Local developer Harridan is seeking to turn its Woolloongabba apartment project into the first stage of a broader transformation of Burke Street, using a new 16-storey mixed-use building to establish a greener pedestrian connection toward the rapidly evolving Boggo Road transport and knowledge precinct.

The South East Queensland developer has filed plans for 154 apartments on the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-burke-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">southern side of Burke Street</a>, where its proposal has been designed alongside a wider vision by LatStudios for the street.

That vision positions the southern side of Burke Street for buildings of 15 storeys and above, while envisaging lower-rise development of up to five storeys on the northern side to transition into Woolloongabba's existing character housing. It also proposes wider pedestrian verges, deep planting, new street trees and upgrades to the pedestrian approach to Boggo Road Station.

The Harridan development itself has been designed by Brisbane-based Arqus Design and will comprise 154 apartments across 16 storeys. The mix is weighted heavily toward two-bedroom apartments, with 121 proposed alongside 10 one-bedroom and 23 three-bedroom residences. There will typically be around 14 units per floor.

A lower-ground car park and three podium levels will accommodate 156 resident parking spaces, along with visitor and commercial parking. There will also be 154 resident bicycle spaces and 40 visitor bicycle parks.

&nbsp;

Harridan is a family-owned developer and part of the Holmwood Highgate Group, with more than three decades of development activity across South East Queensland. Its portfolio spans residential, commercial and industrial property, with current residential projects including Riverbank on Byron in Bulimba, Esperance Residences in Carina and The Precinct at Kinross Road in Thornlands.

Wooloongabba has been popular for apartment developers, particularly since the announcement of the 2032 Summer Olympics games in Brisbane.

While there have been a lot of development applications, it has failed to materialize into real supply.&nbsp;

Sarazin has been the major player in the area. They are under construction at Murcia Residences, on the fringe of East Brisbane and Woolloongabba. They have just launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-stanley-residences-woolloongabba-8-trafalgar-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">The Stanley Residences</a>, in Woolloongabba on Trafalagar Street. They also have Nuage coming soon on the nearby <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nuage-woolloongabba-14-wellington-road-woolloongabba-qld-4102">Wellington Road</a>.

Joel Robinson

First look: Harridan plans Burke Street transformation beside Boggo Road transport hub

IN BRIEF

<ul>
	<li>
	Just three double-storey Sky Homes sit at the top of The Waterline, each with its own private marina berth and rooftop terrace.
	</li>
	<li>
	Construction on The Waterline is complete, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.
	</li>
	<li>
	Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and are priced from $3.65 million.
	</li>
</ul>

<hr />
Lewis Land has opened the first completed sky home for inspection at Harbour Shores, giving buyers their first opportunity to step inside one of just three double-storey residences crowning The Waterline.

Each sky home comes with its own private marina berth, rooftop terrace and Broadwater views, combining the scale of a larger home with direct access to the boating lifestyle that underpins the wider <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/harbour-shores-biggera-waters-564-oxley-drive-biggera-waters-qld-4216">Harbour Shores</a> masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366708]

Lewis Land Head of Development Michael Long said the inclusion of a berth with every Sky Home had become increasingly valuable as marina access across the Gold Coast tightened.

“Marina berths are becoming increasingly difficult to secure across the Gold Coast, so including one with every Sky Home makes this a genuinely rare offering,” Long said.

“The private 70-berth marina will accommodate boats up to 12 metres in length and is positioned just 2.5 kilometres from the Broadwater, placing the open ocean only 15 minutes away.

“Being able to step out of your home onto your boat is a rare luxury, and it’s something residents here can look forward to when it opens later this year.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366709]

The display opening comes as construction completes on The Waterline, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.

The three Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and each feature three bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive kitchens with butler's pantries and large balconies taking in the Broadwater outlook.

Each residence also has three secure basement car spaces and additional storage.

“This is the first opportunity the Gold Coast has had to step into Harbour Shores and see, touch and feel what we’re bringing to life here,” Long said.

“There are only three Sky Homes within The Waterline, ranging in size from 282sqm to 367sqm, with each residence featuring three large bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive custom-built kitchens with butler’s pantry, and large balconies capturing Broadwater views.”

<img alt="Harbour Shores" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bab65e10-4fab-45e1-92d8-fc56e2ab98ff" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-25%20at%202.00.16%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=XT8q76LsPkw3cYTsvN3JfFDaPLud90PN" />

Residents of The Waterline will have access to a private pool, along with Harbour Shores' wider collection of amenity including a lagoon pool, social clubhouse, tennis court, gym, yoga facilities and sauna.

Lewis Land partnered with Studio Collective to furnish the completed display, with the interiors designed to demonstrate how the residences could function as permanent homes rather than simply as show apartments.

Studio Collective Director Melissa Park said the surrounding waterways informed the interiors, but in a more restrained way than a traditional coastal scheme.

“We drew inspiration from the canals and coastal surrounds, but our approach was to interpret that subtly through layered materials and a grounded palette of earthy tones, rather than literal coastal references,” Park said.

“We introduced hero moments of green and teal to reference the surrounding waterways, while mirrored elements help reflect natural light.

“The result is a residence that feels elevated yet comfortable, somewhere buyers can genuinely imagine themselves living, entertaining and unwinding.”

Sky Homes are priced from $3.65 million.

Lewis Land is also offering private marina berths with The Residences, its limited collection of three and four-bedroom villas positioned directly along the Harbour Shores waterfront boardwalk.

Three-bedroom villas are priced from $2.99 million, while four-bedroom residences start from $3.19 million.

Harbour Shores is being marketed by Colliers International.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=113271]

Lewis Land opens sky home display as The Waterline completes at Harbour Shores

St Vincent de Paul Society Housing Australia has filed plans for a major mixed-use housing precinct on the southern edge of the North Sydney CBD, adding another significant proposal to a pocket around North Sydn​ey Station that is quickly becoming one of the LGA's busiest development zones.

