Victoria’s biggest ever hospital to be built in Footscray

Designs for the new Footscray Hospital — Victoria’s biggest ever — have been unveiled. See how it will look when it opens in 2025.

An artist’s impression of the new Footscray Hospital.

Designs for the $1.5bn new Footscray Hospital have been revealed, showing the scale of Victoria’s biggest health infrastructure project.

The mammoth 500-bed hospital to be built on the corner of Ballarat and Geelong roads is set to open in 2025, replacing the existing Gordon Street centre that was built in the 1950s.

The Andrews government is set to announce further details of the project on Friday, including employment opportunities for the next generation of tradies and trainees through the Big Build Apprenticeships program.

To be operated by Western Health, the new Footscray Hospital is forecast to treat an extra 15,000 patients each year, as well as catering for almost 20,000 emergency department patients a year.

An artist’s impression of the $1.5 billion Footscray Hospital.

As well as overhauling medical care in Melbourne’s west, Health Minister Martin Foley said the new Footscray Hospital would ease pressure across wider metropolitan Melbourne.

“This bigger and better hospital will cut waiting times and take pressure off other Melbourne hospitals, so patients in Melbourne’s west can get the world-class care they need faster and closer to home,” Mr Foley said.

During its construction, the project will employ more than 2000 people using more than 90 per cent of materials, services and equipment sourced from local businesses, Training and Skills Minister Gayle Tierney said.

Once open, the hospital is also expected to create more than 250 new jobs in its ­immediate area.

“The Big Build Apprenticeships program makes it possible for local apprentices to work on the new Footscray Hospital and other exciting projects across Victoria — a contribution they can be proud of for years to come,” Ms Tierney said.

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