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What it will take for Marian to get an ambulance station

Mirani MP quizzes the QAS Commissioner about a lack of ambulance stations in the Pioneer Valley.

Mirani MP Stephen Andrew wants an ambulance station at either Marian or Eton. Picture: Zizi Averill
Mirani MP Stephen Andrew wants an ambulance station at either Marian or Eton. Picture: Zizi Averill

Queensland Ambulance Service Commissioner Russell Bowles says the service is monitoring the need for any extra ambulance stations in the Pioneer Valley.

Mirani MP Stephen Andrew quizzed Commissioner Bowles during budget estimates on whether there were any plans to install a station or a precinct to service Marian and Eton.

Mr Andrew said there were “some very wild stretches of road” in the area and “long response times to get there”.

Commissioner Bowles said the State Government owned a block of land at Marian that had been bought for future use.

But he said areas inland from Mackay still had a “very low workload”.

“There are lots of these spots around the state which we monitor and ask when is the appropriate time,” Commissioner Bowles said.

“We use modelling tools that look at the workload and tell us where the best place to locate our stations is and where the best place to put our staff is.

“We have invested heavily in that technology over the time. We will continue to monitor that Marian area.”

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In the 2019-20 financial year, QAS added an extra 18 staff into the Mackay local ambulance service network.

The closest ambulance stations to Marian are located at Paget and Finch Hatton.

In October, several residents highlighted the need for a new ambulance station at Eton, saying the others were too far away in life-threatening emergencies.

Mr Andrew said either Marian or Eton would be suitable for a new station and suggested Eton’s Police Station could be converted into a combined precinct.

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Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/mackay/what-it-will-take-for-marian-to-get-an-ambulance-station/news-story/464138e78ce63ea41cb01da8db95e57a