Two very large tunnel boring machines are excavating the longest road tunnels in the Australian state of Victoria: The two XXL EPB Shields from Herrenknecht, christened Zelda and Gillian, for the North East Link in Melbourne are impressive with a diameter of 15.50 meters, a weight of around 4,000 tons each and a length of 90 meters.

The North East Link is part of the “Big Build” program, with which the federal state is investing on a large scale, primarily in improving public infrastructure. Once completed, the 6.5-kilometre North East Link from Watsonia to Bulleen will close a previous gap in Melbourne's road network and, in particular, shift truck traffic underground.

Zelda and Gillian started the XXL drive in August and September 2024 respectively. In March 2025, the tunnelling crews successfully reached the “Lower Plenty Road Interchange” intermediate shaft after around 1.6 kilometers with both Herrenknecht EPB Shields.