The State Significant Development Application covers a 5,990 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/1-19-mackenzie-street-lavender-bay-nsw-2060">1-19 MacKenzie Street and 211 Blues Point Road in Lavender Bay</a>, immediately south of Nor​th Sydney Station and between the commercial core and the lower-rise Lavender Bay Heritage Conservation Area.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal would deliver a new residential tower comprising 88 build-to-sell apartments and 19 affordable apartments, alongside a separate co-living building with 57 rooms and a building manager's studio.

It would also see the significant restoration and upgrade of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, the adaptive reuse of the former school building, new parish facilities, retail, a new public square and around 1,000 sqm of publicly accessible open space.

<img alt="Vinnies North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d5dd7f87-a617-463e-b577-17541e01f0e9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.13%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4R8TsFN3P_LrrXO2HswTOIrx2blil8lh" />

The project is seeking a concurrent rezoning of the site to R4 High Density Residential and an increase in the maximum building height to allow a tower reaching RL120, or up to 20 storeys. The proposal was progressed through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The build-to-sell component will be weighted toward larger apartments, with just six one-bedroom apartments compared with 31 two-beds, 43 three-beds and eight four-bedroom residences.

The 19 affordable apartments will comprise two studios, 15 one-bedroom apartments and two two-bedroom apartments, taking the total apartment component to 107 residences before the 58 co-living rooms are included.

<img alt="Vnnies" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7d568ca5-cb90-4e18-96c6-d9795dba0c56" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=GY2R5M9VtQh0EKy1vajaea19PSLOPuRD" />

Wardle's design for the Vinnies site has sought to negotiate that emerging high-rise context while retaining the lower-scale character of MacKenzie Street and the adjoining heritage conservation area.

The main building adopts a three-storey podium and tower arrangement, with the podium aligned to the ridgeline and front setback of St Francis Xavier Church.&nbsp;Wardle has designed the podium with colonnades, seating, recessed entries and active ground-floor frontages, with sandstone-toned precast concrete and face brick referencing the materiality of the existing church.

The tower then steps back eight metres to the south and six metres to the north before rising in a sculpted form comprising four interlocking quadrants. Wardle has also introduced rounded forms and chamfered corners to reduce the tower's perceived bulk and improve view sharing with neighbouring development sites.

Resident facilities and outdoor areas are planned at the separation between the podium and tower at Level 3, oriented toward Sydney Harbour and the CBD skyline.

The tower itself will feature a glass reinforced concrete facade, with recessed balconies and deep reveals used both to provide shading and privacy and frame views toward the harbour and city. The lower levels take a different architectural approach, using brick and sandstone-toned finishes intended to establish a stronger relationship with St Francis Xavier Church. The Church itself will be conserved and upgraded for its continued use, while the former school building will be adaptively reused as part of the co-living component.

<img alt="Lavendar Bay" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2d4418ad-90aa-4d49-af93-c80b140aea80" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.09.47%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Kv4gzbsACaGvZSRuaqcfGC54jEJRXIDJ" />

&nbsp;

The proposal adds to an increasingly concentrated pipeline of residential development around Blue Street, MacKenzie Street and Lavender Bay.

Just west of the site, Central Element lodged plans earlier this year for one of the most significant residential developments proposed in Lavender Bay in recent years.

Central Element's SJB-designed scheme at 64-66 Lavender Street and 3-7 Middlemiss Street would deliver 163 apartments across two towers rising 23 and 32 storeys, replacing five existing apartment buildings containing 32 homes. The project also forms part of the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-central-element-reveals-lavender-bay-apartment-plans?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">First look: Central Element reveals Lavender Bay apartment plans</a>

Immediately around North Sy​dney Station, another two significant proposals have emerged at 5 and 15 Blue Street.

Zurich Australian Insurance Properties is seeking to adaptively reuse its longstanding commercial building at 5 Blue Street, directly above North Sydney Station, rather than demolishing the structure.

Its SSDA proposes converting the building into a 14-storey mixed-use development with 62 apartments and 86 co-living rooms, together with ground-floor retail and a major refurbishment of Blue Street Plaza. The application is currently at the Response to Submissions stage.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-zurich-targets-north-sydney-office-conversion-with-148-unit-proposal-above-metro-station">First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station</a>

&nbsp;

First look: Vinnies files for 20-storey Lavender Bay apartment tower as North Sydney housing pocket heats up

When the opportunity arose for South Australian developer Palumbo to return to Kent Town, where it had previously delivered East Park Apartments and the East 
Rundle Apartments, it wasn't one the longstanding developer-builder was going to pass up.

The decision was quickly vindicated, with more than 30 apartments sold within the first month of launching <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/royal-apartments-kent-town-2-8-north-terrace-kent-town-sa-5067">Royal Apartments</a> to the market.

The 206-apartment development, which will bring significant new supply to Adelaide's tightly held eastern city fringe, also gives <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/palumbo">Palumbo</a> the opportunity to bring new life to one of Kent Town's most recognisable watering holes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376073]

Royal Apartments incorporates the historic Royal Hotel, a venue Palumbo Managing Director Daniel Palumbo said has a longstanding connection with the local community.

"Everyone in the area has history with the Royal Hotel," Palumbo told Apartments.com.au.

"It was quite an active pub and social gathering place for locals. We want to bring it back to its former glory."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376072]

The wider development will comprise two residential towers alongside the restored hotel, sitting on North Terrace opposite the Adelaide Park Lands.

For Palumbo, the project also marks a return to familiar territory.

The developer completed East Park Apartments next door more than a decade ago and jumped at the opportunity to develop in Kent Town again when the Royal Hotel site became available.

"The opportunity emerged, and we moved to secure the site," Palumbo said.

"We were approached by the previous landowner, who said they had extensive commitments in Sydney and weren't in a position to deliver the project.

