton Park, Brisbane 640m (2,100feet) Built under Boggo Road Gaol[42]
Nundah, Brisbane Road 285m (935feet) [43]
Inner City Bypass tunnel , Brisbane Road 350m (1,150feet) [44]
Pedestrians only Rail heritage 91m (299feet) [45]
Toowong and, Brisbane Road 4600m (15,100feet) Two bored tunnels carrying two motorway grade lanes of traffic in each direction[46]
Leopard Street Tunnel Brisbane Stormwater
Rail 886m (2,907feet) A series of nine single-track or double-track tunnels that date from
Rail heritage 730m (2,400feet) Six tunnels on a disused railway line
Rail heritage 280m (920feet) [47]
Rail 537m (1,762feet) [48]
Harlin, Somerset RegionRail 100m (300feet) Completed in 1910; line closed in 1993[49]

South Australia

Name Image Locale Carries Type Length Notes
ft
Rail NaN172 Tunnel 9
Barossa Reservoir supply tunnel Water 2000m (7,000feet)
Clarendon Weir to Happy Valley Reservoir Tunnel Water 5000m (16,000feet) [50]
Rail 95m (312feet) [51]
Belair National Park, Pedestrian
<--image--> Rail NaN156 Tunnel 3 constructed 1880s
NaN156 1920[52]
Rail Tunnel 4, converted to a cutting and bridge when track duplicated 1920[53]
Rail Tunnel 5, converted to a cutting and bridge when track duplicated 1920
Rail NaN170 Tunnels 1 and 2, 1880s–1920[54] [55]
NaN360
Road 500m (1,600feet) [56]
Rail NaN304 Tunnel 7
Rail 80m (260feet) [57]
Rail NaN193 Tunnel 6
O-Bahn Busway City access tunnel NaN670 Opened 2017[58]
Rail NaN738 [59] Replaced Tunnels 1 and 2 in 1920
Tod River Reservoir works Water
Water
Rail NaN199 [60] Tunnel 8

Tasmania

Name Image Locale Carries Type Length Notes
ft
South of ; Southern Tasmania Rail 955m (3,133feet) Completed in 1876; widened in the 1970s[61]
Argent Tunnel Rail

Victoria

See also: Railway Tunnels in Victoria, Australia.

Name Image Locale Carries Type Length Notes
ft
Bendigo Rail 390m (1,280feet)
, Melbourne Rail 420m (1,380feet) Both Broad Gauge and Standard Gauge entering and leaving Melbourne
, Melbourne Road 3400m (11,200feet)
City Loop Tunnels Rail 12000m (39,000feet) Comprises:
Richmond, Melbourne Road 1600m (5,200feet)
Rail 385m (1,263feet) Built double track, singled later
Rail 422m (1,385feet) Exit from Geelong to West coast railway line
, Melbourne Eastern Freeway to EastLink RingwoodRoad 1600m (5,200feet)
Metro TunnelSouth Yarra toKensington viaMelbourne CBDRail9,0005,600Once opened in 2025 the tunnel will cary the Pakenham, Cranbourne and Sunbury lines.[62]
Mitcham, Melbourne Eastern Freeway to EastLink RingwoodRoad 1600m (5,200feet)
, Melbourne Rail 65m (213feet)
, Melbourne Rail 115m (377feet)
East Melbourne, Melbourne Rail 149m (489feet)
Fishermans Bend and Spotswood;
Melbourne 		Under Yarra River connecting Hobsons Bay Main with
former Spotswood Sewerage Pumping Station 		Sewer 200m (700feet) Continues in use as part of Melbourne's Sewerage system
Spotswood and Fishermans Bend;
Melbourne 		Road 3000m (10,000feet) Proposed as part of the Western Distributor, construction commenced in 2018[63]

Western Australia

Name Image Locale Address/Facility Type Length Notes
ft
Airport line tunnelBayswater, Redcliffe, Perth Airport, High WycombePerthRail8000m (26,000feet)Twin bored tunnels, part of the Airport line[64]
5600m (18,400feet) [65]
Perth Road 1600m (5,200feet)
Rail 262m (860feet) Closed and now converted to a rail trail[66]
William Street Tunnel Perth Rail 700m (2,300feet) Twin bored tunnels that were built as part of the New MetroRail City Project,[67] used by Joondalup and Mandurah services
Wungong Dam to Perth Darling Scarp Water supply 3700m (12,100feet)

