Reporting period: 18 May 2021 to 18 May 2022

Below is a summary of the information in this document. To read the full document, open the PDF file. If you require an accessible version of this document, please request one via our contact us form.

Summary of document

This compliance report covers the reporting period between 18 May 2021 and 18 May 2022. The purpose of this report is to document compliance with the conditions for the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) Approval 2018/8142 Condition 12. Details of compliance are provided, and where appropriate, the timing of completion of individual actions is identified.

The key dates that relate to the approval are detailed in the table below, download the report to find out more.

Key NELP EPBC dates

Description of activities

Overview of project

The North East Link Project (NELP) (a division of the Major Transport Infrastructure Authority (MTIA)), on behalf of the Victorian State government, is currently constructing the North East Link (NEL) Project (referred to herein as ‘the Project’). The NEL is a new freeway-standard road connection to the north-east of the Melbourne Central Business District that would complete Melbourne’s ring road. Specifically, the NEL will connect the Metropolitan Ring Road (M80) to the Eastern Freeway and includes works along the Eastern Freeway from near Hoddle Street to Springvale Road. The NEL is an approved action under EPBC Approval 2018/8142.

The Project has been broken down into phases to allow seamless delivery. The initial phase – Early Works – allows for utilities and secondary infrastructure to be prepared prior to the major development. Works include the relocation of utilities, relocation of Sports and Recreation spaces and development of Park and Ride services for Public Transport linkages. The following phases – Primary (Tunnelling) Package, and Secondary (Freeway) Packages – are the divisions of the road connections relevant to the development and construction of the tunnel, and interchanges with the M80 and Eastern Freeway and ancillary works respectively.

Works undertaken during current reporting period

The following works have been undertaken in the approval area during the 2021-2022 reporting period:

Early Works

• Utilities relocations.
• Power utilities relocations along Lower Plenty Road and Greensborough Road and the Eastern Freeway.
• Communications utilities relocation along Lower Plenty Road and Greensborough Road.
• Gas transmission main relocations along Greensborough Road and Lower Plenty Road.
• Several utilities relocations work at Borlase Reserve, Yallambie including sewer reticulation, water mains, a pressure reducing station and Banyule Creek temporary diversion.
• Relocation of the Yarra East Main Sewer.
• Construction of ball stop net fencing along the project boundary at Trinity Grammar, Carey Grammar and Marcellin College.
• Water mains replacement works under the Eastern Freeway at Balwyn North at Koonung Creek.
• Communications utilities around the northern zone at Greensborough Road and adjacent streets, including relocation of a Telco tower at Watsonia Station.
• Ford Park Sport Ground Upgrades: upgrade to turf with drainage, new pavilions, lighting, car parking, players shelters, spectator facilities, running track, fencing, demolition of decommissioned buildings and redundant infrastructure.
• Binnak Park Sport Ground Upgrades (scope as per Ford Park).
• Bulleen Park and Ride: new premium bus station incorporating multi-level carpark, bus interchange, road network improvements and a public open space ‘green roof’.
• Simpson Barracks transfer of land: tree and vegetation clearing, erection of perimeter fence and fire/patrol roads (hardstand), construction of new buildings, demolition of decommissioned buildings, network communications.
• Jemena Zone Substation: design and construct a Zone Substation to supply construction power for the North East Link tunnel boring machines.
• Demolition of various commercial and residential properties in Bulleen, Yallambie and Macleod.

Approval conditions compliance

Refer to pages 6-22 in the report for details.

New environmental risks

The Project is still in the early works phase and as reported in the 2020/21 compliance report, no new environmental risks have been identified. As the Project advances, the Environment team will continue to monitor and manage environmental risks through Contractor’s ISO 14001-compliant environmental management systems.