Announcing our ATS Photo Competition Winners – April 2024
Thanks to all the amateur photographers who submitted images for this competition. The next Photography Competition will open 1 July 2024, so get snapping now! In the meantime, congratulations to: The overall winner Taibel [...]
ATSym x Monash BEST Industry Night – Oh what a night!
Wow, what a night! A massive thank you to everyone who joined us for our ATSym x Monash BEST Industry Night on 9 April! It was a tremendous success, and we couldn't have done [...]
Watch Arnold Dix in ABC’s Man Underground
Watch ABC's Australian Story on YouTube to explore the fantastical career path of the ATS's very own international superstar Arnold Dix. Barrister, scientist, flower farmer, truck driver, engineer and tunnelling expert, this documentary will [...]
Highly successful BP KWOL Pipeline Relocation project event in WA
Congratulations to the ATS WA team for their fantastic event exploring how a determined team can overcome design and construction challenges and safely deliver a complex project. The BP KWOL Pipeline Relocation project was [...]
David Sugden Young Engineers Technical Writing Award – Open now!
Got a fantastic idea for a technical paper? Like to receive $5,000 to attend the 2025 World Tunnel Congress? 35 or under? If the answer to all of the above is YES, then the [...]
ATS launches the new Mentor Alliance initiative
The ATS Mentor Alliance will connect mentees with mentors in a industry leading initiative The Australian Tunnelling Society Mentor Alliance is a dynamic program connecting engineers and other professionals in the tunnelling industry for [...]
Unveiling the stories of senior women in tunnelling, plus the launch of the ATS Mentor Alliance
Three distinguished speakers shared their personal stories in this dynamic event that celebrated the journeys and experiences of senior professionals within the tunnelling industry. On 6 March in Melbourne, the ATS Diversity in Tunnelling [...]
ATS Photo comp – open now – win $200!
Check out the flyer below to see how you can enter:
Reflections of a well-travelled tunnelling journalist
Referred to by the Immediate Past President of the ATS, Dr Harry Asche, as “The world's most famous tunnelling journalist,” Shani Wallis has been covering the biggest stories in tunnelling since 1982. “My 40-year [...]
Deep vertical drilling in New Zealand opens a new chapter for large sustainable drainage reticulation projects
By Juan Santacruz and Sivam Thivaharan CLL Projects has constructed a 76m deep 4.2m diameter shaft for Watercare’s Central Interceptor (CI), which is unique in New Zealand for its depth and diameter. The [...]
Digging rocks is in my blood
To celebrate our recent Women in Tunnelling Achievement Award winner, Helen Baxter-Crawford, we're republishing the article she wrote for our 50th Anniversary Special Edition Journal: 50 years of tunnel geotech in Australia. [...]
Hydropower poised to refocus Australia’s tunnelling industry
On 13 December, the ATS NSW Chapter hosted the highly successful panel discussion: Tunnels and Underground Works for Pumped Storage Hydropower Projects: Challenges and Opportunities. Attended by an enthusiastic crowd of 50 in-person attendees, [...]
Seasons greetings and end of year round-up from new ATS President – Richard Buckingham
Dear ATS members and friends, As the year draws to a close, I’d like to take the opportunity to thank you all, members, committee volunteers and sponsors, for your continuing support, as with your [...]
Latest issue of the Young Members Tunnelling Magazine – Breakthrough – is out now!
Latest issue of the Young Members Tunnelling Magazine - Breakthrough is out now Breakthrough 2023 (zmags.com)
ATC2023 Conference Papers – available now!
Conference proceedings from the ATC2023 The highly successful Australasian Tunnelling Conference was held on 5-8 November 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand. The event was hosted by the NZTS (New Zealand Tunnelling Society) in partnership [...]
From the tunnels of the Snowy to ITA President to international tunnel rescue hero – who is Arnold Dix?
With ATS member and Allen Neyland Tunnelling Achievement Award winner Professor Arnold Dix in the news for all the best reasons, we thought we would republish the story we commissioned in 2021:"From the tunnels [...]
