The principal community information centre for South Australia’s largest ever infrastructure project has been upgraded and will reopen to the public on Monday, less than 200 metres from where history-making tunnel boring machine (TBM) Elizabeth was blessed this morning.

In an Australian first, three large-scale TBMs – Mary, Catherine and Elizabeth – will be tunnelling simultaneously on the same road project next month, less than two years after the River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) contracts were signed.

With Mary already in action and Catherine gearing up alongside her at Clovelly Park, Elizabeth is rapidly approaching the start of her tunnelling journey, which will take her more than two kilometres north from her Hilton launch box to the Brickworks.

After completing the first Northern Tunnel, Elizabeth will be separated into smaller components before being turned around and reassembled for the southbound return journey back home to Hilton.

The cutterhead, front shield and main drive will remain as a single 2,000-tonne piece, while the remaining gantries will be separated and rotated individually.

The three large-scale TBMs have been named in honour of pioneering South Australian women: Mary Lee, Catherine Helen Spence and Elizabeth Webb Nicholls. 

Following a longstanding tunnelling tradition, Elizabeth was blessed on Saturday morning by Catholic priest Father Lancy.

The tradition dates back to the 1500s, when miners and tunnellers prayed to Saint Barbara, the patron saint of those working underground.

Each TBM is about 100 metres long and 15 metres in diameter, weighing 3,500 tonnes.

With up to 20 specialised workers onboard at any one time, each TBM will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will progress approximately 8-10 metres each day following the initial tunnelling period.

By using three large-scale TBMs, the northern and southern tunnels will be built concurrently, helping deliver a non-stop South Road by 2031.

The T2D is the final 10.5-kilometre section of the North-South Corridor, and will complete 78 kilometres of non-stop, traffic light-free motorway between Gawler and Old Noarlunga. 

The Albanese Labor and Malinauskas Labor Governments have each committed $7.7 billion towards the $15.4 billion project.

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

“This huge infrastructure project will connect Adelaide’s north to its south.

“Once complete, the T2D project will provide drivers with better access to locations   like Adelaide Airport, Port Adelaide and the national highway network.

“This third and final TBM blessing honours the history of tunnelling, the many specialised workers now undertaking this challenging job and the TBM’s namesake South Australian suffragette Elizabeth Webb Nicholls.”

Quotes attributable to South Australian Treasurer, Tom Koutsantonis:

“The revamped Community Information Centre on South Road is an important way for local stakeholders to engage directly and stay up to date on this state-shaping project.

“In addition to the newly upgraded Community Information Centre in Hilton, I’m delighted that the temporary Centre at the Brickworks Marketplace in Torrensville will continue operating while there are a number of changes happening in the area.

“I’m pleased those in my community will be able to keep visiting this centre to ask the Project team questions and easily access key information.”

Quotes attributable to South Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Joe Szakacs:

“Just over 12 months ago, the Hilton precinct was little more than an empty site.

“To be standing her today for the blessing of an established TBM that’s about to start tunnelling demonstrates how far we’ve come in a very limited time.

“This is our state’s largest project. This is the first underground road project in our nation to use three large-scale TBMs concurrently.

“And this project will deliver infrastructure that will improve the way South Australians move through Adelaide.”

Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Boothby, Louise Miller-Frost:

“T2D will take commuter traffic off South Road, returning the surface level to local traffic and giving residents a faster and safer trip through the area.

“The TBMs for this project have been named after women who reflect the spirit of South Australia and have made a lasting contribution to our State.

“I am looking forward to seeing works on South Australia’s largest project continue to progress.”