West Gate Tunnel Project

The West Gate Tunnel Project (WGTP) will upgrade and widen the West Gate Freeway, linking to CityLink at Docklands via a tunnel beneath Yarraville. It aims to relieve M1 congestion, provide an alternative river crossing to the Bridge and move trucks away from inner west homes. Major construction commenced in early 2018 following the Minister for Planning's approval of the Environmental Effects Statement (EES), expected completion is November 2025.

The WGTP includes:

  • upgrade / widening of the West Gate Freeway by two lanes in each direction
  • twin tunnels under Yarraville, ventilation structures at each exit to remove air from the tunnels
  • a new bridge over the Maribyrnong River with twin viaducts above Footscray Road and connections to the Port of Melbourne, CityLink, Dynon Road
  • over 14km of new and upgraded cycling and walking paths - including a 2.5km veloway above Footscray Road
  • nearly 9 ha of new community open space including parkland and wetlands and more than 17,000 trees planted
  • enhancing waterway environments – new wetlands will be used to treat stormwater and new plantings to rehabilitate creek banks and develop animal habitats
  • landscaping along Maribyrnong River and Kororoit, Stony and Moonee Ponds creeks
  • $10 million in funding to community-led projects and organisations through the West Gate Neighbourhood Fund

WGTP works are well advanced, including tunneling completed and building two new ramps to connect trucks to ports to get them off local roads.

Works update  - Walking and cycling trails open in Altona North

October 2025:  A new 1km walking and cycling path constructed by WGTP along Kororoit Creek between Grieve Parade and Geelong Road is now open for public use. This path travels along Kororoit Creek from GJ Hosken Reserve to Geelong Road and provides new connections to the Federation Trail between Millers Road and Fogarty Avenue (which has also been reopened, after being closed for a number of years). To view an interactive map of the Federation Trail, click here. 

Traffic updates and latest news and disruptions

For the latest updates and detour information visit West Gate Tunnel Disruptions Page

You can subscribe to WGTP to get weekly updates via email or by joining the group on facebook.

WGTP thanks you for your patience as important works are carried out. For more info check out the Big Build Disruptions page.

Other WGTP news can be found at Tunnel Tracker.

West Gate Neighbourhood Fund-Grants Closed

The $10 million West Gate Neighbourhood Fund supports inner west communities during tunnel construction. It prioritises currently affected areas now.

The last partnership funding round has closed, for updates check WGNF site in October.

Please note that this is not a Council-run grants program, all enquiries should be directed to the West Gate Tunnel Authority: grants@wgta.vic.gov.au

Successful grants from round three

There were 22 successful round three community grants across Hobsons Bay and Maribyrnong with a total value of $499,765. Twelve are in Hobsons Bay, totaling $314,072: 

  • The Hobsons Bay Wetlands Centre (HBWC) will hold an open day in October 2023 for World Mental Health Day ($20,000)
  • Edge to Edge Laverton is Western Edge’s Community Youth Theatre performance 2023 series ($20,000)
  • Rotary Club of Williamstown and Dads of Newport & Newport Scouts will host a 2023 Halloween Party in the Park ($12,436)
  • Wynspeak Hobsons Bay 2023 will host a Youth Public Speaking Competition ($2,200)
  • Association Islamic Dakwah in Australia will buy four table tennis tables to provide social recreational activity and improve community connectedness ($5,678)
  • Altona Miniature Railway, new passenger carriages means more rides for the community ($10,000)
  • Melbourne City Soccer Club Junior Female Football Initiative ($9,500)
  • U3A Altona gets new classroom equipment, a smart TV and laptop ($3,940)
  • Brooklyn Residents Action Group will install artwork along the Kororoit Creek shared trail ($98,400)
  • Friends of Lower Kororoit Creek will revitalise the 1880s heritage listed unique blue stone bridge ($86,100)
  • Williamstown Community and Education Centre (WCEC) will establish a new computer training room at Altona North Community House (ANCH) ($23,810)
  • Friends of Newport Lakes received funds for water quality monitoring equipment & training volunteers to report water quality and a small native flowering program ($22,008)