Celebrating tunnelling and tunnellers at fully booked end of year ATS Queensland St Barbara’s Day dinner
A highly successful St Barbara’s day dinner was held on Friday 1st December in Queensland. The fully booked event was appreciated by the organising committee and provided a valuable networking event for QLD ATS [...]
NSW Chapter Golf Day success
NSW Chapter Golf Day By Dave Clague The somewhat cool and wet day for the annual ATS golf day on 23 November in Parramatta didn’t dishearten the attendees in having a great time for [...]
Dr Charles MacDonald wins prestigious Allen Neyland Tunnelling Achievement Award
The ATS is thrilled to announce that Dr Charles MacDonald is the latest recipient of our prestigious Allen Neyland Tunnelling Achievement Award. Charles is widely recognised as a leading figure in the Australian tunnelling [...]
Access the RIC2023 Proceedings now!
The Rocscience International Conference 2023 proceedings are now published and can be accessed by all. Rocscience hosted RIC2023 to celebrate the industry's evolution, emphasizing the integration of various technologies and innovations. This synergy was a focal point, showcasing how these [...]
Helen Baxter-Crawford wins Women in Tunnelling Achievement Award 2023
On behalf of the whole tunnelling community in Australasia, the ATS would like to extend our huge congratulations to Helen Baxter-Crawford, our 2023 Women in Tunnelling Achievement Award winner. The award was presented to Helen [...]
Aussie finalists shine in ITA Young Tunneller of the Year Award
The Australian Tunnelling Society (ATS) is thrilled to throw our support behind the two ATS members - Arjun Raja Shivasami and Russell Connors - who have been named finalists in this year’s ITA Young [...]
Light up the underground for World Tunnel Day 2023 – 4 December
World Tunnel Day 2023 On Monday December 4th the ITA celebrate the incredible engineering marvels that lie beneath our feet, connecting communities, improving transportation, and enabling access to resources. As we mark World Tunnel [...]
Learning and innovation at Mt Coot-tha Quarry in Brisbane
A remarkable gathering of seasoned and young engineers at the Mt Coot-tha Quarry, kindly supported by the ATS, brought together over 60 engineers from diverse backgrounds for learning and innovation in late August 2023. [...]
Women in Tunnelling Outstanding Achievement Award Winner Hosts Networking Event
Diane Mather hosted "Collaboration Junction" on 24 August in Brisbane’s Waterloo Hotel, generously reinvesting her Women in Tunnelling Outstanding Achievement Award prize money in the tunnelling community. Forty five senior leaders from various areas and [...]
Call for nominations: ATS Young Members sub-Committee
The Australian Tunnelling Society (ATS) is calling for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the ATS Young Members sub-Committee for the 2024/25 term (1 January 2024 to 31 December 2025). Please note: successful committee members will [...]
ATC Conference – early bird registrations close on Friday 15 September
The dates are set, and the countdown is on for the 18th Australasian Tunnelling Conference which will take place 5 – 8 November, 2023 in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, New Zealand. It’s been nearly 15 [...]
Tunnel fire safety in the spotlight
Fifty people gathered at Stacey Agnew’s eVENT Space in early August to hear Dr Ricky Carvel deliver his short course on Tunnel Fire Safety. Discussion during the sessions benefitted from the wide diversity of [...]
Tunnelling Asia Conference 2023 – Brochure out now!
Tunnelling Asia 2023 Conference Brochure
National ATSym event a major success
The ATS would like to extend a huge thanks to all attendees, presenters and sponsors of our hugely successful Careers in Tunnelling event on the 20 July! Nearly 100 attendees joined in total, with [...]
World Tunnel Congree 2024 – Brochure now released!
Expressions of interest are now open to participate in the upcoming WTC2024, which is scheduled to be held from April 19th to April 25th, 2024 in Shenzhen, China. As one of the most highly anticipated [...]
Q&A with ATS Young Members Chair – Brodie Aitchison
Since 2015, the ATS has ensured the voice of the next generation of tunnellers is heard at the national level through the appointment of an ATS Young Members’ (ATSym) Representative who sits on the [...]
