Mackay Base Hospital $250 million expansion to deliver 128 additional beds

• $250 million project will see an additional 128 extra beds for Mackay Base Hospital.
• In a win for families, the Women’s Health Unit and the Child and Adolescent Unit will also move into the new wards.
• The expansion will create 610 jobs, with construction to conclude at the end of 2026.

The Miles Government has today celebrated the start of construction on a major hospital expansion in Mackay.

It’s one of 11 hospital expansions being delivered under the biggest hospital build in Queensland’s history.

The $250 million Mackay Base Hospital expansion will deliver an additional 128 beds, new birth suites and womens and children’s health units, to help relieve hospital pressures and improve patient care for the region.

The additional 128 beds will be rolled out across paediatric, medical, and surgical wards.

New birth suites will also be located on the same level as the surgical department, ensuring a smoother transition of care for mothers and newborns.

The Women’s Health Unit and the Child and Adolescent Unit will move into the new contemporary wards when the hospital expansion opens in the second half of 2026

Initial site works began in February 2024, and included upgrades to essential services such as water and sewerage, as well as site clearing.

The Mackay Base Hospital Expansion project will create 610 local construction jobs.

Planning is also under way for the multi-deck car park at the hospital to support the expansion.

Quotes attributable to the Premier, Steven Miles:

“Queenslanders deserve to have access to quality care in their communities, which is why my government is delivering the biggest hospital build on record.

“In Mackay, our $250 million investment will give locals more access to hospital beds, as well as better treatment spaces across a range of important wards.

“And, the expansion will generate hundreds of good local jobs and training opportunities for the region.

“The 128 extra beds for Mackay are just some of the 3,300 being delivered by our government. An extra 239 beds are set to be delivered this year alone.” 

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services and Minister for Women, Shannon Fentiman:

“We know just how much this significant investment will mean for this growing community.

“Once completed, the additional 128 beds at the Mackay Base Hospital, will help meet rising demand for healthcare and improve the flow of patients from the emergency department into the wards.

“This is a major boost for regional healthcare and will provide residents of Mackay and surrounding areas access to additional health services closer to home.

“Furthermore, our invaluable frontline health workers will be supported by state-of-the-art facilities and technologies, allowing us to attract and retain the best and brightest staff.

Quotes attributable to the Chief Executive of Mackay Hospital and Health Service, Susan Gannon:

“It’s fantastic to see work on this major expansion of Mackay Base Hospital under way.

“We have been in the planning stage for some months so it’s good for staff and our community to know the much-anticipated expansion is happening.

“The existing facility has served us well for decades, but as our community continues to grow it’s imperative that our hospital grows with it.

“Fortunately, this hospital was future-proofed when it was constructed, and we had allocated space for this anticipated growth.”

ENDS