Hospital site to lie dormant until late 2026
It will be at least another six months before major works restart on the giant white elephant known as the Coomera Hospital site.
Work ground to a halt in February this year after the election of the LNP to power and accusations that the original plan for the new hospital would fail to meet the needs of the fast-growing northern suburbs.
The Queensland Government now says building of the hospital will restart in the second half of 2026.
The original budget for the hospital was $1.3 billion for a facility with 400 beds but this has now blown out to $2.25 billion for a facility with 600 beds.
The original plan was for the hospital to open in 2027, but now there is a plan for a staged opening starting from 2031.
The Queensland Government announced this week that it has completed a series of master plans for health services across the state, including a new master plan for the Coomera Hospital.
The first stage of the Coomera Hospital will now comprise 400 beds, an emergency department, operating theatres, maternity and special care nursery and mental health inpatient units.
The second stage will add an extra 200 beds, day surgery facilities and other services such as renal dialysis, oncology, a minor injuries clinic and palliative care unit.
Once built, the Coomera Hospital will also include a multi-storey carpark and connections to public transport.
The Coomera Hospital is designed to cater to the needs of residents of the Gold Coast’s northern suburbs, which have been one of the fastest-growing regions in Australia for the past 10 years.
Queensland Health Implementation Lead, Sam Sangster, said the department had been working closely with Hospital and Health Services to ensure new hospitals met the needs of local communities.
“These masterplans mark an exciting first step in the process where Queenslanders will begin to see work intensifying on sites across the state,” Mr Sangster said.
“It’s important to take the time to properly plan these major projects to ensure we leave a lasting legacy through sustainable infrastructure that caters for staff, clinicians, patients and their families.”
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said the new masterplan was designed to put the hospital back on track.
“We’ve put to bed the poor planning, delays and cost blowouts we inherited and we’re now delivering the hospital beds Queensland needs now and into the future,” Mr Nicholls said.
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