World Tunnelling Day also honors Saint Barbara, recognized as the patron saint of tunnellers, miners, and individuals engaged in underground construction. Rooted in a tradition dating back to the 1500s, it is customary to establish a small shrine to Saint Barbara at the onset of a new tunnelling project, typically positioned at the tunnel portal. This ritual is accompanied by a prayer seeking Saint Barbara's protection for all those involved in the tunnel's construction.
The question arises: Why Saint Barbara?
Legend has it that Saint Barbara, dating back to the third century A.D. in present-day Istanbul, Turkey, was the daughter of a wealthy man who secluded her in a tower for protection. Escaping and embracing Christianity, she faced denouncement by her father, sought refuge with miners in Greece, and met a tragic end—decapitated by her own father. Struck down by lightning as divine punishment, the association with explosives in underground darkness became linked with Saint Barbara, leading some to exclaim "Saint Barbara!" during lightning strikes.
This tradition endures, evident in recent blessings by the Dean of St Mary’s Cathedral at the Bligh Street Sydney Metro Railway Project, where tunnelling commenced in 2018. The practice extends to naming Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) after notable women, exemplified by the West Gate Tunnel Project's TBMs, Bella and Vida. Bella Guerin, the first Melbourne university graduate (M. Arts) in 1883, and Vida Goldstein, a women's rights advocate, symbolize the tradition.
In Australia, the tunnelling custom dictates that a TBM must bear a female name for good luck. Today, gratitude extends not only to Bluey tunnellers nationwide but also to the wider community tirelessly contributing to improving the quality and safety of life for all Australians.
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