Design update - August 2026

Fixing the missing link between the M80 Ring Road and an upgraded Eastern Freeway

The North East Link Tunnels will slash travel times by up to 35 minutes and take 15,000 trucks off local roads a day.

We’ve listened to what people had to say and are building longer 6.5km tunnels to Watsonia, simpler interchanges and 50 MCGs of open space across the entire North East Link Program.

In late 2021 we appointed Spark, a team of some of the best builders in Australia and around the world, to build the North East Link Tunnels from Watsonia to Bulleen.

This includes Victoria's longest road tunnels, interchanges at Lower Plenty Road and Manningham Road, new parklands, wetlands, bike and walking paths and improvements to local roads.

Visit the project team at the Watsonia Hub, 17 Watsonia Road. Find us on Google maps.

North East Link near you

• 6.5km longer tunnel
• 2km boulevard for Greensborough Road
• 8 hectare for Borlase Reserve
• 6.8 hectare for cultural landscape precinct and new wetland
• 2 hectare for Yarra Link Green Bridge
• 19.6km of new and upgraded walking and cycling paths along the tunnels, forming part of the 34km across the entire North East Link

North East Link

In response to community feedback we're creating new wetlands and park lands, building better walking and cycling paths, upgrading Bulleen Road and transforming Greensborough Road into a tree-lined boulevard.

We have worked closely with the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people to create a design that recognises and celebrates Aboriginal knowledge and culture.

Greensborough Road boulevard

We're upgrading Greensborough Road to make it better for local trips and to live on. We’re using space created by the longer tunnels to build a two-kilometre tree-lined boulevard with avenues of native trees and a 10-metre-wide green median.

We’re also delivering better access for local trips with:

• a new, five-metre-wide service road for safer and easier access to homes, more space for paths and on-street parking for residents and visitors
• improved intersections for cars, bikes and pedestrians at Yallambie Road, Fairlie Avenue, Erskine Road and Finlayson Street as well as a signalised pedestrian crossing at Moorwatha Street
• an extra lane in each direction to reduce queuing at lights
• a 2.2km on-road cycle lane.

We’re also delivering the better east-west access people asked for with:

• upgraded intersections at Erskine Road and Yallambie Road
• new intersections at Finlayson Street and Fairlie Avenue/ Blamey Road
• an extra lane in each direction to reduce queuing at lights.

Watsonia to Rosanna

Borlase Reserve parklands

As part of the Lower Plenty Road interchange design we're building 5 MCGs of new parklands along Banyule Creek, including a major expansion of Borlase Reserve to the north with space to:

• revitalise 1.2km of Banyule Creek as a nature and habitat corridor with wetlands, cultural gathering spaces, paths and boardwalks
• build pockets of new open space, a nature playground, BBQ areas, fitness stations, play equipment, parkour area, e-bike charging centres, a half basketball court and netball hoop
• plant more than 100 different species of indigenous trees, grasses, shrubs and flowers, including from seeds collected in the local area
• build a new bridge over Lower Plenty Road to Banyule Flats and Yarra River parklands.

Bridges crossing the revitalised Banyule Creek are inspired by Indigenous canoe shapes. In the playgrounds and resting areas, reclaimed timber has been used as well as motifs and timber engravings as part of Indigenous storytelling.

Yarra Link green bridge

A two-hectare green bridge over Bulleen Road will link Koonung Creek Trail to Bulleen Park for the first time. The bridge will be planted with indigenous trees, grasses and shrubs. Pockets of open space will provide a walking and cycling trail, places to stop, rest and enjoy views of the Yarra River.

Indigenous plants, a yarning circle, views and paths provide a cultural educational journey across the bridge. BBQs on top of the bridge and fitness equipment on the Yarra River side of the bridge provide opportunities for families, friends and individuals to enjoy the space.

Cultural Landscape Precinct

This precinct will create over 6.8 hectares of natural space, with new wetlands and connecting paths and trails along the Yarra River in Bulleen, re-establishing a landscape with cultural significance for Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people and creating an Indigenous knowledge-sharing precinct for Melbourne.

