The Albanese and Malinauskas Labor Governments are celebrating two giant milestones in the $15.4 billion delivery of a non-stop South Road, with the successful transfer of the largest individual component of its first Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) as well as the official launch of the Project's TBM naming competition.
The centrepiece of the cutterhead – itself a massive nine metres in diameter – arrived at the Southern Precinct site at Clovelly Park overnight after a carefully planned heavy-haulage operation.
It was transported from Port Adelaide to the Southern Precinct using a specialised truck and trailer combination, travelling along parts of the previously upgraded North-South Corridor and the River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project section of South Road.
It was a slow and delicate process, with the 25-kilometre journey taking more than two hours to complete.
It required progressive road closures with nine sets of traffic lights temporarily removed, then later reinstalled, because the cutterhead was too wide to fit through the intersection.
To help mark the milestone delivery, the South Australian Government has announced a public competition for South Australians to help name the T2D Projects TBMs.
The TBMs will be given female names, in line with a tradition dating back to the 1500s, when miners prayed to Saint Barbara, the patron saint of tunnellers, for protection underground.
South Australians are invited to submit their name ideas to help make these machines more meaningful, memorable and proudly South Australian.
Our state has plenty of remarkable women – from local legends to renowned trailblazers throughout history – to draw upon for inspiration, and South Australians will have until 5pm on Sunday 30 November to nominate a name, with a short description of why they would be a fitting choice. Details are available on the T2D website – t2d.sa.gov.au.
The first TBM will be assembled and commissioned at the Southern Precinct ahead of tunnelling commencing in the second half of 2026.
The shipment of TBM components arrived in Port Adelaide by sea earlier this week after successful Factory Acceptance Testing in China.
Site preparation continues at the Southern Precinct, including the installation of diaphragm walls up to 35 metres deep, forming the TBM launch box – a large open trench where the TBMs will be assembled before tunnelling begins.
In this precinct, construction crews are also progressing piling, concrete slab works and haul roads to support upcoming tunnelling.
The remaining components of the first TBM are expected to arrive by the end of 2025.
This is the first of two TBMs that will ultimately launch from the Southern Precinct to construct the twin 4.5km Southern Tunnels, while a third TBM will launch from the Central North Precinct at Richmond to construct the twin 2.2km Northern Tunnels. Works are also underway at the Project's Central North Precinct.
The three TBMs being used on the T2D Project have been purchased from world-leading tunnelling manufacturer Herrenknecht.
Each T2D TBM will be approximately 100 metres in length and 15 metres in diameter – roughly the height of the Thebarton Theatre or the goalposts at Adelaide Oval.
The procurement of three TBMs means both the Northern and Southern Tunnels can be constructed concurrently meaning the project will be delivered by 2031.
As put by Peter Malinauskas
This is a mega milestone for our $15.4 billion non-stop South Road.
For years governments have been talking about this project, together the Federal and State Labor Governments are delivering it.
Pieces of our first Tunnel Boring Machine are here, as promised by the end of 2025.
This is the biggest single component of our first TBM shipment and a great deal of planning and logistics went into its delivery, but we're excited to say it has arrived safely here.
As put by Emily Bourke
Stretching approximately 100m in length and 15m in diameter, the T2D Project TBMs are the largest pieces of construction equipment ever used in South Australia.
I was there last night and witnessed the incredible process of transporting the nine-metre-wide cutterhead from Port Adelaide to the Southern Precinct.
We're also excited to launch the TBM naming competition. We want the community to be involved in this project and have some pride in this incredible project that will improve the lives of South Australians for generations to come.
We invite all South Australians to submit a female name that celebrates women who have made their mark. Think about historical figures, local heroes and cultural icons.
