Tunnel boring machine (TBM) Dorothy has made her final dramatic breakthrough at Westmead metro station, officially completing tunnelling on the western section of the Sydney Metro West project.
The milestone marks a historic moment for the 1200-tonne machines, which are the first autonomous TBMs ever used in Australia.
Autonomous TBMs use advanced artificial intelligence software that can automatically steer, operate and monitor the machine. Although an operator is always in control, the autonomous system manages the repetitive tasks, improving both speed and precision.
Dorothy, named after Australian human rights advocate Dorothy Buckland-Fuller, reached the Westmead station box after carving through nine kilometres of tunnel from Sydney Olympic Park, moving 788,000 tonnes of earth and installing 28,788 concrete segments along the way.
The Westmead station box is an engineering feat in its own right, featuring a 240-metre-long rail crossover cavern to allow future trains to switch tracks, a station cavern, and stub tunnels designed to futureproof any potential extension beyond Westmead.
At 39 metres below ground, it is also the deepest station box on the Sydney Metro alignment, deeper than the height of Qudos Bank Arena, which stands at 33 metres.
Meanwhile, the final two TBMs constructing the eastern tunnels, Jessie and Ruby, are forging ahead towards Hunter Street in the Sydney CBD, having already passed beneath Sydney Harbour.
Sydney Metro West is aiming for a 2032 opening, and once operational will deliver significantly faster travel times – cutting trips from Westmead to Parramatta to two minutes, to Sydney Olympic Park in seven minutes, and to Hunter Street in 22 minutes.
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