Frankston Hospital redevelopment - Newsletter #3 | November 2023
Welcome to our spring/summer Frankston Hospital redevelopment project newsletter!
Crane named after Pink Ladies volunteers
Longstanding volunteer group, the Pink Ladies, has had a tower crane named after them.
'Pinkies' the tower crane, can be found on the Frankston Hospital redevelopment site.
The Pink Ladies Auxiliary is Peninsula Health's longest-running volunteer group. Since 1968, the Pinkies have raised over $10 million for Frankston Hospital.
They've volunteered countless hours and have been a constant presence at the hospital.
New Melton Hospital - Djerriwarrh Festival pop up November 2023
Djerriwarrh Festival pop up November 2023
Accessible video transcript
Text on screen: Thanks for having us Melton
Images: Montage of crowds walking through the Festival, a staff member making bubbles and a small child holding balloons
Text on screen: It was great to meet with you at the Djerriwarrh Festival and talk about the new Melton Hospital
Images: various Melton Hospital team members chat to members of the public at the information booth
Text on screen: Once completed, Melton Hospital will have the capacity to treat 130,000 patients each year and see almost 60,000 patients in the emergency department Images: groups of children playing at the information stall’s activity table, and putting on kid’s sized hi-vis safety vests
Text on screen: Construction is starting in 2024 and your new hospital will open in 2029
Images: an artist impression of the completed Melton Hospital
Images: A white screen appears stating ‘in partnership with’ and the logo for Western Health. A sliding transition screen then displays the Victorian Health Building Authority and Victoria State Government logos and the url vhba.vic.gov.
End of transcript.
About the new Melton Hospital
The new Melton Hospital will be Victoria’s first fully electric hospital. It will treat more than 130,000 patients each year, including:
- a 24-hour emergency department
- an intensive care unit
- more than 274 beds.
The new Melton Hospital is being delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority in partnership with Western Health.
Learn more about the new Melton Hospital.
Community members were invited to come along to the Djerriwarrh Festival and visit the new Melton Hospital stall.
About the event
The pop up stall was an opportunity for you to:
- chat to us about the progress of the new Melton Hospital
- learn more about what’s being delivered
- grab a copy of the community consultation report which includes ideas, visions and priorities for the new Melton Hospital
- join in on some kids’ activities
- ask any questions.
If you missed the event you can watch our recap video below.
VHBA In Brief: November 2023
Welcome to VHBA In Brief
Welcome to the latest Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) newsletter, VHBA In Brief.
In this issue, find out about our latest project milestones and explore:
- Sunshine Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre complete
- Frankston Hospital redevelopment crane honours volunteers
- Wyndham Early Parenting Centre complete.
Subscribe to our mailing list to keep up to date on our announcements and project updates.
Sunshine Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre now complete
Take a look at the new state-of-the-art centre at Western Health's Sunshine Hospital in St Albans.
The new mental health facility will allow residents of Melbourne's western suburbs to access acute mental health treatment in a modern and safe setting.
The multi-million-dollar project was funded through the $801 million Mental Health Beds Expansion Program.
The centre was designed in consultation with people with lived experience of the mental health system.
The new 52-bed centre was recently completed
Accessible transcript
Text on screen: A new 52-bed acute mental health facility, the Sunshine Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre, has been completed at Western Health’s Sunshine Hospital in St Albans
Images: a montage of the completed rooms at the new facility
Text on screen: Built using a modular construction solution, where the units were completed off-site and installed later
Images: footage of construction work being completed
Text on screen: the new centre will reduce pressure on Sunshine Hospital’s busy emergency department Images: aerial footage of the hospital emergency department exterior
Text on screen: Take a look inside. The state-of-the-art new facility features treatment and multi-purpose rooms, staff and family lounge with internal courtyard and garden areas. It has been designed to provide a safe, welcoming and healing environment. On track to welcome patients in coming weeks, the Sunshine Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre will provide more than 18,900 days of care to an estimated 1,153 people each year.
Images: a montage of the completed rooms at the new facility Images: A sliding transition screen displays the Victorian Health Building Authority and Victoria State Government logos and the web address vhba.vic.gov.au
End of transcript.
In the spotlight
Crane named after Frankston Hospital Pink Ladies volunteers
A tower crane being used in the Frankston Hospital redevelopment has been named 'Pinkies' after longstanding volunteer group - the Pink Ladies.
