ATS Photography Competition
ATS PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION OPENS 6 JANUARY
WTC2028 – Brisbane’s bid is submitted!
Brisbane's bid for the World Tunnel Congress 2028: A key to Australia's sustainable future By Jurij Karlovsek, Vice President ATS and Bid Lead for WTC2020 in Brisbane This article was first published in the [...]
ANZ Journal article: Tunnelling with Passion
Fresh insights from a young engineer's perspective at the World Tunnel Congress 2024 As the WTC 2025 approaches, we'd like to share with you this story by Shenyan Yao from AECOM, winner of the [...]
ANZ Journal: International Working Groups and the ATS
Did you know? As an ATS member you can influence tunnelling practice at an international level??? Check out the following article to learn how. This article was first published in the ANZ Journal October [...]
ANZ Journal: Irene Chan – In Profile
This article was first published in the ANZ Journal October 2024. Learn how you can contribute your story here: A&NZ Journal – Australian Tunnelling Society
ANZ Journal: Tunnelling education in focus – UTS Tunnelling and Underground Engineering and MONASH BEST
Featuring: UTS School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, who have recently launched a specialised degree in Tunnelling and Underground Engineering: Australia’s first postgraduate major in Tunnelling and Underground Engineering | University of Technology Sydney [...]
ANZ Journal: ATS Chapter and Subgroup Reports
Oc Did you know? What some of you readers might not understand is just how much painstaking volunteer work goes in to making the ATS the vibrant society, and one of Engineers Australia's most active [...]
ANZ Journal: New products and services
ANZ Journalk Submit today! In this brand-new section in the journal, we will be sharing short stories on innovative products and services that are making life easier for tunnellers in our region. If you are [...]
Energy tunnels – A sustainable future for Australia
ANAN Energy tunnels: A sustainable future for Australia By M. Julieta Rottemberg This article was first published in the ANZ Journal October 2024. Learn how you can contribute your story here: A&NZ Journal [...]
Transforming mine voids into green energy powerhouses: The promise of pumped hydro storage
By Morteza Ghamgosar and David Lees First published in the ANZ Journal October 2024 Foreword Pumped storage schemes are not new – indeed Snowy 2.0 is a pumped storage scheme, and the Kidston Project [...]
A Night of Celebration and Connection: Queensland St Barbara’s Day Dinner 2024
The Queensland St Barbara's Day Dinner in Brisbane was a shining example of camaraderie and knowledge-sharing in the tunneling industry. Over 90 attendees filled the room with energy and engagement, with designers, contractors, clients, [...]
ATS Quarry Day showcases industry innovation and networking
The ATS's annual Quarry Day at Brisbane’s Mount Coot-tha Quarry in late November provided a dynamic platform for tunnelling professionals to engage with cutting-edge technologies, live demonstrations and industry networking. With 44 attendees and [...]
ATS announces Grouting Course 2025: A vital industry event for tunnelling and dam professionals
The Australian Tunnelling Society (ATS), in collaboration with the Australian National Committee on Large Dams (ANCOLD), has unveiled the dates for the much-anticipated ATS Grouting Course 2025. This one-day event will take a roadshow [...]
Celebrating Innovation in Tunnelling: The Second Edition of the ATS Tunnel Design Guideline Is Here
The ATS is proud to announce the publication of the much-anticipated Second Edition of the ATS Tunnel Design Guideline, marking another milestone in supporting tunnelling and underground engineers across the industry. This updated edition [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Chris Baker
Chris Baker Tunnel Systems Engineering Manager, UGL Brisbane Chris is currently the Tunnel Systems Engineering Manager for Cross River Rail with UGL, as part of the Design & Construct (D&C) Joint Venture. He has [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Paul Barraclough
Paul Barraclough Paul is tunnel engineer and design manager. He has 29 years international experience in design and design management of underground structures and tunnels (mined & TBM), including construction management/supervision on behalf of [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Rob Nievergelt
Rob Nievergelt Rob is an executive manager of assurance services at The APP Group and an industry leader in the independent verification and certification of major infrastructure projects. Rob has over 25 years of [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Jordan Haimes
Jordan Haimes Jordan has spent his career working on large-scale, high profile and complex mega-infrastructure projects across Australia with demonstrated experience in both government and consulting. Jordan is currently managing the Digital Engineering teams [...]
