The Queensland Government of Australia has announced a construction milestone for Brisbane’s Cross River Rail at the new Albert Street underground station in the country.

The milestone was marked by the completion of the 220m-long platform and mezzanine levels at the station. 

Once complete, the Albert Street station will be the first new train station in Brisbane’s Central Business District (CBD) in more than 120 years. 

The mezzanine, 25m below street level, comprises 183 precast concrete beams, each up to 19m wide and weighing as much as 70 tonnes (t). 

Situated approximately 31m below ground, the platform has been constructed from 368 precast culverts, each weighing 6.5t. 

All elements of the station were lowered down through a 31m-deep access shaft into a cavern.  

The Albert Street cavern, stretching 290m in length and reaching a depth of 34m, required the removal of roughly 83,000m³ of spoil.  

The next phase of construction will see escalators arriving on site, and preparations for laying tracks within the station's cavern will commence in the coming months.  

Queensland Treasurer and Trade and Investment Minister Cameron Dick said: “The Queensland Labor Government promised to build the Cross River Rail and we are delivering it. Cross River Rail is a critical piece of infrastructure that will redefine how people not only travel in Brisbane but live in this amazing city." 

The new 10.2km Cross River Rail line will run from Dutton Park to Bowen Hills. It includes a 5.9km twin tunnel under the Brisbane River and CBD. 

It will deliver four new underground stations at Albert Street, Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, and Roma Street.