The Allan Labor Government’s $655 million Ballarat Base Hospital redevelopment has now entered its final stage, as preparations for the new hospital tower and emergency department begin.

Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison, Member for Eureka Michaela Settle and Member for Ripon Martha Haylett today announced that excavation, piling and demolition work will take place over the next 12 months.

The redevelopment will see a new entrance established on Sturt Street, providing access to the new emergency department building, as well as a state-of-the-art operating theatre suite, a women and children’s hub, and an additional 100 inpatient and short stay beds.

The new emergency department will also include a mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) hub, providing specialist care to patients when they need it most – this will also take pressure off doctors and nurses in the main ED and keep other patients safe.

The main works will support up to 480 jobs during peak construction, providing a major economic boost to Ballarat and the wider region.

The new tower will be built using at least 90 per cent local building materials, with a focus on supporting social enterprises and First Nations businesses.

Community views have shaped the designs with locals calling for more green spaces, modern facilities, and better wayfinding to make it easier to navigate the hospital.

Delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) in partnership with Grampians Health, the redevelopment is set for completion in 2027.

The entire project is being completed over multiple stages with stage two of the redevelopment delivering an expanded multideck car park and a new central energy plant and support services (CEPSS) building. The upgraded carpark is expected to open in August this year while the CEPSS is on track for completion by the end of the year.

The Ballarat Base Hospital redevelopment received an additional $60 million funding in the Victorian Budget 2024/25. This included $54.6 million to deliver a fitted-out and expanded women’s and children’s hub and an additional $5.4 million to deliver the emergency department mental health, alcohol, and other drugs hub.

Once complete, the redeveloped Ballarat Base Hospital will have capacity to treat at least 18,000 more emergency patients and an extra 14,500 inpatients per year.

Quote attributable to Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison

“As we move to the final stage of the Ballarat Base Hospital redevelopment, we continue to support the city’s local economy – utilising local building materials and creating more jobs for people in our community.”

Quote attributable to Member for Eureka Michaela Settle

“This massive redevelopment will help meet the future healthcare needs of our region – ensuring locals have access to world-class care, closer to home.”

Quote attributable to Member for Ripon Martha Haylett

“This marks another significant construction milestone – delivering families across our region to an expanded emergency department and new hospital tower.”

Quote attributable to Minister for Health Infrastructure Mary-Anne Thomas

“With preparations for main works now underway, a bigger and better Ballarat Base Hospital is well on the way to completion.”