Expressions of interest to identify a site for the new Bundaberg Hospital will open 10 August and close 9 September.
At a public briefing today, Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service revealed that 15-20 hectares are needed for the facility.
The site is required to be within 17km of the CBD, low flood risk, accessible by public transport and value for money.
Hospital board chair Peta Jamieson said the construction could cost anywhere between $500 million and $1.5 billion.
This would make it the biggest-ever project ever undertaken in Bundaberg.
Planning and development spokesman for Bundaberg Regional Council, Cr Ross Sommerfeld, said the new hospital was a “game changer” for the community.
“The Mayor’s petition to Parliament outlined the problems we currently have with patients and families travelling to Brisbane for many specialist services,” Cr Sommerfeld said.
“It will improve the lives of thousands of people to have a state-of-the-art hospital in Bundaberg.
“It will be fantastic for staff as well and help to attract highly skilled medical professionals.”
Cr Sommerfeld said construction would stimulate the local building industry.
“I hope that preference is given to local tradies for this landmark project,” he said.
“Having a modern hospital in Bundaberg will also invigorate the broader property sector by making the region a more attractive place to live, work and retire.”
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk promised several weeks ago the Government will invest in a new state-of-the-art hospital for the Bundaberg Region.
Her announcement coincided with a petition launched by Mayor Dempsey, which was tabled in State Parliament.
When plans are being drawn for the new hospital, when it comes the car parking how about 2 or 3 levels instead of spreading out over large areas, like current hospital and at the Friendlies hospital.
The new hospital needs to be near the airport which is a flood-free zone.
Carole – Near the dump sounds like a good site for a health facility, should keep the doctors busy with infections. A 5 story building with a helipad on the roof also sounds like a safe idea at the end of a runway.
Wrong side of town.
That will be a shame for the associated medical industries, restaurant and accommodation facilities which have sprung up near the existing hospital site. This article does not explain why a change of hospital location is considered desirable for the Bundaberg community.
@Samantha as someone who runs one of those motels I can tell you the construction would be a win for us the money being spent alone will have a flow on effect … very few people stay with us who are going to the current hospital but we are often short of rooms. The current hospital is level 4 that means that we are overlooked for patients that need to travel to level 5 or level 6. Level 4 hospitals are for moderate patient care but also have 24/7 staffing & emergency departments.
A level 5 hospital will likely need more space & much more accommodation then what we can provide treating all but the most complex of cases meaning more people won’t have to travel to Brisbane & more people may travel to Bundaberg instead.
I’d nominate somewhere near the Brothers Club myself seeing there getting a huge new motel that should have room that we simply do not have if someone dose need accommodation. There’s a huge piece of land on Johnstone street opposite Stocklands it should be perfect.
Then why not re-employ all those experienced nurses that this hospital got rid of and all those experienced Drs too that went south? Get rid of the old wood and flush the lot out and start again.
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