Victoria’s Suburban Rail Loop is set to see a world-first all-women crew helping to build the tunnels
The world’s first all-women tunnel boring machine (TBM) crew will be part of the team building the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East in Victoria under a new initiative announced in August.
SRL East Tunnels South construction manager Isolde Piet will lead the team, drawing on her experience as the first female TBM pilot in the world.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be a part of this incredible project and this history-making initiative, which I hope will encourage many more women to join the industry.”
The team is to include approximately 25 highly skilled roles, including the TBM operator, gantry and segment crane operators, grouters and support roles – opening careers for a new generation of women.
It will be one of eight crews operating the four TBMs digging the SRL East twin tunnels between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley.
SRL East will deliver six new underground stations between Cheltenham and Box Hill, reducing travel times and congestion and connecting people to new housing options and key employment, health and education destinations in Melbourne’s east and southeast.
Tunnelling for SRL East will start in 2026 and the all-women TBM crew is expected to be operating by 2027.
Expressions of interest are now open for those keen to be part of this ground-breaking crew and previous experience is not necessary.
Comprehensive training will form part of this opportunity, so women are encouraged to apply – even if they aren’t working in construction or tunnelling and if they are at the start of their career.
Construction of SRL East is creating up to 8,000 jobs, Victoria’s Big Build says, with works underway at all six station sites and more than 1,400 people already working on the project.
Crews are moving underground services and building tunnel boring machine launch sites, preparing sites for major construction.
At least 10 per cent of total labour hours on the Tunnels South works will be worked by women to help break down barriers and create new pathways for women in construction.
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