"We took over the site and within six months recut the design scheme to be more in keeping with the type of development we want to bring to Adelaide.

"Now we're on the market and those changes have really resonated with local buyers."

That has translated into a strong start to sales, with 33 apartments transacting in the project's first 35 days.

Palumbo said the early purchaser profile had been consistent with the group's traditional focus on owner-occupiers rather than investor-led apartment stock.

"Local owner-occupiers have always been our market," he said.

"There are always some investors, but we've never developed what would be called traditional development stock. Owner-occupiers are very much our market."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376068]

The buyer mix has been diverse so far, with downsizers and younger professionals both accounting for a significant portion of early sales.

South Australia's current stamp duty settings, which allow&nbsp;eligible homeowners in South Australia aged 60 savings of up to $103,830 on stamp duty when they downsize to a new property valued at up to $2 million,&nbsp;have helped encourage downsizer activity, while younger buyers in their late 20s and early 30s have been attracted to the opportunity to live immediately outside the CBD while still being able to walk into the city.



Location has been a major part of the proposition for both buyer cohorts.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376075]

Royal Apartments sits on North Terrace directly opposite the Adelaide Park Lands, with residents able to walk through the parklands toward the East End, Rundle Street and Rundle Mall.

Apartments have been positioned to capture views across the parklands, Adelaide skyline, Botanic Gardens and Adelaide Hills.

Palumbo believes the scarcity of developable land along this section of the Park Lands makes the site particularly difficult to replicate.

"There's very few allotments on that side that can be developed," he said.

"If this location was in New York and you were sitting on Central Park, you'd be talking about a $60 million apartments."

Royal Apartments will offer a broad mix of residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments through to four-bedroom sub-penthouses and penthouses.

Current listings include one-bedroom apartments from $680,000, while larger three and four-bedroom residences are priced around $2.5 million.

Residents will have access to a swimming pool, gym, barbecue and recreation areas, residents' lounge and dining space, and a communal deck.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376067]

The apartments will feature generous balconies, while secure parking, bicycle storage and storage cages will also be provided.

A porte-cochère-style arrival and drop-off area has also resonated with buyers, particularly those attracted to being able to walk into the CBD during the day while retaining secure vehicle access at home.

Palumbo is acting as developer, architect and builder on Royal Apartments, continuing the vertically integrated model it has used across its South Australian portfolio.

The group was also behind the $150 million Sofitel Adelaide, the 251-room five-star hotel and residential tower which opened in 2021.

Palumbo said Royal's launch had come at an interesting time for the broader Adelaide apartment market.

Buyer confidence had initially been impacted by uncertainty surrounding the Federal Budget and broader economic conditions, but Palumbo believes sentiment is beginning to improve against a backdrop of significant investment flowing into South Australia.

He pointed to increased activity across defence and resources, including Olympic Dam, as potential long-term drivers of the state's economy and housing market.

"Money is starting to flow into Adeliade, significant amounts as Adelaide bucks the trend of the rest of the country.," Palumbo said.

"There's a lot of activity in the economy over the next decade. I think more investment will come into this market."

Early works on Royal Apartments are expected to commence this year, with major construction activity and cranes anticipated on site from early next year.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6109]

Palumbo's return to Kent Town strikes early chord with buyers

Go-to builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/graya">GRAYA</a> is continuing to bulk out its already impressive and diverse apartment portfolio across South East Queensland. Their latest milestone is securing development approval for Silk, its boutique riverfront apartment development in St Lucia.

The approval clears&nbsp;the way for the team to begin construction planning for the 22-residence project.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/silk-st-lucia-16-18-sandford-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">Silk</a> will rise 15 levels from an 810 sqm site at 16-18 Sandford Street, occupying a prominent bend of the Brisbane River with a prized northern aspect across Orleigh Park toward the Brisbane CBD.

The approved scheme will comprise 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences, continuing GRAYA's move into larger-format apartment developments targeting Brisbane's prestige owner-occupier market.

The project has been designed around the site's broad river frontage and dual-direction views, with GRAYA prioritising larger residences, privacy and outlook over apartment yield.

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa5c2349-f96c-4914-a812-1f2cd6827af8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=WY0vEU_7vYjeRJKQHiCwFdMxu8PvFh52" />

GRAYA Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Rob Gray said the project had been shaped around local homeowners wanting to remain in St Lucia without maintaining a traditional family home.

"St Lucia is one of those suburbs people do not want to leave," Gray said.

"They know the river, the trees, UQ, the golf course, Toowong and Indooroopilly, and that familiarity is hard to replace.

"True riverfront opportunities here are exceptionally scarce. What we have designed at Silk is a way to stay in the suburb people love, with the scale and privacy of a private home and far less to maintain.

"This is not typical apartment product. It is a proper home on the river, and that is exactly what this market has been missing."

The approval comes as new apartment development continues to increase across the St Lucia and neighbouring Toowong corridor, although direct riverfront sites remain considerably more tightly held.

GRAYA Co-founder and Managing Director Andrew Gray said securing the approval had removed a significant element of development risk from Silk.

"Genuine riverfront sites of this quality in St Lucia are not something that comes up regularly," Gray said.

"The approval removes a substantial layer of execution risk, and the location underwrites demand in a way very few inner-city sites can.

"The fundamentals here are as strong as anything we have assessed in Brisbane."

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d0f3d734-65e1-48e8-8ed3-2e0715ffcdd9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sOLSs_jdHkXLWbBKzRyayf5BfTb2vPsD" />

Silk will see GRAYA return to a stretch of the Brisbane River where it already has recent construction experience. The vertically integrated group recently completed ARC in neighbouring Toowong as builder for developer Spyre, delivering the riverfront project on a constrained site.

GRAYA will take a different role at Silk, controlling the project from design and development through construction and aftercare under its vertically integrated model.

