A significant sinkhole has suddenly appeared at a popular sporting ground in Melbourne's north-east, sparking safety concerns and drawing immediate attention to nearby multi-billion pound tunnelling operations.
Details of the Heidelberg Incident
The ground gave way at the A J Burkitt oval in Heidelberg, creating a substantial cavity. According to the State Emergency Service, the hole measures approximately 8 metres by 8 metres and is 5 metres deep. Photographs shared on social media platforms vividly depict the scale of the subsidence.
The site is located close to where the two tunnel boring machines for the $26bn North East Link project, named Zelda and Gillian, are currently operating. The project's website indicates the machines are situated north of the affected oval.
Immediate Response and Safety Measures
Authorities moved swiftly to secure the area. Victoria Police have cordoned off the affected section of the reserve, and the public has been strongly advised to avoid the site entirely while assessments are conducted.
Banyule City Council, which encompasses Heidelberg, confirmed it was aware of the incident and issued a warning on Monday evening. The construction consortium responsible for the North East Link, Spark, has now taken control of the site to undertake detailed investigations into the cause.
A spokesperson for the North East Link project confirmed awareness of a "surface hole" in the vicinity of their tunnelling operations. They stated, "The area has been secured and crews are closely monitoring the site and surrounding areas." Reassuringly, they added that no injuries have been reported and there is no immediate threat to nearby community or residential properties.
Project Context and Previous Issues
This is not the first geotechnical challenge faced by the massive infrastructure undertaking. In February of last year, an 18-metre deep sinkhole emerged near the same boring machines at a worksite in Lower Plenty, which temporarily halted tunnelling progress.
The North East Link is a critical transport project designed to connect the Eastern Freeway at Bulleen with the Metropolitan Ring Road at Greensborough. It will feature 6.5km of tunnels within its 10km length. The Victorian government forecasts the link will remove 15,000 trucks from local roads daily and slash travel times by up to 35 minutes upon its expected opening in 2028.
As specialists from the Spark consortium begin their analysis, the focus remains on determining the precise cause of the sinkhole and ensuring the safety of the ongoing engineering works beneath Melbourne's north-eastern suburbs.
