The Victorian Government has announced the commencement of major construction work on the new Melton Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, exceeding over A$900m ($585m)
Premier Jacinta Allan, Health Infrastructure Minister Melissa Horne, Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas, and Mental Health Minister Ingrid Stitt initiated the groundbreaking ceremony, signalling the start of a new healthcare facility for the local community.
Over the next six months, construction efforts will concentrate on excavation, trenching for in-ground services, piling works, retaining wall construction, and laying the foundational concrete footings and ground slabs.
The installation of the first tower crane will be a critical step in the project's progression.
Designed to accommodate 130,000 patients annually and nearly 60,000 emergency department visits, the Melton Hospital will significantly improve healthcare services for residents of Melton, Rockbank, Caroline Springs, Bacchus Marsh, and Gisborne.
The facility is set to feature at least 274 beds, mental health services, an intensive care unit, maternity and neonatal care, radiology, outpatient services, and dedicated spaces for teaching, training, and research.
Allan said: “This is an important step as we get on and build a new hospital for families in our western suburbs, because only Labor invests in health and invests in the west.”
Occupying a 68,000m² site on Ferris Road, the hospital is designed to meet the evolving health demands of the community.
The Melton Hospital will integrate with the existing hospital network, including Sunshine Hospital and the upcoming A$1.5bn Footscray Hospital, to alleviate regional wait times.
This project is anticipated to generate over 2,400 jobs, with nearly 4,000 healthcare positions projected in its first operational year.
Melton Hospital will be Victoria's inaugural, fully electric hospital, using carbon-neutral power from the start. The project is on schedule for completion in 2029.
In November 2024, designs were unveiled for the new Melton Hospital.