The development will include a gym and resident leisure areas at ground level, integrated with the river's edge.

Silk joins a growing pipeline for GRAYA across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, which includes Enclave, The Gallery, Coral and Ripple.

The developer-builder has also recently lodged plans for its largest project to date, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-silo-19-chester-street-newstead-qld-4006">The Silo</a>, a proposed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/graya-buys-frasers-newstead-site-plans-the-silo-between-james-street-and-gasworks-precincts">$700 million mixed-use development</a> in Brisbane's James Street precinct.

Silk is expected to predominantly target local owner-occupiers and prestige buyers seeking a permanent riverfront home in Brisbane's inner west.

Registrations of interest are now open, with further details on the project and construction program to be released as it progresses.

<hr />
<h2>SILK PROJECT FACTS</h2>

Developer-builder: GRAYA

Project: Silk

Location: 16-18 Sandford Street, St Lucia

Apartments: 22

Built form: 15 levels

Site: 810 sqm riverfront holding

Mix: 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences

Status: Development approved

Next step: Construction planning underway

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152168]

GRAYA greenlit for riverfront St Lucia apartment development, Silk

Victorian Election 2018

<html><body>
The Victorian Planning Minister, Richard Wynne, has announced an election policy that would see embedded networks banned from new Victorian apartment developments should the Andrews Government be re-elected in November.

Exemptions to the ban will apply if a micro-grid powered by renewable energy is added to the building. Other policies outlined by the Planning Minister include:

<blockquote>
Increasing apartment setbacks from neighbouring properties to improve privacy, natural light, airflow and to stop streets being turned into cold, dark wind tunnels

Introducing minimum green space standards 

Ensuring apartment exteriors are made from natural, durable and safe materials, such as brick, timber, concrete, metal, stone or non-combustible cladding 

Putting in place mandatory construction management plans to put an end to residents being disturbed by noise from construction workers or rubbish removalists outside reasonable hours.
<cite>ALP media release</cite>
</blockquote>

The Planning Minister also announced $4 million will be set aside for architecture practices operating in the state to work with the State Architect in order to produce better apartment blueprints "that support the building of developments that become world-leaders in design, sustainability and liveability."

The latest policy announcements in the planning sphere arrive soon after the Planning Minister approved interim heritage controls for the City of Melbourne.

Heritage protections will cover 65 individual sites, two group listings and nine precincts that include the likes of Flinders Lane East, Drewery Lane, Swiss Club of Victoria and the former Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board building.

Interim controls will remain in place while the City of Melbourne conducts its most extensive heritage audit since the 1990s at which point, after the review, it is expected the heritage controls - subject to the review - will become permanent.

<h2>What is an embedded network?</h2>

They are pieces of utility infrastructure which can encompass electricity distribution, internet provision and gas distribution to individual apartments in a building. 

Typically, a developer signs a contract with an embedded network provider to install the infrastructure (i.e fibre to every apartment for high-speed internet) and in return, the embedded network provider gains a captive market where all tenants or landlords in an apartment building must use the embedded network provider for retail services.

In another example, if an embedded network provider is present in an apartment building for electricity distribution/provision, all tenants or owner-occupiers in that building are unable to take advantage of electricity retail competition as they are forced to use the retail services provided by the embedded network provider.

The ALP and Liberals are launching their official election campaigns on Sunday.
</body></html>

Alastair Taylor

ALP unveil planning-related policies including banning embedded networks in new apartment developments

<html><body>
Yesterday the Andrews Government announced it was extending its level crossing removal programme and taking the promise to expand the list of 50 to 75.  The <a href="/news/labor-adds-25-to-its-list-of-50-level-crossing-removals">announcement named 14 level crossings</a> and a further 11 would be revealed in due course.

In 2017 the Victorian Auditor-General recommended the development of a 'transparent selection and prioritisation process' for the removal of level crossings beyond the government's commitment of 50.  That framework was <a href="https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/334914/Extra-Crossings_Prioritisation-Framework.pdf">published</a> by the Level Crossing Removal Authority (LXRA) on Sunday.

<figure><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/crossings_removal_framework_principles_0.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Key principles and underpinning factors used in the prioritisation framework"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="331" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/crossings_removal_framework_principles_0.png?itok=VkdvyyB_" title="Key principles and underpinning factors used in the prioritisation framework" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Key principles and underpinning factors used in the prioritisation framework</figcaption></figure>When the Melbourne Metro Tunnel project is operational and Watergardens-Sunbury services are taken out of the loop and start through-running to Pakenham and Cranbourne, the existing northern loop will receive a capacity boost allowing for more train services to run to both Craigieburn and Upfield.

The Craigieburn line was awarded in 2017 the dubious title of most overcrowded line on the network and is also the main artery for population growth in the inner-to-middle north-west of Melbourne.  Central Moonee Ponds is at the vanguard of increased development activity on the corridor with 21 projects on the Apartments.com.au database.

<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" scrolling="no" src="https://www.urban.com.au/developments/moonee-ponds-vic?embeddable=list-map" width="100%"></iframe>

Already residents are starting to move into Caydon's former Moonee Ponds market site and the continued completion of new apartments combined with the myriad of other local projects is set to continue to grow central Moonee Ponds' population over the next few years.

Throw in the growing outer north and patronage is likely to climb considerably on the Craigieburn line requiring more services to cater for all the new residents.  

Two level crossings on the Craigieburn line were included in the original list of 50, Buckley Street in Essendon which is now complete, and Glenroy Road in Glenroy which is still at a planning stage.  There are 5 other level crossings still in existence on the Craigieburn line - Macaulay Road in Kensington, Puckle Street/Holmes Road in Moonee Ponds, Park Street in Moonee Ponds, Gaffney Street in Pascoe Vale and Devon Road in Oak Park.

Three of the five remaining crossings have adjacent stations whereas Park Street and Gaffney Street are located away from existing station infrastructure.

