<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360981]

Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360966]

Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360969]

Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149670]

Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

<h3 data-end="3697" data-section-id="q3n5ak" data-start="3672">&nbsp;</h3>
</main>

Nova Rêve arrives as Reve Group bets on Castle Hill's next growth phase

Melbourne Metro Rail

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One of the best things about working at an insurance company in the city was how close it was to Southern Cross Station - about 60 seconds. As my train trip was only 2 stops away, it meant I could get to work in less than 1/2 hour - door to door. I thought that was pretty good - there's nothing like an extra 30 minutes sleep on a cold, dark winter morning. My colleague whom I sat next to would regularly turn up late, cursing and blaming the traffic and the up to 90 minute car trip into the city. "Where do you live?" I asked her once, feeling sorry that she had to commute from some far flung outer suburb.

 

"Oh, in Caulfield"

 

"What? But its only 10km away! Why don't you just catch the train"?

 

"Nah, work pays my my parking. So why bother"?

 

Its an excuse I hear often.  Melbourne introduced a parking levy back in 2006, but it has done little to curb congestion.  This year, that levy was increased by 130%.  Whilst this is a step in the right direction, it's unlikely to make a huge difference.  Why?  As in my example above, most people don't pay for their parking spot - its paid for by their employer.  So in spite of the high cost of petrol, registration, insurance and vehicle maintenance, it is far outweighed by the price of a yearly car space (roughly worth $7-8K a year) plus the now $1300 levy.  It's clear we need to take a different tact if we are to pry people out of their cars.

 

In a recent UrbanMelbourne article titled <a href="/expert-insights/buying/will-the-party-of-urbanism-please-stand-up">'Will the party of urbanism please stand up'</a>, it was suggested that we we could help pay for urban infrastructure by introducing a levy or raise the GST.  A great idea, and one that warrants further exploration.  However there is some things we can do in addition.  To quote Tony Abbott*, "Why not introduce a simple tax?" - i.e. a congestion charge for driving into the CBD.

*Tony Abbott was of course infamously referring to the carbon tax here, a position we would later totally back flip on.  The author of this article promises to 'never ever' quote Tony Abbott again...

 

Now the idea of a congestion charge is not a new one.  <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_congestion_charge">London</a> has had one since 2003, with claims of a 30% reduction in vehicles entering the charge zone, and a 20% drop in CO2 emissions.  Melbourne Mayor Robert Doyle has floated the idea in the past, but didn't quite have the balls to introduce it when talk turned to re-election time.  At the federal level, Infrastructure Australia floated the idea again just a few days ago (read more <a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/london-style-congestion-tax-could-be-introduced-to-cut-melbourne-cbd-traffic-after-infrastructure-australia-report/story-fni0fit3-1226673439352#">here</a>).  So maybe its time that the state government ran with it instead - but with a slight twist.

 

Much of the criticism directed toward a congestion tax is derived from the fact that traders think their businesses will suffer. Its no revelation that commuters make up the majority of the traffic in the CBD, with peak hour levels especially horrendous. Shoppers generally don't drive in during peak hour and stay all day - so why don't we just exempt them from the charge?  Business owners would of course, be exempt as well.

 

Enforcement of the charge in London is done by a series of cameras using ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition), much like Citylink, allowing a differential payment scale.  In Melbourne, if this can be extended to record the time the vehicle enters/exits the charge zone, then we have an easy way of differentiating the commuters from the shoppers.  A 4 hour window can be designated, giving shoppers plenty of time to do their shopping and exit the zone, and therefore, no charge.  Commuters who stay parked inside the zone all day, will be charged. Simple.

 

<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/cameracongestioncharge.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Camera technology. Image courtesy cchargelondon.com"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/cameracongestioncharge.jpg?itok=vHSWYQuU" title="Camera technology. Image courtesy cchargelondon.com" typeof="Image"></a>

 

Several other people/groups would also need to be exempt.  Such as (but not limited to):

<ul>
<li>Owners with businesses in the CBD</li>
	<li>Police/Ambulance/Fire</li>
	<li>Breakdown services - i.e. tow trucks, RACV roadside assistance etc</li>
	<li>Cyclists</li>
	<li>Residents</li>
</ul>
 

Residents are the most contentious group here.  Living in the city is meant to negate the need for having a car, and so technically, charging them at the normal rate could act as a further disincentive to having a vehicle.  However as they are unlikely to significantly contribute to the problem (after all, they can walk to work!), giving them an exemption is probably academic.

