13 July 2026
The Western Harbour Tunnel project linking Sydney’s North Shore and the inner west has reached a significant milestone, with the final phase of tunnelling now underway
Five years after construction began in March 2021, the project has entered its final stage tunnelling across the harbour. Starting 44.7 metres beneath Birchgrove Oval, tunnel boring machine Patyegarang is currently grinding its way towards Waverton and through to Cammeray. When completed, this segment of the tunnel will span 4.8km.
The initial stage of the project involved the excavation of more than 1.7km of traffic tunnels from Emily Street in Rozelle to Cove Street in Birchgrove and was completed between June 2022 and February 2025.
Once operational, the 6.5-kilometre motorway will connect the Warringah Freeway near North Sydney directly to the WestConnex M4 and M8 at the Rozelle Interchange. This link is designed to allow motorists to bypass the CBD entirely, with the intent to relieve traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Harbour Tunnel, and the Anzac Bridge. The tunnel is expected to be opened to traffic in 2028.
This project represents the first new road crossing of the harbour in over three decades.