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bozier, Rolfe . NSW Railway Tunnels . NSWRail.net . Rolfe Bozier . 6 May 2020.
  2. 11 September 2017.
  3. Web site: Avon Tunnel. 2021-07-20. www.nswrail.net.
  4. 11 September 2017.
  5. 00568. EF14/5352; S90/3388, S96/1455. 13 October 2018.
  6. Web site: Cross City Tunnel: Minister's Condition of Approval No. 288: Post Opening Report . . Government of New South Wales . June 2006 . 7 May 2020 .
  7. Web site: Yelgun to Chinderah, Pacific Highway upgrade . . Government of New South Wales . 22 April 2009 . 17 October 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090604145406/http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/constructionmaintenance/majorconstructionprojectsregional/pacifichighwayupgrade/programdetails/yelguntochinderah.html . 4 June 2009.
  8. Web site: Lai . Steven . Wong . Dee . Wu . Dicken . 9 April 2009 . Fire and life safety designs for road tunnels in Asia . . 23–24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160129152531/http://fe.hkie.org.hk/DocDown.aspx?imgDoc=1_Proceedings+(final+version).pdf . 29 January 2016 . dead .
  9. Web site: Eastern Distributor, Sydney . Australasian Tunnelling Society . https://web.archive.org/web/20150428070927/http://www.ats.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=163 . 28 April 2015 . dead.
  10. News: Noone . Richard . Samandar . Lema . Helensburgh tunnels: The eerie beauty of the Sutherland to Wollongong rail network. 5 June 2015. Daily Telegraph. News Corp. 5 June 2015.
  11. Web site: Helensburgh's Railway Tunnels. Helensburgh and District Historical Society. Helensburgh and District Historical Society.
  12. 01219. H00/00529; /02. 2 June 2018.
  13. Web site: Glenrock State Conservation Area, Plan of Management . Department of Environment, Climate Change & Water, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service . . September 2010 . 28 . 13 July 2011 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20110331151844/http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/planmanagement/final/20100835GlenrockSCA.pdf . 31 March 2011 .
  14. Web site: M4 East: Project Overview . . . September 2015 . 2 May 2020 . 7 .
  15. Book: Langdon, Mark . Oliver, Dean, (illustrator.) . Johnson, Roger, (illustrator.) . Dunn, Ian, (researcher.) . Gallagher, Bob, (researcher.) . Matthews, Richard, (researcher.) . Shale & Shays : The Fight for Shale Oil from the Wolgan Valley . 2017 . Eveleigh Press . 978-1-876568-74-0 .
  16. Web site: 2020-10-29. 'Absolute gamechanger': Sydney's newest toll road to open tomorrow. 2020-10-30. www.abc.net.au. en-AU.
  17. 01225. H04/00260. 13 October 2018.
  18. Web site: Bozier, Rolfe . Redbank Tunnel . NSWRail.net . Rolfe Bozier . 6 May 2020.
  19. Web site: Southern Highlands coal miner moves rail line . ABC News . en-AU . 5 December 2012.
    Web site: Cox . Michael . Rail tunnel will soon be history . Wollondilly Advertiser . en-AU . 15 January 2013.
  20. Web site: Tunnel breakthrough a major milestone for highway upgrade . Northern Star . 2014-01-24 . 2014-02-03 . Stevens, Rodney . dmy-all.
  21. Pratley, Juliet . 1993 . Sydney Harbour Tunnel . Concrete International . 15 . 7 . 19–23.
  22. 01231. 2 June 2018.
  23. 8 August 2020 .
  24. North West Rail Link Project Overview . 2011 . NSW Transport . 22 July 2011.
  25. Web site: Chatswood to Sydenham . www.sydneymetro.info . Transport for NSW . 11 May 2017. en.
  26. 00636. S90/04382; 10/01313. 13 October 2018.
  27. H98/00287/03. 4 September 2017.
  28. News: The Sydney Connecting Railway . . XI . 8425 . New South Wales, Australia . 2 April 1884 . 11 June 2016 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  29. News: NEWS OF THE DAY. . . 15,410 . New South Wales, Australia . 16 August 1887 . 11 June 2016 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
  30. News: THE GOSFORD-NEWCASTLE RAILWAY. . . 15,408 . New South Wales, Australia . 13 August 1887 . 11 June 2016 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
  31. News: NEWS OF THE DAY. . . 15,400 . New South Wales, Australia . 4 August 1887 . 11 June 2016 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
  32. Web site: Tugun Bypass . Projects . . 6 September 2017 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170909190435/http://www.lendlease.com/projects/tugun-bypass/?id=b01385e0-551f-452d-90c5-963261c05def . 9 September 2017 .
  33. Web site: Public Works . . 22 July 1886 . 3 . 30 June 2011 .
  34. Web site: Wynyard Walk. Barangaroo Delivery Authority. 20 September 2016. 20 September 2016. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160923034249/http://www.barangaroo.com/discover-barangaroo/transport/wynyard-walk.aspx. 23 September 2016.