As part of the Wider Network Enhancements in the Metro Tunnel project, Essendon station was identified as a point where shorter-run services could originate and terminate to increase frequencies on the Craigieburn line.  The Metro Tunnel Business case identifies Essendon because of its large interchange profile (the Airport West tram and multiple bus routes).

Given the context for increased need (large-scale residential development) and planned (Metro Tunnel Business Case) services on the inner to middle sections of the Craigieburn line, Macaulay Road in Kensington, Puckle Street/Holmes Road in Moonee Ponds are likely to fit the bill with the LXRA's prioritisation process.
</body></html>

Focus on more level crossing removals: Craigieburn Line

<html><body>
The Andrews Government has unveiled another election policy, this time extending its list of 50 level crossing removals to 75.  $6.6 billion is the pricetag for the additional level crossing removals and according to the government it will be paid for out of state budget surpluses.

The original list of 50 level crossings was an election policy for the Andrews Government in 2014 and so far 28 have been completed, financed primarily out of the sale of the 50-year lease over the Port of Melbourne.  Originally 20 were scheduled to be completed by the end of the first time of government and the full list of 50 after two terms.

Dandenong to Caulfield was one of the more high profile set of level crossing removals throughout the first term of government that saw 9 removed with elevated track and it also included rebuilding 5 stations on the line.

Other than the Frankston line, broadly speaking, the level crossing removals that have been completed have been all around the metropolitan area - Bayswater saw two removed, the Cranbourne line is seeing two to be removed, Bell Street on both the Mernda and Upfield lines will see removals.

Frankston line level crossings still feature heavily - mostly because there are just so many of them (closely followed by the Mernda line) - however one detectable theme is that the new additions to the list that have been announced 'round out' suburbs, Preston and Coburg are a prime example.

The election policy announcement from the Andrews Government named 14 level crossings with another 11 to be announced a later date.

<ul>
<li>Mont Albert Road &amp; Union Road in Surrey Hills/Mont Albert.  Once those two level crossings are removed, there will be zero level crossings left between Ringwood and the City.</li>
	<li>Glenhuntly Road and Neerim Road in Glenhuntly.  Glenhuntly Road includes the double-whammy train and tram track level crossing that slows trains to a crawl and both roads are the last in the Moorabbin - City segment to be removed.</li>
	<li>Argyle Avenue, Chelsea Road and Swanpool Avenue in Chelsea.  The three Chelsea level crossings plus the two in Glenhuntly will bring the total number of Frankston line level crossing removals to 16.</li>
	<li>Munro Street and Reynard Street in Coburg.  This increases the number of proposed level crossing removals in Coburg from 2 to 4.</li>
	<li>Oakover Road, Murray Road and Cramer Street in Preston. Removing these three level crossings, including the already identified Bell Street, will have the effect of removing all level crossings at Bell and Preston stations.</li>
	<li>Gap Road/Station Street in Sunbury.  This road ringfences Sunbury station and based on the surface level infrastructure located at Sunbury station and the extra cost in altering it, it's likely the road will pass under the rail track.</li>
	<li>Old Geelong Road in Hoppers Crossing. The last of the major roads to be removed on the outer end of the Werribee Line - several remain on the Altona Loop line and main line between the eastern Altona Loop junction and Footscray.</li>
</ul>
The level crossing removal authority has also today published a site prioritisation framework on its <a href="https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/334914/Extra-Crossings_Prioritisation-Framework.pdf">website</a>.
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Labor adds 25 to its list of 50 level crossing removals

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On Sunday, the Federal Opposition leader Bill Shorten announced that if the ALP are elected at the next federal election, they will match the $300 million the state government has committed towards design and planning for its signature re-election promise, the Suburban Rail Loop.

Meanwhile, the public transport election stakes keep rising with the Andrews Government unveiling a plan to electrify Wyndham Vale and Melton lines, while at the same time increasing track capacity to allow more regional express trains to run to and from the city to Ballarat and <a href="/new-apartments/geelong-vic-3220">Geelong</a>.

The Suburban Rail Loop is a proposal to build an orbital rail line linking all existing railway lines (except Sandringham and Alamein) at key points around the middle ring of Melbourne.  Likewise, it aims to put Monash University's main campus in <a href="/new-apartments/clayton-vic-3168">Clayton</a>, Deakin's primary Melbourne campus in <a href="/developments/burwood-vic-3125">Burwood</a> and La Trobe University's main campus in Bundoora directly on the rail network.

When the Premier and Public Transport Minister, Jacinta Allan, showcased the Suburban Rail Loop for the first time, a handful of estimated journey times were released. More estimated trip times emerged from the media conference held in <a href="/new-apartments/box-hill-vic-3128">Box Hill</a> on Sunday.

Original estimated journey times.

<ul>
<li>25 minutes from Clayton to Bundoora.</li>
	<li>25 minutes from Box Hill to the Airport.</li>
	<li>35 minutes from <a href="/new-apartments/broadmeadows-vic-3047">Broadmeadows</a> to Monash.</li>
	<li>45 minutes from <a href="/new-apartments/cheltenham-vic-3192">Cheltenham</a> to the Airport.</li>
</ul>
New estimated journey times.

<ul>
<li>15 minutes from Box Hill to Monash. </li>
	<li>25 minutes from Broadmeadows to Deakin in Burwood.</li>
	<li>20 minutes from <a href="/new-apartments/heidelberg-vic-3084">Heidelberg</a> to the Airport.</li>
	<li>35 minutes from <a href="/new-apartments/glen-waverley-vic-3150">Glen Waverley</a> to the Airport.</li>
</ul>
<figure><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/victorias-future-rail-network-map.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Map showing all of the ALP's election commitments on rail. Image: bigbuild.vic.gov.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="410" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/victorias-future-rail-network-map.jpg?itok=VFR6K-lj" title="Map showing all of the ALP's election commitments on rail. Image: bigbuild.vic.gov.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Map showing all of the ALP's election commitments on rail. Image: <a href="https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/western-rail-plan">bigbuild.vic.gov.au</a></figcaption></figure><h2>New metro services for The West</h2>

The Premier was in Geelong on Tuesday morning to announce another rail-focused election commitment that would include extending metro services to both Melton and <a href="/new-townhouses/wyndham-vale-vic-3024">Wyndham Vale</a> as well as provide extra track from the city to enable faster regional services to run from Geelong and Ballarat to the city.