An excellent article – Going Down – Australia’s tunnel projects – by Create magazine
In this wonderful article by create magazine from Engineers Australia, learn more about how Australia is both leading the world and utilising world-best practice in tunnelling. ATS leaders and members including Harry Asche, Rob Bertuzzi, Elena Gavazzi and Jurij [...]
ATS Photography Competition – submissions open until Aug 11
The ATS is pleased to launch our 2023 Photography Competition Theme THE BEST OF AUSTRALASIAN TUNNELLING Please share your elegant, innovative and iconic images of tunnelling projects from Australia and New Zealand and be [...]
In memory of Wayne Bradford 1959 – 2023
Wayne Bradford (Scout), a respected and well-known member of our tunnelling and mining community sadly passed away on 17th June 2023 at the age of 63 after a hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer. Wayne started [...]
Building around existing tunnels seminar – a great success
The much anticipated "Building Around Existing Tunnels" seminar last week in Sydney was a great success judging by some of the feedback from the 70+ people who attended. In the words of event organiser [...]
ATS hero – Dr Charles MacDonald – wins prestigious award
On Thursday April 27, Dr Charles MacDonald was officially recognised by Roads Australia for his contribution to many of Australian road tunnel mega projects by winning the prestigious John Shaw Medal. Charles, who is [...]
ATS beginnings, kick starting the society and the state of play in 1979
ATS beginnings Today’s Australian Tunnelling Society (ATS) can trace its roots back to the 1948 establishment of the National Committee on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering by the Institution of Engineers Australia (IEAust). This [...]
David Sugden Award now open – submit your paper today!
For more information visit our Awards page Or click here to apply now!
Celebrating women who excel in tunnelling with a bespoke award
Proudly run by the ATS Diversity in Tunnelling group and generously sponsored by Bouygues Construction Australia, the ATS is thrilled to announce that nominations for the Women in Tunnelling Achievement Award are now open. [...]
Australian Tunnelling Conference Abstract – Deadline Extension
Published 3 April 2023
Huge response to first ATS Tunnel Systems Subgroup event highlights great thirst for information
On March 16, the ATS Tunnel Systems subgroup held the highly successful event: Water mist suppression for road tunnels. Attended by almost 300 people, in person in multiple locations across Australia as well as [...]
ATC 2023 Sponsor Prospectus – Out Now!
Are you interested in sponsoring the much-anticipated Australasian Tunnelling Conference in New Zealand in November? If so, please explore out the Sponsorship and Exhibition Prospectus, below. Held over four days, the organisers expect over [...]
‘Sold out’ Diversity in Tunnelling event signals a new era is well underway in tunnelling
The ATS’s Diversity in Tunnelling team were thrilled with the support of the industry for their event to mark International Women’s Day last week. The audience was diverse with an equal mix of genders, [...]
50 years of tunnel lighting
By John Rogers A fundamental safety requirement is for drivers to have adequate visibility when approaching the tunnel, at the moment of entry, within the tunnel and when exiting. To provide adequate visibility, lighting [...]
Why you can’t afford to miss the upcoming Building Around Existing Tunnels Seminar
Seminar Chair, Ted Nye, a specialist in major underground infrastructure design and construction, explains why it is very important that approval authorities, urban planners, developers, architects, geotechnical and structural engineers, understand that the proximity [...]
PRESS RELEASE – Charismatic Australian elected President of influential global association
1 February 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Summary Australian Professor Arnold Dix has been elected President of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA) for his ambitious Many Peoples, One World sustainability agenda. ITA [...]
ATS NSW celebrated for donating $100K to the Garvan Institute
To recognise the NSW Chapter for their decade of generosity, the Garvan Institute for Medical Research hosted ATS members to a tour of their facilities and installed a special plaque on their Honour Board. [...]
Nationwide nod to St Barbara
ATS Chapters get together to celebrate the Feast Day of Saint Barbara in style In December, ATS members from the NSW, Victorian and Queensland Chapters got together to pay tribute to St Barbara, the [...]
