The South Australian Government says a Murraylands-based manufacturer has begun producing steel tunnel segments for the state’s River Torrens to Darlington (T2D) Project, marking a major step in the delivery of the non-stop South Road.
Bowhill Engineering, a family-run metal fabrication business located about 130 kilometres from Adelaide, has been awarded a $32 million contract to supply more than 660 tunnel segments, including cross passages linking the project’s main tunnels.
The South Australian Government confirmed the company will produce approximately 40 segments per month, each weighing around 10 tonnes, with deliveries scheduled to begin in March.
The government noted Bowhill Engineering has invested in advanced manufacturing technology to support production, including three robotic welding systems and a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine for precise cutting.
The contract is expected to create more than a dozen local jobs, with employees drawn from the Murraylands region.
According to the South Australian Government, the cross passages will be located roughly every 120 metres along the tunnels and will house equipment for day-to-day operations.
They will also form a critical part of the tunnel safety system, providing access for emergency services and egress for vehicle occupants in the event of an incident.
Bowhill Engineering has previously contributed to major South Australian infrastructure projects, including producing 15 bridges for the North-South Expressway and participating in the $120 million Majors Road Interchange Project, which opened in October last year.
The T2D Project represents the final 10.5-kilometre section of the North-South Corridor and will complete 78 kilometres of continuous, traffic light-free motorway between Gawler and Old Noarlunga.
Drivers will bypass 21 sets of traffic lights while travelling through two separate tunnels connected by an open motorway.
Premier Peter Malinauskas, in a statement released by the South Australian Government, said the project’s benefits extend beyond Adelaide.
“Bowhill Engineering is a major employer in the region, and this is the biggest contract they’ve ever been awarded, helping create more job opportunities and skills in the Murraylands,” he said.
“After years of talk and debate, the Albanese and Malinauskas Labor Governments are getting on with the job of delivering a generational project for our state.”
Minister for Regional Development Emily Bourke said the project was “much more than a motorway” and highlighted its role in supporting skills and long-term opportunities for South Australians.
Labor Candidate for Hammond, Simone Bailey, said major infrastructure projects like the T2D were “creating real opportunities for regional businesses and workers,” adding that the non-stop South Road would benefit the entire state.
Bowhill Engineering CEO Jodie Hawkes said the project strengthened regional industry and economic capability.
“We’re grateful for the confidence placed in regional industry. Investment like this is about more than the T2D project — it backs regional people, strengthens sovereign capability and delivers lasting economic benefit to the communities where Australians live, work and raise families,” she said.