The Pink Ladies Auxiliary is Peninsula Health's longest-running volunteer group. Since 1968, the Pinkies have raised over $10 million for Frankston Hospital.
Now the group's name is high on a tower crane in Frankston's skyline, in celebration of every members' contribution.
The Pink Ladies talk about being honoured for their work.
Accessible transcript
Text on screen: Since 1968, the Pink Ladies volunteers have raised over $10 million for Peninsula Health.
Images: aerial footage of the hospital construction
Text on screen: A crane on the site of the Frankston Hospital redevelopment has been named ‘Pinkies’ in their honour.
Images: volunteers preparing sandwiches at the hospital café; Carole Thwaites, President Pink Ladies is interviewed; footage of volunteers at the hospital cafe
Voiceover: We are really well known for our sandwiches. You get quite a good serving. When I come in, I come down the hill and it's all dark. First thing we do isn't that we open up at seven o'clock and uh, it's still dark at this time of the year anyway. Then you get the nurses coming in, the doctors are coming in and it, it starts to buzz. It's such a busy hospital.
Images: Fiona Reed, Executive Director, Nursing and Midwifery is interviewed
Voiceover: We've been really fortunate to have the Pink Ladies as part of the fabric, with Peninsula Health.
Images: a portrait of Edna Vincent, Founder, Pink Ladies; a framed newspaper clipping of the Pinkies; the Pink Ladies putting on pink hard hats
Voiceover: We've handed over lots of money over the years. I think it's just under $11 million has been raised during that time.
Text on screen: The Pink Ladies recently raised $100,000 for an ultrasound simulator for the hospital’s ICU
Images: Dr Kavi Haji, Director, Intensive Care Unit, is interviewed; footage of the Pink Ladies walking through the hospital; footage of volunteers working in the hospital cafe
Voiceover: Ultrasound and echocardiography, which is ultrasound of the heart, having it at the bedside, it takes the guess away. It becomes more certain what I'm dealing with. Here the Pink Ladies gift comes into place. With that donation, we were able to purchase an ultrasound simulator, an invaluable resource for our doctors and nurses so that when they go and they perform the assessment on the patient, they do it with confidence and accurately.
Text on screen: The Pink Ladies have committed annual funding for a research role
Images: Fiona Reed, Executive Director, Nursing and Midwifery is interviewed; footage of volunteers working in the hospital cafe
Voiceover: We really wanted to work with the Pink Ladies to look at how we can really support our workforce, and this position will be a joint position with Peninsula Health and Monash University, and we wouldn't be able to recruit to it without the financial support from the Pink Ladies. With it being nursing and midwifery research, it's about boarding capability and research capacity across the network.
Images: Carole Thwaites, President Pink Ladies is interviewed; footage of volunteers at the hospital café; Karen Scott, Vice President Pink Ladies is interviewed; footage of a ‘Pinkies the crane’ sign
Voiceover: A lady came down and she looked a bit sad and the tears are just rolling down her face. She couldn't talk. She was losing her mother at the time. I just stopped and I just went round, put moms around her and uh, she just needed some sort of comfort. And, you know, about three hours later she came down specifically to see me, and thanked me for just giving her that little bit of support. It's a special thing and it makes everything worthwhile. And that's what the girls do. They just love to chat to people. They might chat too long sometimes. Sometimes, yeah. We're just so happy having that crane named after us. It was a bit of a surprise, as I'd never heard of it before. No, no. But then I googled it and I, yeah, it's a bit of an honour.
Images: Dr Kavi Haji, Director, Intensive Care Unit, is interviewed; footage of the Pink Ladies walking through the hospital
Voiceover: Well, it's an acknowledgement, showing appreciation. They're volunteers, they do it out of the goodness of their heart. Images: Carole Thwaites, President, Pink Ladies, and Karen Scott Vice President, Pink Ladies are interviewed
Voiceover: We're way up there now, aren't we, Karen? Yeah. It really is an honour. It really is.
Images: aerial footage of hospital construction; Dr Kavi Haji, Director, Intensive Care Unit, is interviewed
Voiceover: The redevelopment of Frankston Hospital is a massive step.
Images: Fiona Reed, Executive Director, Nursing and Midwifery is interviewed
Voiceover: It ticks all the boxes to support our community.
Images: aerial footage of hospital construction; Dr Kavi Haji, Director, Intensive Care Unit, is interviewed
Voiceover: We have a big catchment area. This is very important for the people of Mornington Peninsula.
