The Morley-Ellenbrook Line will include 21 kilometres of rail line from Ellenbrook to Bayswater. The five new stations on the line are:
- Morley Station
- Noranda Station
- Ballajura Station (formerly Malaga Station)
- Whiteman Park Station, and
- Ellenbrook Station.
The project scope also includes the upgrade of existing Bayswater Station, with future station options planned at Bennett Springs East.
The line is expected to travel from Bayswater, down the middle of the Tonkin Highway north of Marshall Road, along New Lord Street, before finishing in the centre of Ellenbrook.
Key Dates
| 2018 | Project Announcement |
| Jan 2020 | RFP Open |
| Oct 2020 | Contract Award |
| 2021 | Construction Commencement |
| Nov 2024 | Construction Completion |
| Dec 2024 | Operations/Service Commencement |
Procurement
| Procuring Agency: | Public Transport Authority, Western Australia |
| Shortlist: | Ellenbrook Alliance, comprising CPB Contractors and Downer EDI, and MELconnx Consortium comprising Laing O'Rourke Australia Construction and Arup. |
| Successful Tenderer: | MELconnx consortium comprising Laing O'Rourke Australia Construction and Arup. |
| Related contracts: |
PROJECT HISTORY
| Sep 2017 | The 2017-18 WA Budget confirmed the Public Transport Authority will spend $20 million across 2017-18 and 2018-19 to undertake planning for the Morley-Ellenbrook rail line. |
| Oct 2017 | A tender for the concept planning for the line was released, closing on 7 December 2017. A team of Arup, Roberts Day and EY were awarded the contract in April 2018. |
| Mar 2018 | A community information session was held by the WA Government to discuss the results of the Morley-Ellenbrook Line community survey. |
| May 2018 | The Federal Government allocated $500 million towards the line as part of the $1.05 billion funding allocation towards METRONET the in 2018-19 Budget. The funding is to be provided between FY2018-19 and FY2023-24. |
| Sep 2019 | The Railway Amendment Bill (METRONET Bill) 2019 was introduced into WA Parliament. The passage of the Bill authorises the construction of the Morley-Ellenbrook Line. |
| Nov 2019 | The first of two environmental assessment applications was submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with respect to the Bayswater to Malaga Rail Works portion of the project. The second environmental assessment application was scheduled to be delivered to the EPA by early-2020 due to the more complex environmental values with respect to the remainder of the project area covering Malaga to Ellenbrook. |
| Nov 2019 | The WA Government announced that an industry briefing for the Line and the wider METRONET project will be held on December 11. |
| Jan 2020 | The WA Government issued a Request for Proposals for the main works contract. RFPs were due on 17 March 2020, with bidder short-listing to take place in mid-2020. The WA Government also announced that contract award was later in 2020. Separately, early works began on Bayswater precinct. |
| Feb 2020 | The METRONET Bill was passed by both houses of WA Parliament. The WA Government also confirmed that procurement for the project will commence in early-2020. |
| Mar 2020 | New project areas in Bayswater and Forrestfield were added to the existing METRONET East Redevelopment Scheme, which comprised of the Midland region at the time. The areas will be integrated through new train stations, with the Redevelopment Scheme come into effect by late 2020. |
| Mar 2020 | The WA Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage called for tenders for the provision of consulting services to develop the Morley Station Precinct Concept Master Plan (CMP). Morley Station is expected to form part of the Morley to Ellenbrook line within the broader METRONET project. Tenders were open until 3 April. |
| Apr 2020 | The Western Australian Government announced a shortlist of two proponents to design and build METRONET's new Morley-Ellenbrook Line through an Alliance contract. The Ellenbrook Alliance (CPB Contractors and Downer EDI) and MELconnx Consortium (led by Laing O'Rourke Australia Construction) progressed to the tender phase. The contract includes the design, construction and commissioning of 21 kilometres of a new fully electrified rail line with supporting systems and five new stations. |
| Apr 2020 | The Western Australian Government announced that Evolve Bayswater Alliance, comprising Coleman Rail and Decmil, as preferred bidder to design and build the $253 million new Bayswater Station precinct as part of the METRONET Morley to Ellenbrook Line project. This was followed by major earth works beginning on Bayswater Station precinct. |
| May 2020 | The Evolve Bayswater Alliance was awarded the contract to design and build the new Bayswater Station project, a hub for three METRONET lines including the Morley to Ellenbrook line. |
| Sep 2020 | The WA Government named MELconnx consortium (comprising Laing O'Rourke Australia Construction and Arup) as the preferred Alliance for the main works contract. |
| Oct 2020 | The 2020-21 Federal Budget allocated $227 million to METRONET for the Morley-Ellenbrook Line and High Capacity Signalling projects, however, it is unclear how this funding will be divided. |
| Oct 2020 | Western Australian Government announced that contract close was achieved with MELconnx Consortium on Morley Ellenbrook Line's main works contract. |
| May 2023 | The West Australian Government announced an additional $969 million in funding for the completion of the Morley-Ellenbrook Line in the 2023-24 WA Budget. The Budget revealed the project's total estimated cost increased by $528 million. |
| Mar 2024 | The WA Government announced that the Ellenbrook Station has been completed. It is the first to be completed of five as part of the Morley-Ellenbrook Line Project. |
| Apr 2024 | The WA Government announced the New Bayswater Station project had been completed. |
| May 2024 | The 2024-25 WA Budget committed $325 million over four years to deliver electric bus infrastructure, including supplying 199 locally-built electric buses, depot modifications, and to constructing new electric bus-compatible depots, for the new Morley-Ellenbrook Line and the upgraded Armadale Line, including for the Byford Rail Extension. |
| Jun 2024 | Construction commence on the new Henley Brook Bus Depot, which will support operations on the Morley-Ellenbrook line. The $9.2 million design and construct contract was awarded to BE Projects. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of the year. |
| Jul 2024 | The WA Government announced construction of the Ballajura Station, formerly Malaga Station, has been completed. |
| Oct 2024 | The WA Government announced that the Morley-Ellenbrook line is expected to commence operations on Sunday, 8 December 2024. The line will be officially named the Ellenbrook Line. |
| Nov 2024 | The WA Government announced that the final two stations on the line, the Morley and Noranda Stations, have been completed. |
| Dec 2024 | Operations commenced on the line. |
Estimated Total Cost
(2023)
Sector
Rail
Procurement approach
Alliance |
Location
Western Australia |
National |
Resources
Media releases
2020/10/182020/09/22
2020/08/05
2020/05/19
2020/04/24
2020/04/09
2020/02/19
2020/01/16
2019/11/26
2019/11/18
2019/09/26
2019/08/04
2018/04/27
2018/04/19
2017/10/26
2024/03/05
2024/04/21
2024/06/20 - Bus depot construction
2024/07/30 - Ballajura Station completion
2024/10/07 - Commencement date
2024/11/07 - Construction of station complete