 

One other point of contention are the off peak exemptions.  In London, the charge is only applicable 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with public holidays and weekends not applicable.  The 7am - 6pm rule makes sense - if people still insist on driving, they are at least encouraged to do so outside of peak congestion times.  I'm not sure about making weekends free though - Melbourne can still get very busy on weekends - especially if there is a sporting/major event on.  I would suggest a 50% discount, as there are usually extra trains to cover these events. 

 

<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/CCZ_Melb_Map.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Central City Zone with congestion tax boundaries"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/CCZ_Melb_Map.png?itok=moExSWwO" title="Central City Zone with congestion tax boundaries" typeof="Image"></a>

 

And that brings us to the boundaries of the charge zone itself (see above), which inevitably, will be the subject of much debate.  Note my suggestion has 2 noticeable additions - Docklands and the Jolimont sporting precinct.  This is quite deliberate - both these areas are served quite well my multiple modes of public transport, leaving no real reason why people need to drive to the footy, or other events.  One further area which could be added is Southbank, discouraging people from driving in and parking at Crown Casino.

 

That leaves one final detail - the price.  London charges £10($16.70) if you pay by midnight on the day you travel, £12($20.09) if you pay by the next day, or £9($15.07) if you are registered for Autopay.  Fines for non payment range from £60($100.44) to £187($313.03), depending on how late you pay.  These may seem high, but it is meant to act as a deterrent.  There are a few other incentives the government could create - offering employers discounted yearly MYKI passes for their employees, and removing any associated FBT for doing so; these are seemingly plausible.  Add the price of existing Citylink tolls, and you have some serious reasons to get on the train.  

 

Judging by the results in London, a congestion charge could result in some major reductions in traffic numbers and pollution.  It would require some upgrades to the PT system, but it would also raise some serious revenue, helping fund these upgrades as well as other urban infrastructure as mentioned earlier.  And as an added bonus, it would reduce the number of parking lots needed in the CBD, thus freeing up sites for further residential and commercial development.  With more people living within the CBD's boundaries, it would result in even fewer people having to drive to work.  The benefits seem immense, but of course with any new tax/levy/charge, the political risks are high too - hence the standoff we now have between council, state and federal governments.

 

Robert Doyle, Dennis Napthine, Kevin Rudd - who will blink first?

 
</body></html>

TheHeadOnTheDoor

Charge it up - Decongesting The Hoddle Grid

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By <a href="http://theconversation.com/profiles/leonhard-bernold-9320" target="_blank">Leonhard Bernold</a>.

According to <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/boost-for-rail-tunnel-20130404-2h9wq">a report</a> in Fairfax media on the 5th of April, the Labor government is set to announce funding for Melbourne’s A$9 billion <a href="http://www.railpage.com.au/news/article-7974/">metro rail tunnel</a>, in addition to the A$40 million it has already contributed towards getting the project “shovel-ready”. Sounds good? Well, let’s see …

Before any shovels have broken earth, the rail tunnel is facing a <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/major-engineering-hurdles-remain-for-new-rail-tunnel-beneath-city-20130227-2f6dd" target="_blank">series of engineering challenges</a>.

These reportedly include deciding if to run the new tunnel below or above the existing <a href="http://corp.ptv.vic.gov.au/managing-victoria-s-public-transport-network/history-and-heritage/city-loop-history/">City Loop</a>, the start of construction work on the <a href="http://www.vcccproject.vic.gov.au/" target="_blank">Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre</a>, and the existence of the aquifers beneath and beside the Yarra River, where the proposed tunnel will run.

The project, <a href="http://www.realestatesource.com.au/melbourne-metro-train-tunnel-and-new-parkville-station-announced-by-government" target="_blank">announced in 2009</a> by the former Brumby Victorian state government, involves <a href="http://corp.ptv.vic.gov.au/projects/rail-projects/melbourne-metro/" target="_blank">a nine-kilometre tunnel</a> between South Kensington and South Yarra, with five new Metro stations, that will eventually carry up to 60,000 passengers an hour.

Previous tunnelling projects in the Melbourne area have taught us that none of the options for constructing the proposed tunnel will be a cakewalk.

But it should be reassuring to note that there are many global examples that provide evidence that this type of construction can be done safely.

