Perth Opens $1.65bn North-East Rail Extension

A 16-year wait for rail connectivity has ended for 50,000 Perth residents with the opening of the $1.65-billion Metronet Ellenbrook Line.

The 21km rail extension, Perth’s largest rail expansion in more than a decade and a half,  includes stations at Morley, Noranda, Ballajura, Whiteman Park and Ellenbrook, connecting to the recently completed Bayswater station.

The state-of-the-art stations will unlock economic development in the local community including commercial and housing opportunities linked to major infrastructure and services, according to statements made during the opening announcements.

The project serves Ellenbrook, where the annual population growth rate has exceeded 6 per cent. Each station features modern facilities, with the line offering a total of 3300 parking bays and 335 bicycle storage racks.

The Ellenbrook line will make it easier for thousands of residents to travel to and from the CBD, with trains operating every 12 minutes during peak periods and every 15 minutes at other times.

Journey times from Ellenbrook to Perth CBD have been cut to 30 minutes, half the previous duration.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the “well planned and accessible public transport system is a game-changer for local communities”.

Construction began in late 2020, with major works beginning in mid-2021. The project required significant engineering works including the demolition and reconstruction of Broun Avenue Bridge, removal of the Bayswater Bridge, and three tunnels, including one beneath Tonkin Highway.

Two viaducts were built, including the 900m span through Bayswater. The works also delivered three new intersections for station access, two rail pedestrian underpasses and three road pedestrian underpasses.

Sustainability features include solar panel installations across all stations, expected to reduce carbon emissions by more than 65,000 tonnes a year, which is equivalent to removing 154,000 cars from the road.

Transport integration required the construction of dedicated bus interchanges at each station to accommodate the 100 new buses being brought into service.

The project features 20 public art pieces created by 14 local and Noongar artists, with the construction using 65,000 railway sleepers for the track.

Construction supported about 6500 jobs, including 332 apprentices, 140 graduates and 290 First Nations employees.

The Metronet Ellenbrook Line is jointly funded by the Federal and Western Australian governments, marking the completion of a significant infrastructure project in Perth’s north-eastern corridor. The $1.87-billion Metronet Airport Line opened in 2022.