The NSW government have announced the shortlist of three consortia to deliver the Sydney Metro West’s first two major tunnelling packages.

The new project is hoping to create over 10,000 new jobs and in excess of 70,000 indirect jobs. Many of these will be directly generated by these new tunnelling contracts.

The three consortia include:

• Gamuda and Laing O’Rourke Australia Joint Venture  
• John Holland, CPB Contractors and Ghella Australia Joint Venture  
• Acciona Australia and Ferrovial Australia Joint Venture ( 

The contracts will require the following staffing: builders, plumbers, tunnellers, electricians, carpenters, concrete workers, truck drivers, labourers and security guards.

Due to the size of this city shaping project the tunnelling and excavation works have been separated into geographically specific contracts between Westmead and Sydney CBD.

The Central Tunnelling Package will complete first with the successful tenderer awarded a contract to build 11km of twin tunnels from The Bays to Sydney Olympic Park.

The remaining two tenders will be  Western Tunnelling Package, with the successful tender awarded a contract to build 9km of twin tunnels from Westmead to Sydney Olympic Park.

The successful tender for the Central Tunnelling Package will not be eligible to be awarded the Western Tunnelling Package, driving greater competition in the delivery of Australian tunnelling infrastructure. 

Sydney Metro West will double rail capacity between Greater Parramatta and the Sydney CBD, transforming Sydney for generations to come.

The planning process for the Sydney Metro West project is progressing with Sydney Metro currently addressing community feedback raised as part of the project’s first Environmental Impact Statement.

Subject to planning approval, work on the project is expected to start in The Bays in late-2020, with the first of four mega tunnel boring machines expected to be in the ground before the end of 2022.