Submit your abstract now for the upcoming Australasian Tunnelling Conference
With a theme of Trends and Transitions in Tunnelling - the 18th Australasian Tunnelling Conference in New Zealand is already shaping up to be the most anticipated event on the 2023 calendar The New [...]
In memory of Mike Wille 1938-2022
Mike Wille, a respected and nationally recognised tunnel design, construction and risk management expert, sadly passed away on 24 November 2022 at the age of 84. Born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 10 May 1938, Mike [...]
Saint Barbaras day at Sydney Metro Central project site
The ATS NSW committee has organised a Sydney Metro Central site visit to celebrate the Feast Day of St. Barbara, the patron saint of tunnellers and miners on the 2nd of December. Numbers are [...]
Shotcrete Developments Workshop 2022
With the shotcrete industry experiencing unprecedented growth and demand in Australia, particularly in civil tunnels, this two-day event was designed to appeal to beginners and experts alike. The atmosphere was buzzing at the Novotel [...]
St Barbara’s Day Dinner – get your tickets today!
St Barbara’s Day Dinners are a regular fixture on the ATS annual calendar, but what are we celebrating and why exactly is St Barbara the Patron Saint of Tunnellers? Well, the answer is actually [...]
Nationwide celebration as ATS turns 50
ATS members and friends get together to celebrate the auspicious anniversary in style On Thursday 13 October, over 400 ATS members and friends of the Society got together at events in Sydney, Melbourne and [...]
Penny Jones joins ATS as Communications Consultant
Towards the end of her commission to write and curate the 50th Anniversary Special Edition Journal, ATS Young Member's Chair, Brodie Aitchison, put a question to Penny, “How would you feel about helping us [...]
Ivan Haryono wins David Sugden Award 2022
His winning paper is entitled: Discrete Fracture Network Approach in Ground Support Design Optimisation for Large Span Cavern in Jointed Rock Mass Ivan Haryono was thrilled to receive the David Sugden Award on 13 October [...]
Highlights from the ATS Queensland one-day workshop
The one-day workshop showcasing tunnel projects in Queensland was attended by 52 ATS Members and Delegates at Engineers Australia, 340 Adelaide St, Brisbane on 6th October 2022. The major sponsor was the Aurecon Group. [...]
Australian Arnold Dix elected ITA President
As the incoming president of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA-AITES) Arnold Dix’s message is clear: the tunnelling community must change the way it communicates with politicians and other decision makers to [...]
In memory of David Baxter 1935-2022
David Baxter, winner of the Allen Neyland award, the Australian Tunnelling Society’s award for service and excellence, passed away last week on the morning of 15th September 2022. David had a long and distinguished career [...]
ATS 50th Anniversary Journal – Special Edition
ADVERTISING AND CELEBRATORY MESSAGE OPPORTUNITY Tunnelling Journal is working with the ATS to produce a special edition journal to celebrate 50 years of the ATS and tunnelling in Australia. This 80 page + bumper [...]
2022 Photo Competition
The theme is celebrating 50 Years of the ATS. Have you snapped a photo of a great moment in tunnelling? Have a special moment to share from one of the Australian Tunnel Society events or [...]
ATS Diversity in Tunnelling Mentoring program
Are you looking for tunnelling industry support, guidance, and skill development? Are you looking for a buddy to “Talk Tunnelling”? If we can start conversations, we can increase empathy, self-awareness, and cultural awareness to foster a more [...]
ATS 50th Anniversary Celebrations
The ATS 50th Anniversary Sub-Committee organised a wonderful series of events throughout 2022 to reflect on the people, projects and legacy developed over the last 50 years. The centrepiece event was held on Thursday [...]
ATS Tunnel Systems sub-group inaugural workshop presentation
ATS Tunnel systems sub group launched their inaugural workshop presentation on 31st March, hosting attendees online and at three venues: EA’s Sydney division offices, Aurecon’s Melbourne offices, and Stacey Agnew’s headquarters in Queensland. The [...]
