Western Sydney Airport: Major earthworks underway to transform airport site
Work is well underway at the site of the future Western Sydney International Airport, with exclusive new drone footage capturing the massive transformation of formerly green paddocks. WATCH THE VIDEO.
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Amazing drone footage of the emerging Western Sydney Airport reveals how the site has transformed from large paddocks filled with livestock to a bustling construction site.
Work is underway to completely clear and flatten the 1780-hectare site to accomodate a single runway.
It will be surrounded by Western Sydney Aerotropolis — a thriving economic hub where people can live, work and play.
Along with new residential communities, the airport city will also provide a high-skill jobs hub across aerospace and defence, manufacturing, healthcare, freight and logistics, agribusiness, education and research industries.
The effects of COVID-19 have not been felt at the site of the future airport, where work is on track to move enough earth to fill 10,000 Olympic swimming pools.
Western Sydney Airport interim chief executive Jim Tragotsalos confirmed design and construction of the $5.3 billion project remained on schedule, with procurement now underway to find a contractor to build the airport terminal precinct.
“Work on site has continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic with strict social distancing and hygiene practices in place to ensure the safety of our staff and the community,” Mr Tragotsalos said.
The Leader was invited on an exclusive tour of the site to capture the major earthworks being undertaken by hundreds of workers and more than 200 machines, including scrapers, excavators, graders, dump trucks and dozers.
Major earthworks began in March and represents a crucial stage of construction, with up to one million cubic metres of earth moved per month across 67 per cent of the site, which makes up the entire footprint of the first stage of the airport, which is expected to be completed by 2026.
Mr Tragotsalos said there was a “mammoth task” ahead to “flatten what is a very hilly site”.
“Since initial earthworks marked the start of work in September 2018, around 2.2 million cubic metres of earth has been moved,” he said.
“Overall, around 25 million cubic metres of earth will be moved to make way for construction of the airport terminal, runway, roads and rail.”
“It’s more important than ever that nation-building projects like Western Sydney International continue to create jobs and drive local investment while Australia is recovering from COVID-19.”
Much of the earth will remain on site because of the amount needed to fill the valleys was roughly equal to what will be taken off the hills, he said.
Meantime, work is underway to prepare for the next steps of the once-in-a-generation project.
“We’ve got several more major job-creating contracts on the way, including for construction of the terminal building and precinct, with work expected to commence next year,” Mr Tragotsalos said.
The Australian and NSW governments have committed to jointly funding Stage 1 of the 23km Sydney Metro Greater West (North South Rail Link), which will link the Western Line at St Marys to the Western Sydney Aerotropolis via Western Sydney International.
The Federal Government has announced $3.5 billion towards the delivery of the rail line, which is expected to be completed by 2026.