ATS Short Course Chair – Spotlight on: Harry Asche
Harry Asche Design Director - Tunnels - Aurecon Harry Asche is a civil engineer with 45 years of experience. He has a BE(Civil) from the University of Melbourne and a PhD from the University [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Chris Ambrose
Chris Ambrose Senior Project Manager - Tunnels & Motorways - Ventia With operational experience gained across four states and over 15 years of managing Australia’s busiest Motorways and Tunnels, Chris has developed a unique [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Brad Sandford
Brad Sandford Routeway Delivery Manager for the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority Brad Sandford is an experienced Chartered Civil Engineer with a focus on tunnels and major project delivery. He is currently the Routeway [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Jessica Holz
Jessica Holz Subject Matter Expert - Sustainability - Aurecon Jessica Holz BE MEM CPEng RPEQ is Aurecon’s subject matter expert for integrating sustainability into our design work across our technical capabilities. She is a [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Aaron Lippett
Aaron Lippett Lead Engineer, Tunnelling at Aecom Aurecon Joint Venture - Western Harbour Tunnel Aaron is a lead tunnel engineer with experience in the design and construction of major tunnel projects. Aaron bridges the [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Annalena Chapman
Annalena Chapman Senior Engineer, Ground & Underground Engineering, Aurecon Annalena is a Chartered Civil Engineer with a strong emphasis on tunnelling, specifically in the areas of waterproofing and injection during the design and construction [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Charles Howarth
Charles Howarth Managing Director, Herrenknecht Australia Charles Howarth, graduated from The University of Newcastle in 1997 with a Bachelor’s of Engineering (Mechanical). Charles and has a strong background in mechanical engineering for mining and [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Shannon Green
Shannon Green Deputy Project Director - Powerhouse for the Borumba PHES Project Shannon is tasked with delivering the Exploration Tunnelling & Drilling scope of the Exploratory Works phase as well as oversee the underground [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Alex Gomes
Alex Gomes Chief Technical Principal Tunnels and Underground Engineering at SMEC Alex counts with +33 years’ experience in the design and construction of tunnel and underground works, having been involved globally in projects for [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Nick McKenzie
Nick McKenzie Director, Mining & Hydro - Systra Nick is a highly skilled construction, engineering, and project management professional with 28 years of experience and knowledge in the design and construction of major infrastructure [...]
Unlocking Underground Opportunities – an event rich with curiosity and learning
By Julius Lumsden, member of ATSym Our recent ATSym event, Unlocking Underground Opportunities: The World of Tunnelling, was a great success, attracting around 60 attendees from a wide range of backgrounds. The audience included [...]
ATS-SOM workshop a huge success
By Cristian Biotto, Chair of the ATS Tunnel Systems, Operation and Maintenance group What a great conclusion! The ATS-SOM VTC Workshop wrapped up today with a morning visit to the West Gate Tunnel. Reflecting [...]
Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the commencement of the iconic Snowy Mountains Scheme
In a fantastic event in Sydney on the 9 Oct, the ATS in conjunction with Engineering Heritage Australia celebrated the 75th anniversary of the commencement of the iconic Snowy Mountains Scheme and the 50th [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Georgia Gosse
Georgia Gosse Principal, Infrastructure Advisory, Aurecon Georgia Gosse is a leading sustainability professional. She has spent 15 years working with engineers to deliver better outcomes on infrastructure projects and assets. She provides strategic and [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Dr Jurij Karlovšek
Dr Jurij Karlovšek Bio Dr Jurij Karlovšek is a Senior Lecturer in Civil Engineering at the University of Queensland, specialising in digitalisation and tunnelling engineering. With over 15 years of experience spanning both industry [...]
ATS Short Course – Spotlight on our MC: Antonia Theodoulou
Antonia Theodoulou Bio Antonia Theodoulou is an Engineer at Arcadis who specialises in underground structures. Her curiosity and passion for exploring the unknown drive her success in the field, having worked on major infrastructure [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Ulrike Pelz
Ulrike Pelz Bio Over a career spanning more than 28 years, Ulrike has worked as a civil engineer on major tunnelling infrastructure projects in Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, and Singapore. Ulrike’s work experience covers [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Michael Lehfeldt
Michael Lehfeldt Bio Michael is a civil engineer who has many years of project, program, contract administration, consultancy and asset management experience in road, rail, aviation, defence, mining, and finance. His experience spans the [...]
ATS QLD – St Barbara’s Day Dinner – Book today!
