Hail Mary: Tunnel boring machine graced with new name
Three large-scale tunnel boring machines for the Torrens to Darlington upgrade have been named and blessed after “trailblazing” South Australian women.
Three tunnel boring machines (TBM) set to be used in the $15.4 billion non-stop South Road project are being named after leading SA suffragists.
The first TBM was today blessed by Catholic Archbishop of Adelaide Patrick O’Regan and named ‘Mary’ after Mary Lee who played a pivotal role in securing women’s right to vote in SA.
Mary is now officially commissioned and ready to begin the carving out of a 4.5-kilometre tunnel from its Clovelly Park launch box towards Anzac Highway.
The second TBM will be named ‘Catherine’ after Australia’s first professional female journalist and first female political candidate Catherine Helen Spence.
A third TBM has been named ‘Elizabeth’ after Elizabeth Webb Nicholls, who led the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union which was key in the campaign to secure women the right to vote in 1894.
Catherine and Elizabeth are both expected to be in action by the end of 2026.
Like the old tradition of naming ships, the 300-tonne drilling machines have been named after women as a “sign of good luck”.
Each name was selected following a response from more than 2000 community members nominating women who were integral to women’s rights in the state.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said it was a significant milestone with tunnelling set to begin in a few weeks.
“Mary Lee, Catherine Helen Spence and Elizabeth Webb Nicholls were pioneering suffragists whose advocacy helped position South Australia as a world leader in reform and representation, and it’s only fitting their names will now help lead one of the most significant infrastructure projects in our state’s history,” Malinauskas said.
“The impact of these trailblazing women extends far beyond the history books; it helped drive real lasting change in South Australia and it’s only fitting their legacy will now be honoured through a project helping shape the State for future generations.”
Stay informed, daily
The TBMs will be used to construct the twin 4.5 Southern Tunnels and twin 2.2 Northern Tunnels as part of the North-South Corridor.
Tunnelling for the entire project is expected to take up to 24 months, with all three TBMs in operation 24 hours a day for seven days a week.
The TBMs, each measuring more than 100 metres long, are expected to progress approximately eight to 10 metres per day.
“The non-stop South Road project will allow motorists to bypass 21 sets of traffic lights between the River Torrens and Darlington, saving up to 40 minutes of travel time in peak hour traffic,” Malinauskas said.
Want to see more stories from InDaily SA in your Google search results?
- Click here to set InDaily SA as a preferred source.
- Tick the box next to "InDaily SA". That's it.