ATS Short Course Presenters Announced
The ATS Short Course is a main stay of the industry, providing young and developing engineering professionals with a snapshot across the disciplines involved in tunnelling. The organising committee are proud to announce this [...]
Great insights into Snowy 2.0 on International Women’s Day
9 March 2022 A good turnup showed for the first hybrid event of the year for the Australian Tunnelling Society's NSW Chapter, held on International Women's Day. After a thoughtful introduction by Diane Mather [...]
ATS Young Members win Engineers Australia’s President Prize
1 March 2022 The ATS has received the prestigious President Prize from Engineers Australia, recognising the work of the ATS Young Members in the production of the ATS Tunnel Design Guideline. The group of volunteers [...]
ATS Short Course rescheduled to May
25 January 2022 The ATS Short Course team have reviewed the current evolving situation with COVID-19 and came to the decision to reschedule the event to 26-27 May 2022. This difficult decision was made with [...]
Have your image featured on the A&NZ Journal cover
24 January 2022 Have your image featured on the front cover of the A&NZ Journal in April! If you have a hi-resolution photo in portrait orientation we have permission to use in our publication, [...]
Planning underway for a big year of celebrations
12 January 2022 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the Australian Tunnelling Society and to mark this very special landmark in the history of the ATS, a number of promotions and events are currently being [...]
A year in tunnelling celebrated at St Barbara’s Day
17 December 2021 The annual St Barbara's Day dinner and celebration of World Tunnelling Day at the beginning of December was a fantastic way to reflect on the year of tunnelling. Held in Brisbane, the [...]
2022 ATS Tunnelling Short Course dates announced
16 December 2021 The Australian Tunnelling Society Short Course 2022 will be held from February 21-23 in Sydney. The course is a multi-day event, designed to provide an introduction to the world of tunnels. The [...]
Why tunnel boring is more exciting than you think
14 December 2021 Australian Tunnelling Society President, Engineers Australia member and Design Director at Aurecon, Chartered engineer Dr Harry Asche, believes tunnelling in Australia is booming. "Australia is seeing approximately one per cent population growth [...]
Victorian Tunnelling Centre produces first round of graduates
8 December 2021 The Victorian Tunnelling Centre has produced its first round of graduates, with 26 current and former trainees now working on the city-shaping Metro Tunnel Project. Recently, Minister for Transport Infrastructure Jacinta Allan [...]
Connect with the ATS Tunnel Systems Group
6 December, 2021 The ATS is encouraging the ATS Tunnel Systems Group to connect and share information, reflecting the groups goal of highlighting the importance of tunnel systems. Key initiatives next year will include a [...]
Meet the inaugural winner of the Women in Tunnelling Award
Diane Mather was awarded the Women In Tunnelling Award Outstanding Achievement Award by the Australian Tunnelling Society, recognising extensive contributions to tunnelling and mining in Australia and internationally. The award acknowledged Diane for her technical [...]
Inside London’s super sewer
16 November, 2021 The Thames Tideway Tunnel is upgrading London’s Victorian-era sewer system. Engineers behind the project have discovered skeletons, the challenges of moving masses of water under iconic sites and the remarkable skills of [...]
A detailed look at the ATS Tunnel Design Guideline
14 October 2021 The ATS Tunnel Design Guideline Presentation Series will bring together the authors of the guideline to discuss in detail the chapter contents. The ATS Tunnel Design Guideline was released in September 2020 [...]
World Forum On Underground Urban Transportation
13 October, 2021 The World Forum On Underground Urban Transportation is being held tonight, Wednesday 13 October Australian time. ITA's webinar will be hosted in Paris with a 2 pm start in France's capital equivalent [...]
Register for ITA’s October Lunchtime Lecture instalment
October 12, 2021 ITA's October Lunchtime Lecture series instalment is taking place tonight, October 12, and will feature David Oliveira flying the flag for the Australian tunnelling industry on the subject of 'structural use of [...]
