Cranes rising at Warrnambool Base Hospital redevelopment to honour locals
Two cranes soaring above the Warrnambool Base Hospital redevelopment site have been named after local legends, celebrating their decades of contribution to their local health service.
Following a campaign led by South West Healthcare, the two cranes have been officially named ‘Carmel & Julieta’ and ‘Neville’. Recognising three passionate individuals who have made an impact to South West Healthcare and the Warrnambool community.
With major construction underway, the cranes mark the next steps in building the new multi-storey clinical services building. The cranes will help lift around 10,000 tonnes of materials into place for the almost $400 million project.
Locals honoured in Warrnambool skyline
Accessible transcript
[Images: Honouree Neville looks up at a crane bearing his name]
Neville: To see my name on the crane is a real honour.
[Images: Close up of honouree Carmel]
Carmel: It was very exciting to see my name up there.
[Images: Montage of Neville washing hospital fleet cars in a garage]
Neville: My role here as a volunteer is washing fleet cars and doing deliveries around town. I love doing it because everybody appreciates it.
[Images: Montage of Carmel working in the automated laundry facility, stacking clean linen, linen on an assembly line]
Carmel: As a laundry handler I may not be in the frontline with the patients, but I know that what I play is an important role.
[Images: Honouree Julieta talks to camera, Julieta and Carmel hug in front of an automated laundry stacking machine, aerial view of crane with Carmel and Julieta names on it]
Julieta: This is really big for me. I really love my life here.
[Images: Neville, Julieta and Carmel at the building site, aerial view of the construction site with two huge cranes]
Neville: I was born here, and the whole community can come here. Saves travel, and makes Warrnambool such a great place.
[Images: Project Director Lyndal Rolfe talks to camera]
Lyndal: We’re doubling the size of the emergency department, creating contemporary facilities for the local community – and all close to home.
[Images: A sliding transition screen then displays the Victorian Health Building Authority and Victoria State Government logos and the url vhba.vic.gov.au]
[End of transcript]
Meet the names behind the cranes
Carmel McLaren & Julieta Blain
Carmel McLaren joined South West Healthcare in 1984 and devoted 42 years of service as a laundry hand, playing an essential, behind-the-scenes role supporting day-to-day patient care.
Julieta Blain joined the linen services team in 1989 and worked alongside Carmel for decades, helping ensure wards and services had the linen supplies they needed. Their names are paired on one crane in recognition of their shared service.
Neville Hogan
Neville Hogan is a long-standing member of the South West Healthcare volunteer group, known by many for his positive attitude and generous nature. For more than a decade, he has dedicated his time to helping maintain the hospital’s fleet cars and delivered medical supplies to members of the community.
Locals will soon see these names proudly displayed high above the site as a tribute to these local legends.
Works on the site are ramping up, and the new multi-storey clinical services building will soon start to take shape.
Find out more about the Warrnambool Base Hospital redevelopment.
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