Images: Carole Thwaites, President, Pink Ladies, and Karen Scott Vice President, Pink Ladies are interviewed
Voiceover: Some people have even told me they come down just to buy a sandwich. I would recommend grabbing a sandwich on the way out.
Images: A screen displays ‘in partnership with Peninsula Health and Exemplar Health’. A sliding transition screen then displays the Victorian Health Building Authority and Victoria State Government logos and the web address vhba.vic.gov.au
End of transcript.
Wyndham Early Parenting Centre construction complete
Families in Wyndham and surrounding communities will soon be able to access specialised support to care for their little ones.
Construction is complete on the Wyndham Early Parenting Centre.
At the centres, parents and caregivers of babies or children under four years can receive extra support, including with building parenting capacity and skills.
The early parenting centres expansion and upgrade program is delivering upgrades to two existing EPCs, as well as building nine new EPCs. The centres will be in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Look inside the brand-new, multi-million-dollar Wyndham Early Parenting Centre.
Accessible transcript
Text on screen: Construction is complete on the new, multi-million dollar Wyndham Early Parenting Centre
Images: aerial footage of the completed centre seen in its suburban setting, and from directly above
Text on screen: It is the first of nine new Early Parenting Centres to open its doors in Victoria Images: front entry of the building with sign directing to reception, deliveries and car parking
Text on screen: Take a look inside Images: a child’s wooden block train on a tabletop
Text on screen: Early Parenting centres support parents and caregivers with babies and toddlers from 0-4 years old
Images: view past reception base down corridor to consulting rooms, followed by close-up of sign reading ‘pram parking’
Text on screen: The centres help build parenting skills, from enhancing parent-child relationships to providing support with:
Images: large meeting room with artwork across several wall spaces, a large screen, chairs and children’s play activity equipment.
On screen text reads ‘Artwork by Kobi Sainty’
Text on screen: sleep, settling or feeding; bonding, developmental milestones, adjusting to parenthood and building parenting skills
Images: child’s bedroom with cot and feeding chair; close-up of activity play equipment in a meeting room; outdoor playground equipment and various couches with child’s table setting and toy train plus onscreen text ‘Artwork by Kobi Sainty’
Images: aerial footage of the new centre in its suburban setting
Images: A sliding transition screen displays the Victorian Health Building Authority and Victoria State Government logos and the text ‘learn more at vhba.vic.gov.au’
End of transcript.
Project pulse
See our latest project updates and milestones for:
In case you missed it
Procurement
Recently published:
- Parkville Arden Project: Materials Handling Building (MHB) Decommissioning & Demolition
- Bentleigh East Ambulance Station - EOI Works Contractor
- Barwon Women's and Children's - Work packages
We encourage suppliers to register on Buying for Victoria (tenders.vic.gov.au) and the Industry Capability Network to view VHBA offers to supply.
Find out more about VHBA procurement.
Careers
Help shape the future of healthcare in Victoria by pursuing a career with the Victorian Health Building Authority:
- Principal Adviser (VPSG6)
- Senior Project Manager (VPSG6)
Find out more or apply on the Careers Vic website.
Subscribe to stay up-to-date

Keep up with our announcements on health, mental health and aged care projects by signing up to our online newsletters.
Frankston Hospital redevelopment: Market pop-ups November 2023
About the Frankston Hospital redevelopment
The Victorian Government is delivering a $1.1 billion redevelopment of Frankston Hospital. This is the largest ever health infrastructure investment in Melbourne’s south-east.
The redevelopment will transform services at the hospital, delivering:
- a new tower with 12 levels of clinical services and main entrance
- 130 more beds
- new spaces for mental health and oncology services
- 15 new operating theatres.
Community members were invited to come along to our local market pop-up sessions in Frankston and Mornington.
About these pop-ups
These pop-ups were an opportunity to:
- chat to us about construction and what’s being delivered
- see images of the designs
- grab a copy of the latest project newsletter
- pick up a kids' mini colouring book and high-vis vest
- ask a question.
The markets were free to attend, and no registration was required.
Barwon Women’s and Children’s survey now closed
Please note: the community survey on the Barwon Women's and Children's is now closed.
The Victorian Government has committed more than $500 million to deliver new and expanded women’s and children’s facilities in Geelong.
While we are planning for the new Barwon Women’s and Children’s, we want to hear from you.
Your input can help shape key areas of planning and design, including:
- patient and family experience
- family and outdoor spaces
- accessibility
- wayfinding.