Belmont Desalination Plant - Micro tunnel boring machine (MTBM) naming competition
John Holland is helping Hunter Water build a desalination plant at Belmont to make sure we all have enough water to drink—even when it doesn’t rain!
The desalination plant will take seawater from the ocean and turn it into fresh, clean drinking water, through a process called desalination.
To make this happen, a pipeline will be built to connect the plant to a structure in the ocean, bringing seawater to the desalination plant. Instead of digging a big trench from the surface, we’ll use a method called micro tunnelling with a Micro Tunnel Boring Machine (MTBM).
This special machine travels underground through the seabed, placing concrete pipes behind it as it moves forward to form the tunnel.
Did you know ...
Over 270 giant pipes will be joined together behind the micro tunnel boring machine to make a long underwater tunnel—more than 810 metres from the beach out to sea. Learn more about how desalination works
How can you help?
Before our MTBM begins its journey, it needs a name—and that’s where you come in!
To honour a tradition that dates back hundreds of years, tunnelling machines are given female names to bring good luck.
We want you to choose a name that is creative, meaningful or inspiring to you!
- Choose a female name (MTBMs are traditionally given a female name)
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Choose a significant or famous woman for the Belmont Desalination Plant Project.
Some hints include:
- A famous scientist or engineer
- Someone linked to water
- A First Nations woman - our project is located on Awabakal Country
- A local female hero.
We want you to dig deep and suggest a name that isn't bore-ing!
Enter now
The competition is open to students from Marks Point Public School and Belmont Public School only. The winning name will be printed on a sticker and signed by the clever winner before the machine goes underground to start its tunnelling job.
Entries close at 5pm Friday 26 September. Terms and Conditions apply.
Good luck and have fun!
Important info
Competition Terms and Conditions apply. The personal information entrants and their provide will be used for the purpose of conducting this competition and for publicity after the competition has been conducted.