The major fire that occurred in the Burnley Tunnel in Melbourne, Australia provided the first real test of the current fire safety design approach generally applied to road tunnels in Australia. This incident occurred in March 2007 in the Burnley Tunnel which forms part of the CityLink toll road system. which resulted in the deaths of three car drivers and a significant fire . The tunnel operator activated the water based deluge system and the hybrid smoke control system. The tunnel was able to be re-opened in 4 days. In Australia, the design of fire protection for road tunnels has generally followed the Australian Fire Authority Council (AFAC) Guidelines for fire safety of road tunnels and the more recent Road Traffic Authority of NSW Guideline, although a new Australian Standard for tunnel fire safety is currently in preparation. Australia and Japan appear to be the only countries to consistently require water based suppression systems in road tunnels, although it is recognized there are examples in other countries. It is recognized also that PIARC, NFPA and European regulators are examining the question of provision of water based suppression systems for road tunnels. For these reasons, it makes an investigation of the sequence of events in the Burnley Tunnel fire most interesting. Discussion on safety issues since the Burnley Tunnel fire have largely concentrated on measures to prevent further accidents, including consideration of reduced traffic speeds, limiting trucks to the left hand lanes, restricting vehicles passing and provision of breakdown lanes or bays. Ongoing investigations by road research and traffic authorities are examining these issues. However, it has also re-focussed attention on fire protection measures. In summary, this paper utilizes the events of the tragic Burnley Tunnel fire to examine the key design elements of road tunnel fire safety as currently practiced in Australia. It also provides insights into the ongoing debate about the value of water based suppressions systems in protecting life, property and tunnel operations that may be useful in a global context.