While not wishing to get involved in proposing one tunnelling technique over another, it might be worthwhile to look at some of the technical issues, and the state of best practice, for tunnelling underneath a city such as Melbourne.

<h2>Going down</h2>

Any deep excavation study starts by establishing a clear understanding of the geology that has to be “broken through” and of the water level connected to the site. Adjacent water sources, such as rivers or aquifers, that are fed by a well that may be tens of kilometres away, need to be accounted for.

A detailed soil profile, based on soil samples along and next to the future tunnel line, is essential for the final design. Before those are established, geological maps and reports from previous projects in the area are extremely valuable.

For the Melbourne Metro Tunnel project, the initial source of information would be the <a href="http://dpistore.efirst.com.au/product.asp?pID=145&amp;cID=32" target="_blank">Geological Map of Melbourne</a>, SJ 55-5, published by the Victorian Department of Primary Industries.

As might be expected, the map matches the observations by the engineers involved in <a href="http://books.google.com.au/books?id=KuUtzTWzN-8C&amp;pg=PA158&amp;lpg=PA158&amp;dq=about+burnley+tunnel&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=pZFNO8xw6b&amp;sig=0LUsSSjdZD8VSZPtz7a_3rJwa2Y&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=jJg-UZ_sI8rLmgXi6IDYBA&amp;ved=0CC0Q6AEwADgU#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false" target="_blank">constructing the Burnley Tunnel</a> between 1996 and 2000. They reported a weathered basalt layer sitting on top of a thick band of silt and clay.

A vertical shaft to the tunnel had to dig through a 20m layer of sand and gravel aquifer referred to as the <a href="http://dbforms.ga.gov.au/pls/www/geodx.strat_units.sch_full?wher=stratno=12317" target="_blank">Moray Street Gravels</a>. At the bottom of the aquifer starts bedrock moulded like a flat bowl and made of the <a href="http://dbforms.ga.gov.au/pls/www/geodx.strat_units.sch_full?wher=stratno=5213" target="_blank">dargile</a> marine deposits, called <a href="http://ascelibrary.org/action/showAbstract?page=875&amp;volume=110&amp;issue=7&amp;journalCode=jgendz" target="_blank">Melbourne mudstone</a> (made of silt and sand).

As the mudstone is porous, the water from the aquifer was able to leak deeper and engulf the Burnley Tunnel tube, which had to be made waterproof as a result. In addition, the tunnel walls needed to be designed to be strong enough to sustain the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluid_statics#Hydrostatic_pressure" target="_blank">hydrostatic pressure</a> (the pressure exerted by a liquid at rest) from all sides.

Of course, these different soil types are not nicely lined up: they are folded and intertwined like a squeezed tablecloth, mixed with small-to-large stones. Finally, the top layer usually consists of a surface soil that could be from previous man-made fills.

Based on the information from these two collaborating sources we can conclude that the proposed Melbourne Metro tunnel will have to be dug below the water table through varying amounts of alluvial, marine and some weathered volcanic material that is considered “soft” ground.

<h2>Going soft</h2>

The emergence of <a href="http://www.mindfully.org/Technology/2004/Underground-Boring-Machines1sep04.htm" target="_blank">tunnel boring machines</a> (TBMs) – built by the American engineer James Robbins in the 1950s – were designed to drill through hard rock made of granite, and were ten times faster than using <a href="http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/features/the-days-of-drill-and-blast-are-over-anglogold" target="_blank">drill-and-blast method</a>. This record has since been broken many times over, while the number of accidents has decreased.

The new <a href="http://news.discovery.com/tech/worlds-largest-tunnel-drilled-under-swiss-alps.htm" target="_blank">57km tunnel through the Swiss Alps</a> – the world’s longest tunnel – for instance required four 5 megawatt TBMs with drill diameters of 8.2m.

Because soft ground TBMs can’t utilise the “squashy” tunnel walls to push themselves forward, a different “footing” was needed. A simple solution was provided by the constructed tunnel wall – made of strong pre-cast concrete elements – being installed in the back of the tunnel.

Most large cities around the world are built on top of soft soil as they have evolved from ancient trading villages near lakes or major rivers.

Increasing population sizes demanded larger sewer and drainage pipes and – more recently – subways and motorways to be built underground. The softness of the soil gave rise to a special kind of TBM called <a href="http://www.ita-aites.org/index.php?id=152" target="_blank">Earth Pressure Balance</a> (EPB) shields or machines.

