New Footscray Hospital Project Newsletter #12 | Dec 2025

Major construction on the more than $1.5 billion new Footscray Hospital is almost finished! Soon the new hospital will be formally handed over to Western Health ahead of the first patients being welcomed on 18 February 2026, marking a once-in-a-generation milestone for Melbourne's west.

With its striking exterior standing proudly on the corner of Geelong and Ballarat Roads, the new Footscray Hospital is one of Victoria’s largest ever health infrastructure projects and a symbol of the west’s growth, resilience and future.

Since construction first began in 2021, the site has been a city within a city – home to 10 tower cranes, 1,500 workers a day at the peak, and more than 7.1 million total hours of work to bring the vision to life.

The result is a world-class hospital that will deliver better care, more capacity and modern facilities for generations to come. The new hospital will replace the current Footscray Hospital and once fully operational it will provide more than 500 beds, expanded emergency and mental health services, and a purpose-built education and research precinct.

This is more than just a hospital building – it’s a legacy project that will transform healthcare in Melbourne’s west and create new opportunities for the community it serves.

Let’s take a look at your new Footscray Hospital.

Please remember, the new hospital won’t open until early 2026. The existing Footscray Hospital on Gordon Street will continue to operate until then. In an emergency, always call 000.

What’s next?

Soon the hospital will be formally handed over to Western Health and the first patients will be welcomed in February 2026.

Here are some of the ways Western Health has been getting ready for the move:

4,500 staff are being trained and are learning to use the new hospital’s advanced features and technologies.
Around 200 specialised staff are participating in clinical simulation exercises to test critical care processes in the new hospital.
Over 400 patient care spaces – from consulting rooms to intensive care areas – are being carefully stocked and prepared to create safe, welcoming and well-equipped environments for patients.

Behind the build

Major construction started in 2021. Over the last five years, the project has had:

8,600+ different people work on it
7.1 million hours worked
1,500 workers on-site a day
150,000+ tonnes of concrete installed
10 tower cranes on-site – the highest number of cranes on an individual site in Australia
10,000 doors installed
55,000 plants and 320 trees planted
1250km of data cable installed – which is the distance from Melbourne to Brisbane.

Did you know?

To build the new hospital, it was necessary to farewell some remnants of history on the site.

The hospital has taken inspiration from the colours, textures, materials and stories of the homes and the people who once lived here.

We’ve reused heritage materials from the houses including bricks, bluestone and even pressed metal ceilings. You’ll see the bricks and bluestone in the central green space and footpaths!

Heritage buildings inspired the new Footscray Hospital design

Seating at the hospital inspired by heritage details

Architecture spotlight - Designing a hospital for and of the community

When architecture practices Billard Leece Partnership and COX took on the design of the new hospital, they knew it had to be more than just a place for healthcare.

Unique interiors at new Footscray Hospital

Main entrance off Ballarat Road

'A hospital for the community was the starting point, but we now see the new hospital as part of its community. It’s designed not only as a place simply to go to when you’re unwell; it’s a place to go to when you’re well too.
The community will be able to come and enjoy the hospital as a public place in their everyday lives.'
Patrick Ness and Paul Curry, Cox

Welcoming green space with rocks and plants

Central green space at the new Footscray Hospital

'We drew inspiration from Footscray’s cultural identity, its markets, homes, textiles and diverse communities.
We wanted everyone to feel a sense of welcome and calm when they arrive. The concept of a ‘central green space’ at the heart of the hospital anchored the vision.'
Mark Mitchell and Allison Jessup, Billard Leece Partnership

Designed sustainably

Sustainability was a key design principle, with the project targeting a 5 Star Green Star rating.

The hospital has been designed to enable future electrification.

Fun fact 1:

More than 1,500 solar panels have been installed, taking up 60% of the roof surface, with the ability to produce 840kW electricity at its peak (a normal household typically uses between 0.02kW and 2kW at any given moment).

Fun fact 2:

Water conservation includes an extensive rainwater collection system, allowing the site to reuse 90 per cent of rain that falls on the roof. This water will help with cooling the buildings, watering green spaces and for toilet flushing!

Fun fact 3:

500+ bicycle parking spaces for staff and 50+ for visitors, with great connectivity to public transport and bike paths.

Slide to Navigate

New Footscray Hospital throughout the years

A construction site made up of mostly dirt

2021 (we've come a long way!)

A construction site with many tower cranes

New Footscray Hospital in 2023

New Footscray Hospital in 2025

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Western Health staff highlight

Kate Cranwell, Divisional Director for new Footscray Hospital Operations Readiness, Western Health

Kate works with a team of Operations Readiness Leads who each work with clinical departments, such as emergency, intensive care and medical imaging, to ensure they’re prepared for the transition.

'The transition into the new hospital is about more than just the move. Each clinical team needs to understand how to use the new technology and equipment, and their ways-of-working so they can get the most out of the new building,' Kate says.

Readiness activities are underway, including stocking, set-up, equipment testing, and operational simulation of technology and workflows.

Inside the medical imaging area

The medical imaging department at the new Footscray Hospital includes:

three Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines
two Computed Tomography (CT) scanners
a Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT)-CT scanner
a Positron Emission Tomography (PET)-CT scanner
two fluoroscopy machines
three X-ray machines.

'This isn't just a bigger department – it’s a complete transformation,' says Renee Mineo, Medical Imaging Operations Readiness Lead – Western Health. 'We’ll be working with some of the most advanced imaging technology available in Australia.'

