First piles drilled in major milestone for Victoria Pass reinstatement

A major milestone has been reached on the reinstatement of Mitchell’s Causeway as crews continue the work to enable the reopening of this important regional corridor.

Following extensive and complex causeway stabilisation work, the next stage of construction kicked off last week with a 76-tonne drilling rig starting the installation of dozens of 900mm diameter piles.

These piles, measuring up to 20 metres in length, will be bored into the bedrock sitting beneath the convict-built causeway with crews now working day and night to complete this work as quickly as possible.

The piles will support the 120-metre bridge deck that will carry cars and heavy vehicles across Mitchell’s Causeway for decades to come, adding resilience to Victoria Pass and protecting the convict-built structure.

The $200 million Victoria Pass repairs are being jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments to re-establish two-way access on the Great Western Highway and provide an additional climbing lane.

Major work began in July 2026 and more than 150 workers have been inducted to the project, with about 40 to 50 personnel currently working on-site each day.

Construction remains on track for Victoria Pass to be reopened to traffic by the end of the second quarter 2027.