We shouldn’t be surprised to learn 50% of all EPB tunnels are built below the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_table" target="_blank">water table</a>. Some of the major cities in which EPB shields <a href="https://www.herrenknecht.com/products/tunnel-boring-machines/traffic-tunnelling/epb-shield" target="_blank">have been used</a> include Shanghai, Bangkok, Rome, Naples, Barcelona, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, Los Angeles and London.

<figure><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/z38JIqGDZVU?wmode=transparent" width="440"></iframe>

<figcaption>How TBM technology is working to build tunnels beneath London.</figcaption></figure>The key risk of any work in soft underground is the potential of soil settlements right above the tunnel caused by the re-arrangement of the soil by the tunnelling work.

Unsurprisingly, the key objective of a geotechnical engineer is to ensure that the equilibrium is preserved in such a way that no damages to surface structures occur.

This job has been made easier by recent advancements: in fact, during the past 10-15 years, EPB shield technology has added important capabilities.

Contributing to these very important enhancements are better computer models predicting the behaviour of soil under buildings; pre-tunnelling in-situ tests; grout pre-treatment or grouting of difficult sub-surface areas; new materials; and, of course, the large amount of knowledge gained from successful projects worldwide.

<h2>A perfect bore</h2>

Older metros in <a href="http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/explore/online/subway/construction.aspx" target="_blank">Toronto</a>, <a href="http://theboweryboys.blogspot.com.au/2010/08/new-york-city-subway-and-creation-of" target="_blank">New York</a> and <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/gallery/first_big_dig/" target="_blank">Boston</a> were commonly built underneath the pavement of major thoroughfares, applying what is referred to the <a href="http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/tunnel/pubs/nhi09010/05.cfm" target="_blank">“cut-and-cover” method</a>.

As the term implies, the construction starts by cutting out an initial space, possibly covering the large opening with beams and steel plates. Excavation advances downwards while the traffic is directed around the necessary openings to lower or raise material.

Of course, trucks, cranes and concrete mixers associated with construction disrupt the pedestrian and vehicular traffic along the tunnel route. Community and business pressures have resulted in the usually-cheaper cut-and-cover option being eliminated in favour of a “<a href="http://www.damninteresting.com/the-deepest-hole/" target="_blank">deep bore</a>”, using boring machines.

<h2>Station to station</h2>

As mentioned, five new stations will be built as part of Melbourne’s Metro project, and these present challenges independent of the tunnels. Stations not only require additional space: they also need to connect to the surface. Underground access to adjacent shopping malls or office buildings is also a very attractive addition.

Circular boring machines are not designed to construct stations. While the cut-and-cover method is used, stations can also be built from the bottom up using the <a href="http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=9&amp;cad=rja&amp;sqi=2&amp;ved=0CF0QFjAI&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fweb.inonu.edu.tr%2F~mkarakus%2Fpdf%2FInsight%2520into%2520the%2520New%2520Austrian%2520Tunnelling%2520Method.pdf&amp;ei=jqQ-Ueu6MoT8iAeDuYDwAQ&amp;usg=AFQjCNGK9BhoFsqQoCxSRLC83PGSsZpUaw" target="_blank">New Austrian Tunnelling Method</a> (NATM).

The basic premise of the NATM is to create a solid roof and side walls before digging underneath the shell with large equipment.

<figure><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/LxdWlSCVqdQ?wmode=transparent" width="440"></iframe>

<figcaption>How NATM works.</figcaption></figure>Not only viable for stations and cross-cuts between two tunnels, NATM could be combined with a “cousin” of cut-and-cover to create a <a href="http://www.cif.org/noms/2002/06_-_Up-Down_Construction.pdf" target="_blank">up-down construction approach</a> where bearing walls and columns are drilled first from the top.

This is followed by constructing the visible part of the station upwards while concurrently digging underneath (upwards from the tunnel using NATM, or downwards) with the removal of the large amount of excavated material through the already existing tunnel sections previously drilled by the EPB-shields.

This would not only eliminate the need for large dump trucks on the surface but it would also speed up construction.

<h2>Light at the end of the tunnel</h2>

<figure><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/U6p8YuyVir4?wmode=transparent" width="440"></iframe>

<figcaption>Melbourne Metro – ‘Transforming Melbourne’s Rail Network’</figcaption></figure>Finding the best solution for Melbourne’s Metro tunnel will require a close collaboration of all stakeholders advised by tunnel engineers and contractors with expertise in state-of-the-art tunnelling techniques.

