Suburban Rail Loop: Drilling almost completed on Stage 1 between Cheltenham and Box Hill

It’s the project some said may never get off the ground. But work on the $50 billion Suburban Rail Loop is ramping up and about to hit a major milestone.

Work on the massive $50 billion Suburban Rail Loop is set to ramp up with drilling for the first stage between Cheltenham and Box Hill almost complete.

The drilling — which so far totals 4km or the length of 15 Rialto towers — will help determine the depth of the tunnel and new underground stations.

The 100th borehole will be drilled this week.

“Our massive pipeline of major projects is creating thousands of jobs and will be a key driver of our state’s economic recovery – Suburban Rail Loop is a key part of that pipeline and we’re delivering the critical geotechnical work so we can get to the start of construction,’’ Suburban Rail Loop Jacinta Allan said.

“Suburban Rail Loop will change how we move around our city and state, ease traffic congestion and pressure on our transport network, and connect regional Victorians to jobs, health, education and retail in Melbourne’s suburbs.”

More than 4km kilometres has been drilled across 100 boreholes, like this, in Melbourne’s southeast.

Exploratory drilling for the project, which will eventually link all of Melbourne’s major rail lines from Frankston to Werribee via Melbourne Airport, began a year ago.

Engineers will use the geotechnical samples, from 40-60m underground, to develop their designs.

An artist's impression of a train on the Suburban Rail Loop, which will encircle Melbourne.

A gun squad of local and experts from overseas are working on the massive Suburban Rail Loop, set to transform the city. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Work on the project — the biggest in Australia’s transport history — has continued over recent months under strict health and safety measures.

It’s on track to begin construction in 2022

A 27km twin tunnel will run from Cheltenham to Box Hill as part of the fist stage, running at a depths of 20-40m.

The Sunday Herald Sun earlier this month reported thousands of people were being canvassed about how the rail loop would reshape their suburb, with more than 1200 contributions lodged so far.