2024-10-23
23 Oct 24

Official opening date announced for Perth’s new rail network

Designed by Woods Bagot, all five stations of the METRONET Ellenbrook Line will open for the celebratory event – Hello Ellenbrook! on Sunday, 8 December, with formal passenger services commencing 9 December.

The forthcoming METRONET Ellenbrook line will give people in the north-eastern suburbs more transport options to travel to work, school and the broader Perth metropolitan area. 

Woods Bagot Principal Kukame McPierzie says, “The train line to Ellenbrook will be transformational for the communities it will serve in this growing part of Perth. We’ve designed the five stations and precincts as a ‘family’, each with common elements and characteristics that are informed by the local context. We can’t wait to see the community start to embrace and use the stations when the METRONET Ellenbrook Line opens in December.”

The 21km line starts at Bayswater Station with five new stations at Morley, Noranda, Ballajura, Whiteman Park and Ellenbrook. 

Regional Transport and Project Design Leader Neil Hill says, “this project marks a significant milestone for Woods Bagot. It’s our first full rail line project, distinct from our previous work on individual stations and developments. We’re not just building parts of the network – we’re crafting the entire journey.”

“We’ve designed the hub at Sydney’s Central Station and significant station ‘nodes’ in Sydney, including Crows Nest and Waterloo Metro stations together with the precinct integrated developments. Our work at Ellenbrook brings our collaborative expertise and together in one comprehensive line,” Hill adds.

Local context and character play a starring role in the new rail stations. Distinctive rooflines echo native vegetation from the Swan Coastal Plain, with inspiration drawn from the local native flora and surrounding suburban built forms. Despite their closeness in proximity, each of the five stations showcases unique cultural significance through the integration of bespoke artistic elements, creating a strong sense of local identity.

For Woods Bagot’s Global Transport Lead John Prentice, the success lies within “the seamless collaboration between our Perth team and our global network of experts. By leveraging our collective expertise, we’ve created a transport solution that is both globally innovative and uniquely suited to Perth’s local context.”

“Our longstanding partnership with Laing O’Rourke has been instrumental in bringing this ambitious vision to life. The trust and synergy we’ve built over years of collaboration at Central Station allowed us to tackle the complex challenges of this project with confidence,” Prentice concludes.

Drawing from the sustainability achievements at Central Station, energy-efficient design solutions were integrated throughout the METRONET Ellenbrook Line, contributing to the recently announced 6-Star Green Star rating at Ellenbrook Station.

Woods Bagot is the lead architect and urban design consultant on the project, working in collaboration with architects Taylor Robinson Chaney Broderick and landscape architects TCL and UDLA. Learn more about the Ellenbrook line on METRONET’s website here.

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Adrien Moffatt
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