Get to know your new locals

The hospital precinct will include over 9,000sqm of retail, commercial, and specialist health offerings. These spaces are currently being fitted out and are expected to be available to the public when the hospital opens in February 2026.

Cafes

Milk & Moss

Offering take-away, dine-in and catering options, with an indoor dining area and outdoor seating. Beans from: Code Black roasters.

The Little Social powered by Youth Projects

The Little Social is a social enterprise cafe powered by Youth Projects.

The cafe will provide at-risk young people with hands-on support, confidence-building and work experience. All profits are reinvested into Youth Projects’ programs.

Offering: A curated breakfast, lunch and drinks menu.
Beans from: Reverence Coffee roasters.

Zuppa

Offering: Healthy fast food located next to a large outdoor public terrace with views over Footscray Park and the CBD. Also includes a seating area for staff. Beans from: Rosso roasters.

Zuppa kiosk

Offering: Grab-and-go meals, salads, hot bowls, drinks, ice-creams and coffee. Beans from: Rosso roasters.

Mavis & Rome

Offering: Great coffee and grab-and-go meals. Fun fact: Named after the Footscray Hospital’s famed first nursing director, Matron Mavis Mitchell. Beans from: Code Black roasters.

Frankie

Offering: Great coffee, fast, healthy takeaway options and pastries.

Alleyway Kitchen

Offering: classic Chinese dishes and Taiwanese street food.

Shuji Sushi

Offering: Japanese cuisine, including hot bowls and noodles, bento boxes, ramen and sushi.

Lifestyle

Stores

HealthSmart Pharmacy
Footscray Hospital Gift Store
The General Store
Op-Shop – run by volunteers, with proceeds going to the Western Health Foundation

Clinics – Tiernan Street building

General Practice
Dental
Pathology
Cosmetic
Medical Imaging
Vascular

Vive – Healthclub

Offering: Performance and cardio zones, a weight and rack zone, and a recovery zone featuring a magnesium hot tub, sauna, cold plunge, wellness consultation rooms and fuel bar. Kool Beanz x Western Bulldogs – childcare centre

Kool Beanz x Western Bulldogs - childcare centre

Offering: A childcare centre providing care for up to 90 children of hospital workers and the local community. A partnership between the Western Bulldogs AFL club and childcare provider, Kool Beanz, kids will enjoy running around a mini footy field play area.

Community centre

Located on the ground level, off the central green space, the community centre is a multi-purpose bookable space that will be available to Western Health staff, volunteers and local community groups.

Capacity:

seating: 150 (max)
standing: 180 (max)

Urgent Care Services

If you need urgent healthcare now, but it's not life-threatening, get free help faster with Victoria's Urgent Care Services.

Nurse-on-Call

For when you want to speak to a nurse over the phone or are unsure of what kind of medical help you need.

free, 24/7
call 1300 60 60 24

Virtual Emergency Care

For when you want to be seen by an emergency doctor or nurse. Video call from home or anywhere using a computer, tablet or mobile phone.

delivered by the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department
free 24/7 video call

Maribyrnong Medicare Urgent Care Clinic

For when you need to be seen by an urgent care doctor or nurse in person.

31 Edgewater Boulevard, Maribyrnong
free, walk-in service
open 7 days, early to late

You do not need an appointment, Medicare card or GP referral to use these services. And there's no waiting in a hospital emergency department.

Find out more by visiting the Victorian Urgent Care website.

Tapestry update

A woman and man stand proudly in a building foyer

Artists Maree Clarke and Mitch Mahoney.

Now complete, the beautiful tapestry designed by renowned artists Maree Clarke (Yorta Yorta/Wamba Wamba/Mutti Mutti/Boonwurrung) and Mitch Mahoney (Boonwurrung/Barkindji) has founds its permanent home in the hospital’s main entry.

The design incorporates microscopic images of river reeds from the Maribyrnong River and skeletal drawings of local native flora and fauna. The designers worked with master weavers from the Australian Tapestry Workshop.

The three-dimensional tapestry spanning 4.2 x 10 metres, is one of the largest tapestries ever produced for a public hospital in Victoria.

Fun facts:

all Australian Tapestry Workshop tapestries are woven using wool yarns which are mothproofed as part of the dyeing process.
the tapestry will have annual inspections and a careful surface vacuum by textile experts or conservators every two years.

What’s inside your new Footscray Hospital time capsule?

A time capsule was buried in the landscaping at the new Footscray Hospital, capturing the memories, stories and spirit of Melbourne’s west for future generations to discover. The items included capture voices from Western Health staff, the community and project partners. The time capsule will be opened in 2050.

Some of the items inside the time capsule:

original Footscray Hospital blueprints and an early architectural hand drawing of the new hospital
historical photos of Western Health staff and the original hospital
a 2025 coin
Western Bulldogs lanyard
memorabilia from the nurses group who trained under Mavis Mitchell
Western Health volunteer pin.
a letter from Prof. Russell Harrison, CEO Western Health
the first new Footscray Hospital community newsletter.

Finally, a thank you …

On behalf of the Victorian Health Building Authority, the Plenary Health consortium and Western Health, we wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s been part of bringing the new hospital to life. From the thousands of workers who built it, to the residents, businesses and commuters who’ve lived alongside construction over the past five years.

Your patience, hard work and support have helped deliver this massive project that will serve Melbourne’s west for decades to come.

Contact us

contact the project hotline (03) 9999 1985
email the project team
visit the project website
follow us on Facebook

Acknowledgement of country

We acknowledge the Wurundjeri People as the Traditional Owners of the lands of the new Footscray Hospital and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.