The plans for the western section of the Suburban Rail Loop have become clearer with a video posted on the Premier's Facebook page showing the Werribee Line extended to Wyndham Vale, which in conjunction with the extended metro services, would form the western section of the loop.

Adding to all the other rail commitments, which have focused on planning, other media outlets are reporting $150 million will be spent on expanding railway corridors to Wyndham Vale and Melton that presumably will be quadruplicated allowing metro services - which are stopping-all-stations in nature - to be separated from V/Line express services.

According to information now available on bigbuild.vic.gov.au, it is anticipated 'the three major network changes would be undertaken in stages and take around a decade to complete.'  Much of the planning work will be completed as part of the Airport Rail Link business case which is now due to be completed 'in 2019/2020'.

<iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="476" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDanielAndrewsMP%2Fvideos%2F1912954475451472%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="100%"></iframe>
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Andrews unveils Western Rail Plan as Federal Labor commit to Suburban Rail Loop

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The Public Transport state election of 2018 rolls on, with another big-ticket election promise unveiling by The Greens to create a large-scale rapid bus network in Melbourne's East.

According to the policy information on one of the Greens' <a href="https://ourliveablecity.org.au/bus-plan/">websites</a>, the rapid bus network is focused on connecting multiple eastern suburbs destinations with priority given to a bus fleet that is powered by electricity.

<blockquote>
Importantly, this Rapid Bus Network can be rolled out within a year, and will reduce congestion immediately.

It won’t take 10 years to build like the North East Link toll road, or 28 years to build like the Suburban Rail Loop.

The Rapid Bus Network can be integrated and adapted into future transport network changes.
<cite>Greens Rapid Bus Network policy</cite>
</blockquote>

Dedicated bus stops would be built, similar to a platformed tram stop, and include myki readers to enable faster loading and unloading of the buses. Free wi-fi and power outlets would be provided on the buses as well.

The focus of the new services is anchored in La Trobe University and providing connectivity to the east, south-east and south of the Bundoora campus, and the map depicts how the new bus routes will link with another of the Greens' election policies: tram route extensions.

<figure><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/greens_eastern_melb_rapid_bus.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Map of all the proposed rapid bus lines. Image: Victorian Greens"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="773" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/greens_eastern_melb_rapid_bus.png?itok=r3nUwlff" title="Map of all the proposed rapid bus lines. Image: Victorian Greens" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Map of all the proposed rapid bus lines. Image: Victorian Greens</figcaption></figure>Much of the physical infrastructure required to enable the faster services involves adding dedicated bus lanes, 'turning slip lanes' and bus priority at traffic lights, according to the information on the Greens' website.  

Large patronage generators such as Universities, railway stations, retail and other employment centres are a focus for the network and the policy states that services would run every 10 minutes, all day, every day across the 11 proposed routes.

<h2>Comment</h2>

Unless one of the major parties decides to ride the coattails of a brand new freeway into the state election, at this stage of the game, November 2018 is looking like a public transport election.

The three main parties which are in contest for seats in metropolitan Melbourne have all focused on different areas of public transport - the Greens thus far are focusing on extending or upgrading road-based public transport (trams and buses), the government/ALP are focused on big-ticket rail projects (Airport Link, Suburban Rail Loop) and the Liberal Party in conjunction with their National party coalition partners have placed an emphasis on regional rail.

The rapid bus proposal from the Greens ties in nicely with the Suburban Rail Loop put forward by the ALP - at least the eastern portion of the rail loop - and would no doubt butter the middle and outer ring suburbs up for the eventual transition to the even faster Suburban Rail Loop.

The Liberal's regional fast rail would be greatly enhanced with the ALP's Suburban Rail Loop. Ditto, the Greens' rapid bus network because it would put multiple education and employment centres within one change of the Latrobe Valley railway line.

Whoever is able to form a government after November 24th is anyone's guess, however, wouldn't it be nice to have all of the above in a funded, multi-decade plan?
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Victorian Greens pitch Eastern Melbourne rapid bus network to the electorate

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Following on from Apartments.com.au's earlier Podcasts with <a href="/guides/weekly-podcast-episode-32-the-greens-sam-hibbins-talks-all-things-transport">Greens Member for Prahran, Sam Hibbins</a> and<a href="/guides/weekly-podcast-episode-35-labors-neil-pharaoh"> Labor Candidate for Prahran, Neil Pharaoh</a>, today we complete the trifecta with Liberal Candidate for Prahran, Dr. Katie Allen. Dr. Allen and I discuss the challenges facing Melbourne and Victoria as a result of unprecedented levels of population growth and what the State Coalition's policies to tackle these issues are, should they be elected to form government on November 25.

The question of what type of city does Melbourne want to be in the future is also posed, with Dr. Allen citing the two extremes of sprawl or a decentralised medium density model - do we want to be a "State of Cities or a City State?"

<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/515404062&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=true&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe>
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Laurence Dragomir

Weekly Podcast - Episode 36: Liberal for Prahran Dr. Katie Allen

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Decentralisation is back as word-du-jour with both the Liberal party in Victoria and now the Federal Liberals spruiking policies that will result in greater population growth in regional areas.

The Federal Government can pull a few strings in the visa and migration area and it too can choose to invest in projects that would stimulate regional town and city growth but for the most part, state governments - the level of government that owns crown land and has the Ministry which governs the use of all land within the jurisdiction - need to be on board as well.

