Major construction is now underway on the Victorian Government’s more than $900 million new Melton Hospital project – which will also be the state’s first fully electric hospital.
Premier, Jacinta Allan; Minister for Health Infrastructure, Melissa Horne; Minister for Health, Mary-Anne Thomas and Minister for Mental Health, Ingrid Stitt today turned the first sod on what will become a world-class hospital for people in Melbourne’s fast-growing western suburbs.
“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,” said Premier Allan.
With site preparation now complete works over the next six months will focus on:
- Excavation including rock breaking and soil removal;
- Trenching for in-ground services to be installed;
- Piling works and retaining wall construction;
- Pouring of concrete footings and ground slabs, forming the foundations of the hospital; and
- Installation of the first tower crane.
The new Melton Hospital will have the capacity to treat 130,000 patients each year and see almost 60,000 patients in its 24-hour emergency department – supporting the communities of Melton, Caroline Springs, Rockbank, Bacchus Marsh and Gisborne.
It will also include at least 274 beds, an intensive care unit, mental health services, maternity and neonatal services, radiology services, outpatient care and teaching and training and research spaces.
“This world-class hospital will not only give locals access to the best care, but it will create hundreds of new jobs and career opportunities in healthcare closer to home,” said Minister Thomas.
The hospital is located on a 68,000 square metre site on Ferris Road – more than three times the size of the MCG.
It will be an important addition to the hospital network in the west, working with Sunshine Hospital and the new $1.5 billion Footscray Hospital to reduce wait times across the region.
The project is expected to create more than 2,400 jobs during construction, and close to 4,000 health related jobs on-site in the hospital’s first year. It is on track for completion in 2029.
