30-foot-wide sinkhole opens up in Melbourne near $26bn highway tunnel project
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "30-foot-wide sinkhole opens up in Melbourne near $26bn highway tunnel project")
Sinkhole at a sports field in Melbourne has triggered panic among residents. Photograph: (X/Adele K Thomas)
A 30-foot-wide and 16-foot-deep sinkhole opened up on a Melbourne sports field, just near a $26bn tunnel project. The North East Link project work has been going on in the area, and people are asking if the boring could have caused the ground to collapse.
A massive sinkhole opened up at a popular sports field in Melbourne on Monday afternoon, with a depth of 16 feet and nearly 26 feet wide. The incident sent shockwaves through local sports clubs, as this field is used for cricket and Aussie Rules, besides walking dogs and exercise. Banyule Cricket Club has been left without a venue for its home matches scheduled for this weekend. What led to the ground collapsing is not clear. The oval is located close to where boring machines are digging a tunnel for the North East Link project. This has left residents questioning whether the boring operations could have caused the ground to collapse. An investigation has been launched into the incident. The tunnelling operations have been halted. No injuries have been reported.
People have been urged to stay away from the place over concerns that it could grow bigger. The incident is being investigated to find the exact cause of the sinkhole. Photos and videos on social media show people gathered around the huge opening in the turf. Banyule Council posted online, “Council is working closely with relevant agencies to assess the situation and determine what's next. We'll provide further updates as information becomes available.”
Tunnelling work was going on on the North East Link tunnel route
While officials have not confirmed a cause, there is speculation that the sinkhole could be linked to tunnelling operations nearby. The North East Link is being built in Melbourne's north-east. It is a 10-kilometre highway tunnel that will connect the Metropolitan Ring Road with the Eastern Freeway at Bulleen. It will help remove 15,000 trucks from local roads and reduce travel time by 35 minutes. It is scheduled for completion in 2028. Shadow Minister Evan Mulholland said, "The costs of the North East Link have become a bottomless pit. What started as a $10 billion project has sunk to $26 billion, and counting."
Besides the Banyule Cricket Club, the Banyule Bears Football Club is also looking for a new venue as preseason training begins. Club president Andrew Yodgee was relieved that no one was standing on the spot when the hole opened up. When asked about how it would impact the club activities, he said, "Your guess is as good as mine as far as what happens hereon in and the impact it's going to have on the football club."
