Sydney Metro City & Southwest wins Australia’s top construction award

The project was delivered in the heart of Sydney’s central business district and included a 15.5km twin rail tunnel, dive structures and six complex underground stations between Chatswood and Sydenham, including the first rail tunnels under Sydney Harbour.

The project, which achieved the highest ever ISC Infrastructure Sustainability rating, saw a team of 11,000 people work in challenging geotechnical conditions alongside heritage and live transport infrastructure.

The works were further complicated by the numerous existing infrastructure assets under the harbour, mining under heritage buildings and the design and construction of massive bespoke formwork for an underground station.

Australian Constructors Association CEO Jon Davies said the industry continued to rise to the challenges it faced.

“This year’s winner delivered several Australian firsts that would not have been possible without the one-team culture established from the outset. All finalists have demonstrated that our industry is at its best when it works together,” he said.

Engineers Australia CEO Dr Bronwyn Evans congratulated the winning team for delivering a masterpiece of engineering innovation.

“John Holland, CPB Contractors and Ghella Joint Venture have given a masterclass in using innovative engineering solutions and teamwork to overcome the most complex environmental and logistical challenges imaginable. In doing so, they have delivered an iconic addition to Sydney’s DNA that will provide enormous benefit to everyone in the community,” she said.

The ACAA, now in its 25th year, is hosted by the Australian Constructors Association and Engineers Australia and is the top annual award for the major players in Australia’s construction industry.

Tunnels & Tunnelling covered the Sydney Metro City & Southwest project in depth in December 2020. To read the article, click here