  35. News: Mark . Hawthorne . 30 January 2009 . Peering deep into a long, dark tunnel . https://web.archive.org/web/20090327143355/http://www.businessday.com.au/business/peering-deep-into-a-long-dark-tunnel-20090129-7t3x.html . 27 March 2009 . BusinessDay . 21 February 2013 .
  36. Web site: Gin Gin explodes out of the blocks for its 9.93 seconds of fame . Alex Brown . 2009-07-04 . 2003-05-07 . . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20121104130609/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/05/06/1051987709572.html . 2012-11-04 .
  37. 1 August 2014.
  38. Web site: Brisbane's CLEM7 tunnel opening . 16 March 2010 . . . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20100322192225/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/15/2845602.htm?section=justin . 22 March 2010 .
  39. Web site: First of Cross River Rail's twin tunnels complete. Queensland Government Media Statements. en-US. 2022-04-08.
  40. Web site: Dalveen Tunnel . Environment, land and water . Queensland Government.
  41. 1 August 2014.
  42. Web site: Boggo Road Busway Tunnel, Brisbane . 2009-07-19 . extract . Brisbane ATS Newsletter March 2008 . Australian Tunnelling Society . https://web.archive.org/web/20110216175651/http://www.ats.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=241&Itemid=4 . 16 February 2011 . live .
  43. Web site: Nundah Bypass. Arup. 3 February 2008. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20071110175022/http://www.arup.com/australasia/project.cfm?pageid=1338. 10 November 2007. dmy-all.
  44. http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/northsouthbypass/ North-South Bypass Tunnel, Brisbane, Australia
  45. 11 May 2011 .
  46. http://transcityjv.com.au/the-project/tunnelling/ Tunnelling, Legacy Way, Transcity official website
  47. 1 August 2014.
  48. http://www.ipswich.qld.gov.au/documents/heritage/grandchester.pdf Grandchester: Then & Now
  49. 1 August 2014.
  50. Web site: . annual inspections of our Clarendon tunnel. . 30 May 2017 . 8 August 2020 .
  51. Web site: Dowds Hill Tunnel . . August 2011 . 8 August 2020.
  52. Web site: Appendix VI Bridges and Structures . 8–9 . ARTC Code of Practice for Operations and Safeworking . Doc No. TA02 Issue 2.1 . 30 June 2004 . 8 August 2020.
  53. Web site: SA railway tunnels/ bridges where are they located? . 4BJ . Railpage . 13 March 2009 . 8 August 2020.
  54. News: Curious Adelaide: Descending into the darkness of Adelaide's stormwater network (Part Two) . Malcolm . Sutton . ABC News . 9 February 2018 . 8 August 2020.
  55. News: Sleep's Hill tunnels: An Adelaide man is planning an extraordinary step to protect the historic site . Celeste . Villani . Mitcham & Hills Messenger . 24 September 2015 . 8 August 2020.
  56. Web site: Heysen Tunnels Construction . 13 August 2004 . . 14 July 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070831214428/http://ezyreg.sa.gov.au/transport_network/projects/adel_crafers/heysen.asp . 31 August 2007 . dead.
  57. Web site: Summary of State Heritage Place: 13949A/26373 : Murray Bridge Transport Precinct. https://web.archive.org/web/20160418163202/http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/sharedassets/public/heritage/her-reg-murray-bridge-transport-precinct-provisional-entry.pdf. dead. 18 April 2016. South Australian Heritage Council. 5 November 2015. 5–7. 7 July 2015.
  58. News: Opening of $160 million O-Bahn bus tunnel to ease traffic delays . 10 December 2017 . 8 August 2020 . ABC . ABC News.
  59. Web site: Belair . SA Track and Signal . 2009 . G F Vincent . 8 August 2020.
  60. Web site: Mount Lofty - Ambleside . SA Track and Signal . 2009 . G F Vincent . 8 August 2020.
  61. Web site: Rhyndaston Tunnel . Structurae.net . Nicolas Janberg . 2017 . 16 September 2017 .
  62. Web site: 2023-07-28 . Benefits for your train line . 2023-10-15 . Victoria’s Big Build . en.
  63. Web site: West Gate Tunnel Project Western Distributor Reference design released . West Gate Tunnel Project . Government of Victoria . 2017 . 15 September 2017 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170910083804/http://westgatetunnelproject.vic.gov.au/western-distributor-reference-design-released/ . 10 September 2017 .
  64. Web site: Why underground? . Forrestfield-Airport Link . 6 August 2022.
  65. News: Water Tunnel Under Range. The West Australian. 5 August 1972.
  66. News: The Only Railway Tunnel In The State . Western Mail . . 32 . 23 May 1903 . 16 September 2017.
  67. Web site: Australia, Perth - au/23 . www.tunnelbuilder.com . 2017 . 16 September 2017 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170918020927/http://tunnelbuilder.com/Archive/Projects.aspx?&country=Australia&page=2 . 18 September 2017 .
  68. Book: Bayley . William A. . Tunnels on Australian Railways . English . Ausrail Publications . 0-909597-16-2 .
  69. https://www.nla.gov.au/collections/guide-selected-collections/bayley-collection

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