WA is celebrating the opening of two major infrastructure projects in Perth’s south-east.
The city’s rail network has entered a new phase of connectivity and resilience, proponents say, with the official opening of the METRONET Thornlie-Cockburn Line and the elevated inner-section of the Armadale Line.
The 17-kilometre Thornlie-Cockburn Line is Perth’s first east-west cross-line rail connection, linking the Mandurah and Armadale lines.
The project included the construction of new stations at Nicholson Road and Ranford Road, along with significant upgrades to Thornlie, Cockburn Central, and Perth Stadium stations. Commuters can now reach Perth in 27 minutes from Nicholson Road and 31 minutes from Ranford Road.
The new line not only enhances passenger access to Optus Stadium but also improves network redundancy, creating additional route options during major events and service disruptions.
The project involved relocating a 22km freight line and laying over 84,000 sleepers and 180,000 tonnes of ballast.
The line is supported by 1,400 parking bays and more than 20 new or restructured bus routes, including 11 directly serving the new stations. This multi-modal integration is expected to improve first- and last-mile connectivity for commuters.
Also opening is the 8km elevated section of the Armadale Line, delivering new stations at Carlisle, Oats Street, Queens Park, Cannington, and Beckenham.
This section eliminates multiple level crossings and reactivates under-utilised urban space. The area beneath the elevated tracks will become ‘Long Park’ – a 7km corridor of activated public space featuring community facilities and amenities, with finishing works ongoing.
Combined, the projects supported over 5,900 construction jobs and form part of the broader METRONET investment, designed to accommodate population growth and drive urban regeneration.
The remaining Armadale Line – including new stations at Armadale and Byford, and reopened stations at Sherwood, Challis, Kelmscott, Seaforth, Gosnells, Maddington, and Kenwick – is scheduled to come online later this year, pending final construction and commissioning.