Regardless of which route is finally chosen, EPB shield technology appears to present the safest, most productive and economical alternative for building the tubes through Melbourne’s soft, “water-filled” underground.

With an eye to minimising the effect of large truck traffic in the city for excavating the stations, it seems combining “up-down” construction with NATM, protected by advanced grouting – and the removal of the muck through the tunnels – will provide the most desirable solution.

The politics of the project (which is now nudging for top spot in Infrastructure Australia’s <a href="https://www.nics.gov.au/Home/PriorityProjects" target="_blank">National Priority List</a>) will continue to be fascinating; but so will the technical challenges, and solutions to those challenges, going forwards.

Should you be counting on jumping aboard a train on one of the new Melbourne Metro lines any time soon? Probably not. As on so many occasions when it comes to building such large projects underground, we have to expect delays mainly caused by geology.<img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="//counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/12588/count.gif" width="1">

Leonhard Bernold does not work for, consult to, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has no relevant affiliations.

This article was originally published at <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="http://theconversation.com/dig-this-how-to-construct-melbournes-metro-tunnel-safely-12588" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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theconversation

Dig this: how to construct Melbourne’s Metro tunnel safely

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Ever since the 2008 Eddington Study named the Melbourne Metro (MM) rail tunnel as one of the key pieces of transport infrastructure needed to cater for population growth and address congestion, critics have pondered questions like:
<ul>
<li>
		“Why waste money on a rail tunnel in the city when the people of Doncaster/Rowville/Woop-Woop can’t even get a train line built to their suburb?”</li>
	<li>
		“Why is it called a metro when it doesn’t look anything like the one in Paris?”</li>
	<li>
		“Why is the government making it easier for rampaging western suburban bogans to travel to the leafy east?”</li>
</ul>
Answers to these questions and others like it won’t be answered here.  Instead, this article will look at what impact the creation of the Sunshine to Dandenong line, enabled by the proposed Melbourne Metro tunnel, could have for the outer suburbs, based on the trends experienced in Paris following the development of the RER network.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the suburbs of Paris expanded rapidly, attributed to factors such as high population growth, economic prosperity, a constrained city centre, and enhanced mobility brought about by private vehicles – a story not dissimilar to Melbourne’s post-WW2 experiences.  
In order to provide a transit network to the growing suburban areas, it was decided not to continually extend the Paris metro network, as this would be akin to Melbourne extending its tram routes – it would take forever to travel from outer suburbs to the centre, and metro trains would fill up with outer suburbanites, leaving no room for inner urban dwellers (although that didn’t stop us from extending the tram to Vermont).
Instead, in 1960, as part of the development plan for the Paris region, the idea of a high-speed regional rail network was put forward, known as RER (Réseau Express Régional, or Regional Express Network).  The development master plan for the Paris region later described the concept in detail, and the proposed RER project was subsequently accepted by the Government, despite requiring considerable investment.  
The RER didn’t totally reinvent the wheel – much of the network was already there, comprising suburban train lines operating into one of several termini in inner Paris.  What the RER concept proposed was construction of the missing links through the centre of Paris to link the termini, enabling trains to run across the city. 
This provided rapid transit for suburban folks to multiple points throughout the city, improving access and capacity while also relieving the congested metro.  Incidentally, the recently released PTV Rail Plan for Melbourne follows a similar methodology.  It features the separation of existing suburban lines and operations coupled with new tunnel sections in the inner city to create distinct lines, in order to extend coverage and increase capacity.
RER Line A, the first major line to cross Paris, was constructed in sections between La Défense (terminus on western side of city) and Vincennes (equivalent on eastern side).  Work started in 1961, with incremental extensions opened every year or two. 
In 1977, the 15km tunnel was completed, and trains were able to run all the way through the city.  The stations in the new tunnel section are massive - Auber station was designed to accommodate 50,000 passengers an hour.
<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/Central_RER_network.gif" rel="gallery-all" title="RER network in central Paris"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-702px" src="http://urbanmelbourne.info/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_702px/public/pictures/article-images/Central_RER_network.gif?itok=CQMhRrNc" title="RER network in central Paris" typeof="Image"></a>
Today, Line A is acknowledged as the busiest line in Europe, with over 1 million passenger trips per weekday (Melbourne’s entire rail network carries about 800,000 trips / weekday). 
It has proven to be so popular that further investments to squeeze even more capacity out of the line have been implemented over the years, including an automatic train control system which allows trains to run every 2 minutes in the central section (this will be implemented in the Melbourne Metro tunnel from day 1).  Currently, the existing fleet of single deck fleet of trains on RER Line A is being replaced with double deckers, which despite running at 3 minute intervals (as opposed to 2 minutes for single decks), will boost capacity on the line by 30%.
The development of the RER network, and particularly Line A, is acknowledged as a huge success, based on the positive social and economic benefits generated.  For instance, the RER is accredited in bringing far-flung suburbs within easy reach of central Paris, which has significantly aided the reintegration of the traditionally insular capital with its outer suburbs. 
The evidence of this social impact can be seen at Châtelet - Les Halles (Flinders Street equivalent), which is now crowded with suburbanites on evenings and weekends. 
As the RER did for Paris, the Melbourne Metro will provide enhanced capacity through the city, serve new destinations, enable rapid transit from outer suburbs to multiple destinations across the city and provide relief to other transit routes. 
One of the key social benefits could be to stall if not reverse the widening gulf in housing affordability and living standards between inner and outer suburban households in Melbourne, which has been attributed to the relative level of accessibility to “opportunities” (i.e. employment, education, retail, health, leisure and others).
If this is the case, the question that the critics will probably ask is – “Why didn’t they build it sooner?”
 
