A significant sinkhole has opened up at a popular sporting oval in Melbourne's north-east, in close proximity to major tunnelling operations for the multi-billion pound North East Link project.
Details of the Incident
The cavity, measuring approximately 8 metres by 8 metres and 5 metres deep, emerged at the A J Burkitt oval in the suburb of Heidelberg. Images shared on social media platforms vividly show the substantial hole in the ground. Authorities, including the State Emergency Service, confirmed the dimensions and have established a safety perimeter around the site.
No injuries have been reported following the incident. The public has been strongly advised to avoid the area, which remains cordoned off by Victoria Police as a precautionary measure.
Connection to Major Infrastructure Project
The sinkhole's location is notably close to where two tunnel boring machines, named Zelda and Gillian, are actively working on the £20.6 billion North East Link project. The project's website indicates the machines are situated north of the affected oval.
The construction consortium responsible for the project, Spark, has now taken control of the site to conduct thorough assessments. Banyule City Council, which encompasses Heidelberg, issued a statement confirming it was aware of the sinkhole at the reserve and reiterated the safety warnings.
This is not the first geotechnical issue to disrupt the ambitious road project. In February of last year, an 18-metre deep sinkhole emerged near the same boring machines at a worksite in Lower Plenty, causing a temporary halt to tunnelling activities.
Project Scope and Response
The North East Link is a critical piece of infrastructure designed to connect the Eastern Freeway at Bulleen with the Metropolitan Ring Road at Greensborough. The project involves 10 kilometres of new road, including 6.5 kilometres of tunnels. Once completed in 2028, it is projected to remove around 15,000 trucks from local roads daily and cut travel times by up to 35 minutes.
A spokesperson for North East Link acknowledged the surface hole in Heidelberg, confirming it was "in the vicinity of our tunnelling operations." They stated that crews are closely monitoring the site and surrounding areas while investigations into the cause are underway. The spokesperson assured the public that there is no immediate threat to the community or residential properties.
The two massive boring machines operate continuously, 24 hours a day, manned by crews of up to 20 people, as the project pushes towards its completion date.
