Managing Contractor announced for $1.3bn new Toowoomba Hospital

A major milestone has been reached on the $1.3 billion new Toowoomba Hospital development, taking it a step closer to delivering better health care services to the region and its growing population. 

John Holland has been appointed as the Managing Contractor for Stage 1 of the new Toowoomba Hospital, leading the design stage of this more than one-billion-dollar project. 

“We have a trusted partnership with the Queensland Government to deliver the facilities that Queenslanders depend on,” John Holland CEO Joe Barr said. 

“Our Government is leading the nation when it comes to investing in health infrastructure, and this announcement is further proof that we are making headwind,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said. 

The new Toowoomba Hospital is the first of three new hospitals to be delivered under the Queensland Health and Hospitals Plan’s $9.78 billion Capacity Expansion Program. This program includes 11 hospital expansions as well as the construction of a state-of-the-art cancer centre. 

“Our massive $9.78 billion investment is delivering new hospitals and thousands of new hospital beds right across Queensland, including Toowoomba. 

“We know Toowoomba is a major hub for a number of rural and regional communities in the Darling Downs region, and that is why this investment is so important. 

“It will deliver new and expanded healthcare to the Darling Downs region to cater to its growing population, and ensure the community has access to the health services they need for decades to come. 

“Importantly, this new hospital will bring a range of health services closer to home for the community, reducing the need for patients to travel outside the region for more specialised care,” Minister for Mental Health, Health and Ambulance Services Shannon Fentiman said. 

Artist impression of the new Toowoomba Hospital (source: Queensland Government)

The new Toowoomba Hospital is going to be built on the 75-hectare Baillie Henderson Hospital campus, providing an additional 118 beds to the Toowoomba Base Hospital’s existing capacity. 

The new state-of-the-art hospital aims to expand health care services in the Darling Downs region with new emergency department treatment spaces, outpatient consultation rooms and diagnostic rooms as well as medical imaging, pharmacy, and pathology services. 

Administration, education and training facilities will also be provided to hospital staff in the new hospital. 

“Our Baillie Henderson campus is rapidly evolving into a modern healthcare hub for the Darling Downs. 

“We know that modern facilities are a consideration for medical staff when they are choosing an organisation to work for, and we are positioning ourselves to become a destination of choice for health service professionals with a pipeline of new infrastructure in Toowoomba, Tara, and Millmerran and of course the recently completed hospital in Kingaroy. 

“This is a once in a generation project that we must get right, and I welcome today’s announcement and look forward to continuing the important work we’ve started,” Darling Downs Heath and Hospital Service Chief Executive Annette Scott said. 

Not only will the new hospital provide better health care services, but it will also create up to 3,120 jobs during its construction, delivering a significant boost to the local Queensland economy. 

The new Toowoomba Hospital is expected to be completed in 2027. 

“Projects like these transform lives. The new Toowoomba Hospital will deliver the state-of-the-art healthcare facilities and services that these growing communities deserve. 

“During construction, this project will create thousands of jobs while also unlocking opportunities for local training and skills development, Indigenous participation and social procurement,” John Holland Executive General Manager – Building David Lehmann said. 

Source: Queensland Government – Media Statements; John Holland; Queensland Government – Darling Downs Health; Inside Construction