$427m package of works unveiled for new Women's & Children's Hospital

The delivery of the $3.2 billion New Women’s and Children’s Hospital in South Australia is progressing to the next stage of works. 

A $427 million foundational works package has been unveiled, and it will involve critical underground services as well as substructure works on the project site including telecommunications and utilities through Telstra, SA Water and SA Power Networks. 

This package of works will also include the beginning of works for the widening of Port Road, which will create an additional lane inbound and outbound from the city. 

“This is a huge project for South Australia that will deliver a bigger and better Women’s and Children’s Hospital for decades to come. 

“It’s fantastic to see work progressing on the next phase of this once-in-a-generation hospital. 

“We are making decisions in the best interest of the long-term for South Australians, building a larger hospital with more beds and a bigger emergency department on a strategically located site,” Premier Peter Malinauskas said. 

In 2022, it was announced that the new hospital is going to be built on the site of the former SAPOL Barracks, near the Royal Adelaide Hospital. 

Lendlease has been appointed to undertake design management, construction advice, procurement and early works under an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) contract. 

To date, about 42 buildings have been demolished on site, including the mounted operations stables, and the remaining buildings will be cleared by mid-2025, paving the way for bulk earthworks to begin. 

Earlier this year, construction commenced on a $306 million package of works for the first stage of the project. This package included the delivery of a new eight-storey 1,300-space car park. 

Procurement of cranes for the development of the car park building is being carried out, with two tower cranes expected to be erected on site at the start of next year. 

Preparation works for the car park building have already been completed, which included upgrades to stormwater infrastructure and bulk earthworks. The Bonython trail has also been widened to allow the community to access the historic Adelaide Gaol throughout construction. 

“It’s great to see the next stage of works getting underway on our new world-class hospital that will deliver better healthcare for the women and kids of our state for many decades to come. 

“The new Women’s and Children’s Hospital will have more beds, more theatres, more emergency capacity and more ability to expand in the future. 

“Our thanks to our patients, their families, our incredible clinicians, and everyone who is part of the ongoing planning for the hospital – and I hope people are excited to see the progress being made on site,” Minister for health and Wellbeing Chris Picton MP said. 

The New Women’s and Children’s Hospital will be the first fully electric public hospital in South Australia, providing 414 overnight beds and has the capacity to add an extra 20 beds in the future. 

The bigger project site will provide room for future expansions of both the new hospital and the Royal Adelaide Hospital. 

Importantly, the larger site enables critical care services to be co-located on one floor – including birthing, theatres, Paediatric ICU and Neonatal ICU. 

A four-bed integrated Intensive Care Unit for women that is co-located with the Paediatric ICU will enable women requiring high-level care to remain at the new hospital rather than being transported to the Royal Adelaide Hospital. 

Other key features of the New Women’s and Children’s Hospital include: 

• A dedicated helipad with direct access to critical clinical areas 

• Dedicated sterilisation facilities 

• Park Lands connectivity to assist families and enhance patient care 

This multi-billion-dollar project is on track to be completed by 2031. 

“This is an exciting phase in creating a hospital which supports the health and wellbeing of future generations. 

“I’m extremely grateful to the patients and staff who continue to give us their feedback and thoughts on the design and layout. Their dedication and input will ensure the new hospital is the right fit for our community and clinicians,” Women’s and Children’s Health network Acting Chief Executive Officer Dr James Rice said. 

Source: Government of South Australia – News; New Women’s and Children’s Hospital Project (1, 2)