This $120 million project is part of the $152 million upgrade of Sydney Opera House; the biggest building works on the site since its opening in October 1973.

With approximately 8.2 million visitors per year, the Sydney Opera House is one of the busiest tourist attractions and cultural precincts in the country. The intention of the project is to enable the separation of heavy vehicle traffic from pedestrian traffic on the forecourt, to increase public safety and enhance the visitor’s experience and aesthetics of the site, and to significantly improve operations of one of the busiest performing arts centres in the world. The specific works include:

• Construction of a 45m x 40m underground loading dock (cavern) to be located below the Sydney Opera House Monumental Steps and existing ground level loading dock
• Construction of two 80m long underground access corridors north from the north end of the loading dock
• Construction of a new 80m long underground ramp on the southern side of the forecourt to create a service vehicle access from the existing Macquarie Street roundabout down to the new underground loading dock
• Construction of lift shafts between the access corridors and ‘back of house’ facilities
• Demolition of various existing structures for the new works
• Raising of the existing road to remove the kerbs
• Resurfacing of existing Forecourt and laying of permanent services, and
• Excavation through Hawkesbury Sandstone utilising roadheaders and saw cutting to minimise the impact of the works on stakeholders.