URGENT UPDATE: A massive sinkhole has emerged at AJ Burkitt Reserve in Heidelberg, Melbourne, sending shockwaves through the community and raising alarms over the ongoing North East Link tunneling project. The sinkhole, several metres wide, opened up on Monday evening, leaving onlookers stunned and concerned.
Witnesses quickly took to social media to share images of the gaping hole, highlighting the severity of the situation. Fortunately, there have been no reports of injuries as authorities respond swiftly. The State Emergency Service has established an exclusion zone around the area, urging the public to steer clear for safety.
The affected sports oval serves as a home ground for the Banyule Football Club and Banyule Cricket Club. Compounding the situation, volunteer Steve Andrews confirmed that the junior girls’ cricket team will need to relocate at least two matches due to the disruption. Andrews stated, “We were alerted by people who thought the affected ground was ours.”
The sinkhole’s emergence is near the tunneling zone where the project’s two machines, Gillian and Zelda, are currently operating. This incident follows a similar occurrence in February 2025, when a sinkhole appeared near the boring machines in Lower Plenty.
The North East Link project aims to connect the Eastern Freeway in Bulleen with the Metropolitan Ring Road at Greensborough. Once completed, it is expected to remove 15,000 trucks from suburban streets, reducing travel times by 30 minutes. However, the project has faced significant challenges, with costs ballooning to an estimated $26 billion—more than double the initial budget of $10 billion announced by the Andrews government in 2016. The toll road is projected to open in 2028.
As this situation develops, officials from the North East Link project have been contacted for further comment. The community remains on alert as authorities continue to monitor the site closely.
Stay tuned for more updates on this breaking story as it unfolds.