Boardwalks over a new wetland area will provide different views of the landscape, and a shelter and yarning circle will support cultural ceremonies and events.

Bulleen

Tree planting program

North East Link is delivering one of Victoria’s largest tree planting programs for a major transport project, with more than 30,000 trees to be planted.

Since 2020, more than 7,300 trees have been planted across nearly 20 suburbs in Melbourne’s north and east, with thousands more to come. Planting will include:

• extensive planting along the new Greensborough Road boulevard
• new planting throughout the Borlase Reserve parklands
• planting to revitalise Banyule Creek, with land used for construction returned to community use
• indigenous planting around the new Cultural Landscape Precinct wetlands and across the Yarra Link green bridge.

From late 2026, tree planting will ramp up across the project, creating greener local spaces.

Building the North East Link

While most of the work to build North East Link will happen deep underground, major works are needed at the surface to launch, operate and retrieve the tunnel boring machines (TBMs), build the Lower Plenty Road and Manningham Road interchanges, the new Greensborough Road boulevard, tunnel ventilation structures and upgraded Bulleen Road.

The 6.5km tunnels are being built up to 45 metres underground protecting parklands and sensitive environmental areas and the Yarra River (Birrarung).

Our first TBM ‘Zelda’ began its journey from Watsonia to Bulleen in August 2024, creating the northbound lanes of the tunnels. Our second TBM ‘Gillian’ launched shortly after, in September 2024, to build the southbound lanes.

We used a different tunnelling technique with smaller mining machinery to build the tunnel under residential areas in Bulleen and a technique called cut and cover to build the section connecting through to the Eastern Freeway interchange.

In 2026, both TBMs completed excavation of the tunnel between Watsonia and Bulleen. The focus now moves to the fit-out stage, with teams preparing the tunnels for when North East Link opens in 2028.

Motorway Control Centre

The Motorway Control Centre in Bulleen will monitor traffic conditions and store maintenance vehicles. The building will use 100% renewable energy when operational and includes EV charging stations for maintenance vehicles.

Tunnel ventilation structures

The design for the ventilation structures is inspired by traditional Wurundjeri eel traps and surrounded by new trees and plants.

Trips on North East Link

Victoria's longest road tunnels will take traffic and trucks under, instead of through, our suburbs and give local roads back to local people.

Together with the connecting M80 Ring Road Completion and Eastern Freeway Upgrades, including Melbourne's first dedicated express busway, it's the largest ever investment in Melbourne's north east.

North East Link Program

The tunnels are just one part of the biggest ever investment in Melbourne's north east.

This massive program of works will also complete the M80 Ring Road in Greensborough, overhaul the Eastern Freeway, deliver Melbourne's first dedicated busway and build more than 34km of new and upgraded walking and cycling paths.

Upgrades to the Eastern Freeway and M80 Ring Road will include new lanes, smart technology and a seamless connection to the North East Link.

Works are being carefully planned so the whole project can open around the same time in 2028 – bringing all the pieces of North East Link together.

Key dates

Early 2022

• site investigations and surveys

2023

• TBMs delivered and assembled
• Benalla started making more than 44,000 concrete segments to line the tunnels

2024

• Tunnelling began

2025

• TBMs cross under Lower Plenty Road
• Silk Street pedestrian bridge upgraded
• Excavation of mined tunnels under Bulleen complete
• Traffic moved onto the permanent Bulleen Road alignment

2026

• TBMs complete tunnel excavation
• Construction of both ventilation structures underway
• Work to prepare for the Greensborough Road boulevard begins
• Traffic moved on to the permanent alignment for Bridge Street and Manningham Road

2027

• Building the new Greensborough Road boulevard
• Topsoil and landscaping
• New walking and cycling bridge over Lower Plenty Road installed
• Motorway Control Centre completed

2028

• Roadworks completed
• Landscaping completed
• Testing and commissioning
• Opening community spaces to the public
• North East Link opens to traffic

This information is current at the time of publication, however changes may occur. Please visit our website for the latest updates.