As the city-shaping Metro Tunnel powers towards opening this year, the Allan Labor Government has revealed the stunning concourse of the new Town Hall Station that sits directly underneath Melbourne's City Square.
The 18-metre-wide concourse will be an extension of the square above and used as a public gathering space in the heart of the city, with new shops and cafes for people to explore.
The concourse's signature feature is eight soaring concrete and steel columns branching out overhead to support the station roof, which has been installed below the heart of the CBD.
The two-tiered space will be free for the public to access without touching on, and people will be able to enter through the main station entrance at the northern end of City Square via five sets of escalators.
Despite the incredibly challenging logistics of building a train station 40 metres below the centre of the city, work is progressing well on the station with crews continuing to fit out the concourse and platforms.
Rather than opening a massive hole over an entire Swanston Street block - which would have brought this busy part of the city to a standstill - Town Hall Station has been built using deep shafts at either side of the site.
This complex construction - equivalent to keyhole surgery - has allowed the project team to bring workers and equipment in and out of site, while Swanston Street remains open to trams, cyclists and pedestrians.
When construction is finished, City Square will be returned to the public as an open space for events and to gather, with landscaping, seating and art.
The state-of-the-art station will be a new gateway to some of Melbourne's most popular destinations and landmarks, including Federation Square, Birrarung Marr, Southbank, St Paul's Cathedral and Melbourne Town Hall.
Major construction has already been completed on Anzac, Parkville and Arden stations, with State Library and Town Hall stations to go.
The new tunnel will free up space in the City Loop by creating a new end-to-end rail line from Sunbury in the north west to Cranbourne and Pakenham in the south-east, creating capacity to deliver more trains more often.
As stated by Premier Jacinta Allan
"Our city has a new heart. It's called Town Hall Station."
"You'll see shops, cafes and a stunning public gathering space that's free and open to everyone."
"The Metro Tunnel Project is the biggest upgrade to our rail network in 40 years, and we are getting on with it."
As stated by Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams
"The Metro Tunnel will transform the way people travel and ease congestion in the City Loop - enabling more services across the network."