Decentralisation is a noble agenda, spreading growth and the opportunities associated with it to a wider area ensures there's an equitable future for parts of Australia outside the capital cities. But what's the point if the infrastructure to support decentralisation is focused on long-distance commuting to the state capitals?

Likewise, the state Liberal opposition's policy of high(er) speed rail to regional cities &amp; beyond is likely only going to cater for people in the centre of Melbourne; in fact, if the goal is to enable far more long-distance commutes, you'd need both the ALP and Liberal policies announced to ensure that regional city dwellers who work in metropolitan Melbourne don't need a car at the other end.

There are so many questions.

<h2>Questions that Regional Cities need to ask</h2>

One thing that is not clear is what type of growth the regional cities would take on. Will it be sprawl-tacular growth like on the fringes of Melbourne or will planning schemes be updated and incentives implemented to add density to the likes of Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and the Latrobe Valley? Are we doomed to repeat the mistakes of the state capitals?

Will existing populations in regional cities accept far higher population growth rates? 

To what extent can existing electricity and water infrastructure cope with increased growth?  Can any regional city put their hand up and say 'yes, we want the growth' or will there be some sanity in stopping regional city growth in areas that are more likely to succumb to drought over future decades?

<h2>Questions that need to be asked of Governments</h2>

What level of state aid from any level of government will be available to incentivise employers to either move or set up new operations in regional cities?

Will each regional city destined for higher growth receive local public transport upgrades to mitigate increased car traffic in the regional cities?

Will state capital cities see less infrastructure to transition them away from auto-dependency as a result of population growth shifting to regional cities?

<figure><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/melb_east_end_cc_by_sa.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne's East End. Image: flickr"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="368" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/melb_east_end_cc_by_sa.jpg?itok=jp4hhhl1" title="Melbourne's East End. Image: flickr" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Melbourne's East End. Image: <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.flickr.com/photos/bobarc/43801964884">flickr</a></figcaption></figure>If decentralisation is the direction voters want to take, incumbent or incoming governments need to drop the laziness associated with showering out the cash on transport links that aim merely to enable a far greater volume of long-distance commuting between the inner-cities of the state capitals to regional cities.

Regional cities should not become dormitory towns, they should have every resource required to encourage employment growth within their own boundaries to stem the flow of long-distance commuting to state capitals.

Otherwise, we'll be replicating sprawly growth at the fringe but on a much larger, more expensive, scale.

Lead image credit: Marcus Wong
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What's the point of decentralisation if everyone commutes to a capital city?

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The Victorian state opposition Liberals have announced a policy to upgrade major regional lines to support their policy of population decentralisation throughout the state.  $19 billion is the headline cost and the party said it would involve upgrading existing fast lines to allow for 200kph trains and also extend faster tracks beyond their current endpoints.

Also headlining the policy announcement is that express journey times from regional cities would be slashed in half from Traralgon and Geelong, reduced by a quarter from Ballarat and Bendigo.  

Some track realignments will be required in order for trains to operate upwards of 200kph and a new fleet of trains would be procured for the higher-speed services.

Matthew Guy was interviewed on ABC Melbourne on Wednesday morning and he told interviewer Jon Faine new track would be required through south-eastern Melbourne in order to achieve the travel time savings to the Latrobe valley cities.

Many of Victoria's regional railway lines outside of Melbourne already support services to operate at speeds up to 160kph.  This was brought about through the Regional Fast Rail project that kicked off under the Bracks Government.

Back then, the promise to increase train speeds and increase services to regional areas was a key electoral wedge against the then coalition Kennett Government.

The Regional Fast Rail project from the previous decade saw upgrades to track and signalling from Watergardens to Bendigo, Sunshine to Ballarat, Werribee to Geelong and Pakenham to Traralgon which enabled a new fleet trains capable of cruising at 160kph to operate faster services between regional cities and Melbourne, as well as all the towns in between.

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7jKiND62Zd0" width="100%"></iframe>

The Herald Sun <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/state-election/matthew-guy-to-reveal-19b-plan-for-200kmh-regional-victoria-super-trains/news-story/fe9360c894b57c34a08b5c65e7cb9a95">reported</a> a previous opposition commitment to 96 new model Vlocity carriages can operate at 200kph are included in the overall $19 billion pricetag.  The cost of the new train fleet is reportedly $633 million.

In the policy statement, the opposition leader states the new train fleet will be based on Bombardier's Vlocity vehicle platform with the possibility of adding double-decker trains later on.

Likewise, the Herald Sun reported the opposition leader said the Liberal policy unveiled today would complement existing work the Andrews Government is carrying out in conjunction with the Federal Government, the <a href="http://regionalrailrevival.vic.gov.au/">Regional Rail Revival project</a>. 

The opposition's policy also appears to piggyback on, or at least provide support to, the proposal to create a 'super-hub' at Sunshine as part of the Melbourne Airport Rail Link.  That project provides extra tracks between Sunshine and the City for more types of services to run on top of an airport shuttle service.

The <a href="https://www.matthewguy.com.au/media-release/guy-high-speed-rail-for-victoria/">policy</a> also signals the re-opening of passenger services to Donald, Mildura, Hamilton and Horsham as well as providing 'substantial upgrades' to Warrnambool, Wodonga, Shepparton, Echuca and Bairnsdale.
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Victorian Liberals announce a high-speed rail project programme to bolster decentralisation policy

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The Victorian Greens have unveiled a 10-year plan to purchase 300 high-capacity trams costing $4.1 billion over the decade and furthermore announced $2.3 billion worth of tram route upgrades, as part of the 2018 state election campaign.

By prioritising the busiest tram routes, the Greens aim to rebuild stops with low-platforms similar to other parts of the network, noting the Disability Discrimination Act of 1992 requires 90% of the network to be accessible by 2017.  As of today, only 25% of the network has accessible tram stops.

