The Metro Tunnel Project has hit another milestone after tunnel boring machine (TBM) Joan broke through at the Parkville Station site this week.

Launched from Arden in May 2020, Joan travelled 1.4km to Parkville before breaking through into the station box 20 metres below Grattan Street.

This was the second leg of Joan’s journey after completing the 1.2km tunnel between the Arden Station site and the western tunnel entrance in Kensington earlier this year – bringing its total distance travelled to 2.6km so far.

TBM Meg is not far behind with its breakthrough at Parkville expected in the coming weeks.

Parkville Station is continuing to take shape with construction of the permanent structure under Grattan Street progressing well, along with the station’s entrances at Grattan Street west and Royal Parade.

TBM Joan will now be moved through the Parkville station box, where it will be cleaned and recommissioned before being relaunched towards the new State Library Station site in the CBD.

Tunnelling is currently at peak operations with all four of the Metro Tunnel Project’s TBMs now digging the twin tunnels across Melbourne.

TBMs Millie and Alice are currently tunnelling the 1.7km journey towards the eastern tunnel entrance in South Yarra, having been launched from the Anzac Station site earlier this year.