Type: hybrid event

• Online link – Webinar Link
• Venue – Sky Park, One Melbourne Quarter, 699 Collins Street, Docklands, VIC, 3008, Australia.

Time and date:

• 6^th September 2023, Wednesday
• 5:00 PM – 5:30 PM: Networking over refreshments
• 5:30 PM – 6:20 PM: Presentation
• 6:20 PM – 6:30 PM: Q&As and Closing Comments

Outline

The North East Link (NEL) is the largest road project in Victoria, Australia, and represents the ‘missing link’ in Melbourne’s transport network. The project aims to connect the M80 with the Eastern Freeway linking key growth areas in the north and south-east of Melbourne metropolitan. This massive program of works is carefully planned with the primary and secondary packages in an engineered timeframe so the whole project can open in 2028. The North East Link Primary Package is the largest component of the NEL project, Victoria’s biggest road project, and Australia’s largest Public Private Partnership (PPP). The Primary Package includes 15.1 m wide three-lane twin TBM tunnels, four-lane SEM twin tunnels with 260 m² in cross-section area, and cut and cover tunnels connecting to split interchanges. North East Link Program (NELP) awarded this package to the Spark consortium comprising WeBuild, GS E&C, CPB, and CCO, in June 2021.

Now two years after the contract award, the team has made significant advances in constructing this urban reshaping project. Paul Thomas, Ken Muir and Hayley Bester will provide an update on the progress of the works and the vast underground spaces already created to replace one of the most congested roads in Melbourne metropolitan.

Speakers

Paul Thomas

Paul Thomas is the Construction Director for NELP’s North East Link Primary Package. Paul is a Chartered Engineer and Chartered Professional Manager with more than 30 years of experience in the Civil Engineering industry, with more than 25 years spent in the tunneling and underground construction discipline, primarily in the design and construction of mass transit, hydro-power, and deep sewer projects, in Hong Kong, Singapore, India, and Australia.

Paul has extensive experience in TBM tunnels, drill and blast tunnels, diaphragm walls, deep piling, and design/construction of major underground structures and design development/planning and delivery of major underground infrastructure.
Paul is NELP’s lead in the project’s Engineering and Construction Delivery aspects, working closely with Spark JV and Project Co.

Ken Muir                         

Ken Muir is the Technical Director for North East Link Project Co (Project Co), having over 30 years of experience in mining and heavy underground civil work in both developed and developing countries. His specialties include Subterranean excavation and lining of shafts, tunnels, and caverns, Drill and Blast with mechanised or hand-held equipment, TBMs (Slurry, EPB, and Gripper), Road header, Shaft sinking using explosive and non-explosive techniques, and pipejacking.

Ken is NEL Project Co’s lead in the project’s Engineering and Construction Delivery aspects, working closely with NELP and Spark JV.

Hayley Bester                 

Hayley is a communications and engagement professional with almost 15 years  experience working across State and Federal Governments and private industry on a wide rage of communications and media strategies. She currently leads the Communications and Community Engagement team for the major infrastructure project – the North East Link Tunnels. Hayley’s team support construction by working with the community for tunnelling to commence in 2024. During the time Hayley has been with Spark, the team has developed a range of tools and incentives to ensure they are working alongside the construction team to get the job done. Prior to Spark, Hayley worked within the Victorian Premier’s office for seven years. During this time she was responsible for communications and media in the infrastructure space.

These experiences have given her extensive experience working with highly influential stakeholders in the business and community sectors, as well as working within government at the most senior level – liaising with politicians, industry and advisers from all political backgrounds.

Sponsor

ATS acknowledge the sponsorship provided by ARUP