The world’s first all-women tunnel boring machine (TBM) crew will be part of the team building Victoria’s Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East.
The crew will be led by SRL East Tunnels South Construction Manager Isolde Piet, who was the first female TBM pilot in the world.
The team will include around 25 highly skilled roles, including the TBM operator, gantry and segment crane operators, grouters and support roles – opening up 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.
Almost 870 women have applied to be part of the project. Expressions of interest have now closed, and applications are being assessed, with successful applicants to be provided with comprehensive training and hands on experience to gain relevant skills for the crew.
“A project the size and scope of SRL offers fantastic opportunities for women and it’s wonderful to see so many who want to develop their careers in construction,” Piet said.
With strong response to the expression of interest, there will be many who miss out on the TBM crew, but these applicants may be considered for other suitable roles on the project as part of the assessment process.
SRL East between Cheltenham and Box Hill will deliver six new underground stations at Cheltenham, Clayton, Monash, Glen Waverley, Burwood and Box Hill, with works now underway at every site.
Crews are building tunnel boring machine launch sites, moving underground services and preparing sites for major works.
Tunnelling will start in 2026 and the all-woman crew is expected to be operating by 2027.
The all-women tunnelling crew will break down barriers and create new pathways for women in construction. At least 10 per cent of total labour hours on the Tunnels South works will be worked by women.