Cross River Rail site visit sparks interest in young engineers
October 5 2021 On Saturday 25 September the ATS young members held a site visit to the Cross River Rail in Brisbane. The event drew great interest and [...]
How to use Informit to access papers
Technical papers can be accessed by ATS members here by logging into their Informit account. If you are a first time Informit user, please follow the steps below: Step 1: Click onto the Informit site Step [...]
The Observational Method in Tunnelling
The Observational Method in Tunnelling Diane Mather, Design Manager, Inland Rail, ARTC Alex Gomes, Chief Technical Principal - Tunnels, SMEC Background The design of tunnels and underground structures often involves a myriad of technical disciplines, [...]
EOI for ATS working group to review Australian Standard – AS 4825-2011 Tunnel Fire Safety
15 September 2021 Dear ATS members, The ATS is seeking nominations from people to join an ATS Working Group to review Australian Standard – AS 4825-2011 Tunnel Fire Safety. This Standard is intended to guide [...]
ITA-CET September newsletter
8 September 2021 The September update from ITA-CET is available. Read the newsletter below, or download a copy from the ITA website. ITA Chairman Robert Galler and Vice-Chairman Michel Deffayet provide an update and news [...]
Towards model Australian underground works contracts: regulatory baseline reporting
Towards model Australian underground works contracts: Regulatory Baseline reporting—fairness when government rules and regulations change By Professor Arnold Dix Scientist & Lawyer, Professor of Engineering CEO & Managing Director—ALARP Consulting Group Starting with the Sydney [...]
Respirable Crystalline Silica–update
1 September 2021 By Harry Asche, ATS President Recently, the ATS was requested to make comment on the draft units of competency, being prepared by Artibus Innovation, who are preparing these on behalf of their [...]
ATS endorses upcoming training courses
20 August 2021 With the objective of providing benefit to our members and working collaboratively with external parties toward the betterment of the tunnelling and underground construction industry, we are pleased to announce the endorsement of two online [...]
Australian Tunnelling Society 50th Anniversary Celebrations
19 August 2021 Dear ATS members In 2022 the Australian Tunnelling Society will celebrate its 50th anniversary. During this time the ATS has established its position as the key technical society within Engineers Australia for [...]
Nomination deadline for David Sugden Award extended
12 August 2021 The deadline for nominating for the David Sugden Award has been extended until 30 September. With the award recognising young engineers for their knowledge and contribution to the industry, nominations are welcomed [...]
Diversity and Inclusion Protocol Launch
6 August 2021 The Australian Tunnelling Society is committed to a tunnelling profession that is as diverse as the community it works in. Today we're launching our Diversity and Inclusion Protocol as a model [...]
ITA Tunnelling Week 2021 September dates confirmed
3 August 2021 With this year's scheduled World Tunnel Congress pushed to 2022, the ITA is has launched a digital week dedicated to tunnels and underground space. The ITA Tunnelling Week will be held from [...]
Presentation on artificial ground freezing well received
23 July 2021 An ATS presentation on construction of cross passages by artificial ground freezing organised by the Western Australian division was very well received on Wednesday night. More than 110 people viewed the talk [...]
Name the Thornlie-Cockburn Link Micro TBM
16 July 2021 The hunt is on for the name of the Thornlie-Cockburn Link Micro TBM. The MBTM will drill twin 100m tunnels as part of the Western Australian project to provide Perth with an [...]
ITA Lunchtime Lecture Series—into the future
This month’s ITA Lunchtime Lecture Series will be held on Tuesday 13 July and will be on the subject of ‘Into the future’. The session will include an overview on ‘Resilient underground’ by Wout Broere [...]
Help us choose the next front cover of the A&NZ Journal
For the next front cover of the A&NZ Journal we want to showcase the people and projects of the tunnelling community. Here's your chance to send in a picture that could be on the [...]
Nominate for the ITA Tunnelling Awards 2021
June 2021 The seventh edition of the International Tunnelling Association Tunnelling Awards will be an all-online affair to allow maximum participation from around the globe. 2020 award winners included John Holland, CPB and Ghella whose [...]