Routes 109, 86, 58, 19, 11, 6 and 1 are the highest priority tram routes for upgrades.  These routes also travel through electorates where there are sitting Greens members or attracted a strong vote in the previous election.

<blockquote>
Melburnians love our trams, but right now too many of them are overcrowded, slow and un-accessible. We need investment right now to transform the network.

The busiest and most overcrowded routes will be upgraded first, with level access stops along the entire route, better separation from traffic and traffic light priority. It means better access, more reliability and a better experience for passengers.

The Greens' investment in new high capacity trams will also be on the track sooner by supercharging the manufacturing process right here in Melbourne.
<cite>Sam Hibbins, Greens spokesperson for Transport</cite>
</blockquote>

Route 109 from Box Hill to Port Melbourne has some accessible tram stops however like many other routes, they are inconsistent and predominantly exist only at high patronage stops outside the central city - such as Victoria Gardens in Richmond and at the eastern terminus in Box Hill.

Route 86 which along with the Mernda tram line, is the backbone of north-south public transport through Thornbury, Northcote and Clifton Hill, as well as the main route through Smith Street in Fitzroy, appears second on the list of priorities for investment.

One part of the pledge by the Greens is to manufacture 30 trams per annum in Victoria over 10 years, which accounts for the bulk of the money.  Bombardier are manufacturing E-Class trams in Dandenong however, the Green's policy pledge does not mention a specific manufacturer.

The Greens' statement cites an ABC report that outlines how Melbourne's trams are some of the slowest in the world.  The ABC <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-19/melbourne-trams-among-slowest-in-the-world/8541228">report</a> which in turn cites Yarra Trams' figures claims the average speed of a tram in Melbourne is 16kph outside of the inner city, and 11kph in the CBD.

Route 96 is an existing project that the Green's pledge cites as an example of how tram routes would be upgraded.  Entire routes would have level access/accessible tram stops, higher priority for trams at traffic lights and 'better separation of trams from general traffic' are <a href="https://greens.org.au/sites/default/files/2018-10/Transforming%20Melbourne%27s%20Trams.pdf">mentioned</a>. 

It is unclear whether route &amp; infrastructure upgrades will result in the removal of some or all on-street car parking on narrow roads.
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Victorian Greens unveil $6.4 billion tram network policy

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<h2>Comment</h2>

A byproduct of the Andrews Government unveiling their election policy to take the Surban Rail Loop (SRL) concept to the next election is that it has raised many more questions than there are answers for.

After digesting the eye-popping numbers - around 50km of tunnels, a projected 400,000 passengers per day once the entire line is complete and up to $50 billion in costs - you can be forgiven for questioning how it may be built, let alone financed.

Fifty kilometres of tunnels is a very big number, regardless of whether the plan is to build it in phases. Conventional wisdom dictates much of the tunnel would be constructed using Tunnel Boring Machines and after the tunnel construction is complete, the TBMs are buried or dismantled and removed.

Two days after the SRL unveiling, another media release was shot out of the Department of Premier and Cabinet stating that Holmesglen Institute will host the new Victorian Tunnelling Centre. $16 million will pay for a replica tunnel "with a full-height entrance, three multi-purpose engineering workrooms and training facilities including tunnel shaft and concrete lining spray simulators, as well as virtual reality experiences," according to the <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/tunnelling-centre-to-train-thousands-of-local-workers/">media release</a>.

The media release also states that Herrenknecht, the manufacturer of the TBMs to be used on the Melbourne Metro Tunnel project, will set up a local office and "maintenance facility and begin investigations to recycle these massive pieces of machinery locally, for deployment on new projects in Victoria’s infrastructure pipeline."

All these pieces falling into place look to avert the possible labour and plant cost risk of building many big tunneled projects at one time.

<figure><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/syd_metro_overview.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Overview of Sydney Metro - image: Planning NSW"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="409" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/syd_metro_overview.png?itok=9_iKCEWN" title="Overview of Sydney Metro - image: Planning NSW" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Overview of Sydney Metro - image: <a href="https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Assess-and-Regulate/State-Significant-Projects/Sydney-Metro/Overview">Planning NSW</a></figcaption></figure>Likewise, let's look northwards to see what's been happening and what is happening in Sydney.

Next year the first phase of the Sydney metro will open between Chatswood and Tallawong in Sydney's outer north-west.  The first phase of the project has seen 15km of new tunnels, an elevated section and multiple new stations to serve the growth areas on the outskirts of Sydney.

Crucially, Sydney Metro is repurposing the 13km tunnels (and 5 stations) between Epping and Chatswood which only opened for service in 2009.

The second phase of the metro line will run from Chatswood through another set of new tunnels measuring 15.5km under Port Jackson through the city and out to Sydenham where the line will then repurpose existing track to Bankstown.

In all, the first Sydney Metro line will be 66km in length and 66% (43.5km) will be in tunnels. 43.5 kilometres of tunnel - 2 brand new, 1 not 10 years old as yet - is somewhat comparable to the Suburban Rail Loop concept and the Premier's comments that the line will be underground from Cheltenham to Broadmeadows/Airport.

When you look at what's happening north of the Murray, suddenly 50km of tunnels in Melbourne, which is on the same population trajectory as Sydney, doesn't seem to be as out there as one may have thought it was. Casual reminder: the rail tunnels in NSW don't stop with the first metro line, the Sydney Metro West project is set to potentially add another 20km to the underground repertoire. 

Of course, some might point to the many more stations the first Sydney metro line will have - and it's a valid point, but we need to remember the first phase of the project is like adding another radial line in Melbourne - metropolitan Sydney still has many 'gaps' in the middle and outer suburbs and the first phase of the metro project up north is plugging one of the two main gaps. 

The other is the northern beaches which now has its own BRT line.
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Victorian Election 2018

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