A tale of 2 lines
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td>
				Sunshine-Dandenong line, with MM tunnel 1
			</td>
			<td>
				RER Line A 2
			</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>
				Operating hours: 4.15 a.m. to 1:15 a.m. 3
			</td>
			<td>
				Operating hours: 5:00 a.m. to 1:20 a.m.
			</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>
				160 route km, extending to: 4
				<ul>
<li>
						Melton (36km)</li>
					<li>
						Sunbury (33km)</li>
					<li>
						Melbourne Airport (18km)</li>
					<li>
						Pakenham (55km)</li>
					<li>
						Cranbourne (42km)</li>
					<li>
						Rowville (27km)</li>
				</ul>
</td>
			<td>
				109 route km, extending to: 5
				<ul>
<li>
						Cergy – Le Haut (33km)</li>
					<li>
						Poissy (26km)</li>
					<li>
						Saint-Germain-en-Laye (19km)</li>
					<li>
						Boissy-Saint-Leger (17km)</li>
					<li>
						Marne-le- Vallée -Chessy (32km)</li>
				</ul>
 
			</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>
				77 trains in service
			</td>
			<td>
				207 (half-length) trains in service (note that during peak periods, 2 units are joined to form a full length train)
			</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>
				Stations in 14 of Melbourne’s 31 Councils
			</td>
			<td>
				Stations in 7 of Ile-de-France’s 8 departments
			</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>
				3 eastern branches and 3 western branches
			</td>
			<td>
				2 eastern branches and 3 western branches
			</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>
				Serves several important centres of activity: Footscray, Parkville, the central business district, St Kilda Rd
			</td>
			<td>
				Serves several important centres of activity: La Défense, the central business district, Cergy and Marne-la-Vallée
			</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>
				Trains every 2 ½ minutes during peak hours on the central section
			</td>
			<td>
				Trains every 2 minutes during peak hours on the central section
			</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>
				Connections with all other rail lines, and 20 out of 28 tram routes
			</td>
			<td>
				Connections with all other RER lines (except line C), and 10 out of 14 lines of the metro
			</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>
				A commercial speed of ~55 kph 6
			</td>
			<td>
				A commercial speed of 49 kph
			</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>
				Part of a network comprising 7 lines
			</td>
			<td>
				Part of a network comprising 5 lines
			</td>
		</tr>
</tbody></table>
 
1 Based on Stage 4 network as shown in PTV Rail Plan, unless otherwise stated
2 Information from <a href="http://www.ratp.fr/">www.ratp.fr</a>, unless otherwise stated
3 From 2013 timetable for Sunbury, Pakenham, Cranbourne lines
4 Approximate distances to GPO, from satellite images
5 Approximate distances to Chatelet, from satellite images
6 Travel time calculated using existing off-peak timetable, estimated for new lines.
 
Phil Sturrock is an independent Transport Consultant who has previously worked for the Victorian Department of Transport, VicRoads and Transport for London.
 
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