- Boo DON'T MISS YOUR SPOT AT THIS FANTASTIC SOCIAL AND NETWORKING EVENT. REGISTER HERE: ATS QLD – St Barbara’s Day Dinner – Australian Tunnelling Society
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Eng How Ghee
Eng How Ghee Eng-How has worked in the field of civil engineering for more than 24 years, with many years focusing on tunnelling and structural projects in Australia, Singapore and Malaysia. Eng started his [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Brodie Aitchison
Brodie Aitchison Brodie is a Chartered Civil Engineer specialising in delivering tunnelling projects. His expertise spans civil, structural, and geotechnical engineering disciplines for underground infrastructure projects, including tunnels, caverns, adits and portals. He has [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Gitte Goffin
Dr Gitte Goffin Bio Dr Gitte Goffin is a senior civil materials engineer at Aurecon with over 12 years’ experience in academic research and consulting. She has extensive experience in asset integrity and durability [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Anthony Harding
Anthony Harding Bio Anthony is Jacobs Technical Director for Tunnels, Asia-Pacific. He gained a degree and PhD from Edinburgh University and joined Halcrow (now part of Jacobs) in London in 2000. He has worked [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Tom Roper
Tom Roper Bio Tom Roper is a Geotechnical and Tunnel Engineer with 13 years of experience in underground design and construction. Starting his career in a boutique design consultancy for the mining industry, he [...]
Bridging the Gap: ATS forum tackles the issue of gender pay disparities
On June 27, the ATS Diversity in Tunnelling (DiT) group hosted the online event, Bridging the Gap: Addressing Gender Pay Disparities in Engineering. The forum, which was the ATS’s contribution to International Women in [...]
Key results from and the winner of our prize draw for the ATS Communications Survey
Announcing the key results from and winner of our lucky prize draw for completing the ATS Communications - Member Survey: Arjun Raja Shivasami. Arjun won $200, but immediately decided to donate his winnings to [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Sue Poo
Sue Poo Bio Sue Poo is a seasoned geotechnical engineer with over 15 years of experience in tunnelling projects. She has played a crucial role in major underground road, railway and wastewater infrastructure projects [...]
ATS Short Course speaker line up – Spotlight on: Tony Peglas
Tony Peglas Bio Tony Peglas is a Principal at Aurecon with over 26 years of experience in the tunnelling industry. He has contributed to numerous large-scale tunnelling and infrastructure projects, including more recently the [...]
Unlock Your Future in Tunnelling: ATS Short Course 2024 – Registrations Open Now!
Scheduled for 27 – 29 November in Brisbane, this two-day intensive course, plus the Quarry Day, will provide an unparalleled opportunity to learn from industry experts and network with Australian tunnelling professionals. Are you [...]
Huge thanks to our generous Short Course Sponsors!
The upcoming ATS Short Course, a multi-day event designed to provide an introduction to the world of tunnels, is shaping up well. Huge shout out to our generous sponsors, who have snapped up almost [...]
UTS launches Australia’s first postgraduate major in Tunnelling and Underground Engineering
UTS has developed Australia's first Master of Engineering course majoring in Tunnelling and Underground Engineering (TUE). This course addresses industry needs and also serves as a professional development, reskilling or upskilling opportunity for engineers [...]
Industry professionals gain insight into WestConnex at motorway control centre tour in Sydney
A group of around 20 industry professionals and students attended an exclusive tour of the WestConnex motorway control centre in Sydney in mid-May. Organised by the ATS Tunnel Systems, Operation and Maintenance Group (ATS-SOM) [...]
ANZ Journal contribution – Webuild is Bringing in the Robots
Thanks to Webuild for contributing the following story to our latest A&NZ Journal and sharing their latest advances in the use of robotics in tunnelling. Read the journal in full here.
Transurban site visit in Brisbane well received by participants
At the end of April, 15 lucky ATS members undertook a site visit to Transurban’s Control Room in Brisbane. Kevin Stewart attended the event and says the quality of the experience was excellent with [...]
15 minutes with new ATS President Richard Buckingham
Congratulations on your appointment! So our members can get to know you better, please could you introduce yourself and what you're working on at the moment? I’m a tunnelling Technical Executive with the design [...]
Parting words from outgoing ATS President – Harry Asche
By Harry Asche I would like to describe to you some of the highlights of my time as ATS President, now that my second term is complete, and Richard has taken over. Being the President [...]
A visit to Transurban’s nerve centre of tunnel systems in Melbourne
On 15 April, 20 lucky attendees took a behind the scenes tour of Transurban’s nerve centre of tunnel systems in Melbourne. “The event was fully booked and the atmosphere friendly and open,” says event [...]
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 [...]