All of these grants will be administered by West Gate Neighbourhood Fund. Contact the grants team with any enquiries: grants@wgta.vic.gov.au

Grants supported by West Gate Neighbourhood Fund:

  • Slow Food Farmers Market: Urban harvest website and food workshops late 2023 More info
  • Laverton Bowls Club community garden More info

Successful grants from round one

See details of successful Round 1 partnerships: more info

Community Liason Group (CLG)

A CLG has been established by WGTP MTIA as an avenue for community involvement during the construction/delivery phase of the West Gate Tunnel Project to contribute to the WGTP by:

• encouraging a broad range of community representatives from geographic areas to participate in discussions for the project

• providing a regular and direct avenue of communication between local communities and the project team to understand what is happening during construction

• providing a local perspective particularly in relation to minimising impacts on local communities

• allowing stakeholders to appreciate each other’s views to the benefit of the project

• sharing local information, and helping support community engagement activities relating to the project

Further information and local CLG member representatives can be found here.

 

 

Community Sports and Open Space Enhancement Program

Following the release of the Minister's assessment, the Victorian Government partnered with HBCC Council to fund capital improvements to its recreation reserves and facilities up to the value of $5 million on appropriate projects.

In February 2018, Council endorsed a Sports and Open Space Enhancement and Access Capital Improvement Program for the following areas:

• Brooklyn

• Donald McLean Reserve, Spotswood

• WLJ Crofts Reserve, Altona North

Hobsons Bay Transport Planning Study (HBTPS)

In response to the WGTP and possible transport impacts on Hobsons Bay, the Department of Transport (DoT), in partnership with Council, led the HBTPS to identify transport impacts and issues, and to develop a network challenges and opportunities report. In addition, Council has developed Local Area Movement Plans (LAMPs) for Brooklyn, Altona North, Spotswood, South Kingsville and Williamstown North, consistent with the objectives of the HBTPS and Council’s Integrated Transport Plan.

Air Pollution Report

The WGTP provides monthly air quality monitoring reports on the Project website.

The Inner West Air Quality Community Reference Group (CRG), established by the Victorian Government as an outcome of the WGTP EES to investigate air pollution in Melbourne’s inner west, has released its report – Air Pollution in Melbourne’s Inner West – Taking direct action to reduce our community’s exposure with 26 recommendations and 65 supporting actions designed to:

  • reduce air pollution from road transport and industry (including the West Gate Tunnel Project)
  • improve the planning framework, government regulation and policy, air quality monitoring and community education

The report can be found here

WGTP Background Information

The $10 billion project was proposed by Transurban in 2014. The Victorian Government announced in December 2015 it would proceed with the project and in late 2017 the planning approval was granted. The project is delivered through a partnership between the Victorian Government and Transurban (Project Co), managed by the West Gate Tunnel Project – Major Transport Infrastructure Authority (WGTP MTIA) and built by construction contractors CPB Contractors and John Holland as a joint venture. The project is expected to be completed in 2025.

The EES for the West Gate Tunnel Project looked at the potential effects of the design, its construction and operation and allowed the community to voice their concerns. See more here

Formal submissions were invited from the community during a six-week consultative period which closed in July 2017. The EES was managed by Victorian Government's Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and assessed 17 areas including but not limited to transport, air quality, noise, landscape and visual amenity, vibration, business, ecology, social and human health.

A Planning Scheme Amendment came into operation on 7 December 2017, when a notice was published in the Government Gazette. The amendment changes the planning scheme to amend the schedules to Clause 52.03 and Clause 81.01 to insert a new incorporated document titled West Gate Tunnel Project Incorporated Document, December 2017. For further information please contact Council’s Strategic planning Department on 9932 1109.

Council's Endorsed Position

View Council's endorsed position on WGTP here

This position document enables Council to advocate on behalf of its community to ensure that the Hobsons Bay community needs are heard and listened to and gives Council a more powerful voice during the design and construction process.

Council has been actively engaged in responding to the detailed plans and designs for WGTP, the Traffic Management Plans and is represented on the Community Liaison Group and the Traffic Management Liaison Group.

Further information on the project can be found at https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/west-gate-tunnel-project

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