Inside western Sydney’s $5.3b Badgerys Creek airport

It may not look like much at the moment but by 2026 this dirt patch will be transformed into the $5.3 billion Western Sydney International airport at Badgerys Creek. TAKE AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK.

• Sydney’s new airport is ready for takeoff

It may not look like much at the moment but by 2026 this dirt patch will be transformed into the $5.3 billion Western Sydney International airport at Badgerys Creek.

These exclusive pictures show the realignment of Badgerys Creek Road, which runs in a north-south direction on the far eastern side of the site, along with ground being levelled out along the north eastern border with Elizabeth Drive. The new terminal and 3.7 kilometre runway will be built further to the west of these images, with the contract for those earthworks yet to be awarded.

Badgerys Creek airport.

An artists impression of the new Badgerys Creek airport to be built in western Sydney.

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Since September 24 last year the site has been a hive of activity, with 125,000 tonnes of topsoil being removed along with 460,000 tonnes of shale, claystone, siltstone and sandstone.

There is a range of equipment on site, including six dozers, four graders, 21 tractor-scrapers, 10 excavators, 10 soil compactors and nine dump trucks.

The early earthworks phase involves shifting 1.8 million cubic metres of earth to start clearing the way for the major earthworks, which involves building the runway and terminal.

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An above ground high voltage power line which runs for 3.2 kilometres across the site is also being moved underground by operator TransGrid.

Western Sydney Airport CEO Graham Millett said the early earthworks phase involves digging up just six per cent of the 1,780 hectare site.

“The entire earthmoving task will require around 22 million cubic metres to be moved — that’s enough earth to fill 8,800 Olympic Swimming pools- making this one of the biggest earthmoving challenges in Australian history,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

Badgerys Creek Airport’s runway.

“We’ve certainly got our work cut out for us — this site is twice the area of Sydney Airport and the difference between the highest and lowest point on site is about 12 storeys.”

Federal Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge said the construction phase will support an estimated 11,000 direct and indirect jobs, and within five years of opening Nancy-Bird Walton airport will support 28,000 direct and indirect jobs.

“The Airport itself will be a major jobs generator but it will also attract investment to Western Sydney from around the world, creating new industries and acting as the catalyst for the creation of 200,000 jobs in the region,” he said.

It comes ahead of the ‘Strong Australia’ business event in western Sydney today hosted by Business Council of Australia chief Jennifer Westacott, which will feature BHP CEO Andrew Mackenzie, Mr Millett and Western Sydney University assistant vice chancellor Professor Andy Marks.

KPMG managing partner for western Sydney David Pring said western Sydney was the engine room of the NSW economy which will play a key role in developing defence technology to secure Australia’s borders.

Work is underway at the site. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“Whether it’s the tailfin from the F-35 joint strike fighter that comes out of Bankstown, the manufacturing for the tent manufacturers, data centres, it’s remarkable the number of industries that are currently supplying defence,” Mr Pring said.

“And, I expect that will grow. We’re not going to build ships in western Sydney, but from the technology, the smarts, the fit-out, all of the technology that goes into defence. It’s an ideal place.”