Victoria’s Northern Hospital is set for a major rebuild. The state government committed $813 million in its 2024-25 Budget to deliver a new emergency department and inpatient tower at the Epping facility, with construction expected to start in 2025 and completion targeted for 2029.

The project sits within a broader $1.6 billion investment across three of Melbourne’s busiest hospitals: a $535 million redevelopment of Monash Medical Centre and a $275 million expansion of Austin Hospital’s emergency department round out the program. The Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) is overseeing delivery across all three, according to its published project scope.

The Northern Hospital emergency department will include a dedicated paediatrics treatment zone, an alcohol and other drugs hub, and an acute behaviour treatment space. Emergency treatment spaces at the site will rise to almost 200 once works are complete. A separate $320 million Hospital Infrastructure Delivery Fund is also funding planning for seven additional major hospital projects across the state.

For tradies working in Melbourne’s north, the workload is concrete. Concreters and formworkers, mechanical and electrical contractors, plumbers and fit-out specialists all have a role across a four-year build at this scale. The concurrent Monash and Austin projects mean labour demand is stacking up simultaneously across the north and south-east, electricians with health-sector construction experience can expect to be in particularly high demand given project timelines.

Nationally, that pressure is already showing. Infrastructure Partnerships Australia warns that labour demand for major infrastructure projects is forecast to rise 50 per cent by 2026, with Victoria singled out as particularly exposed given the number of hospital megaprojects running at the same time.

Three hospital redevelopments totalling $1.6 billion in one state means sub-contracting pipelines that’ll stay open for years. Watching VHBA tender notices is the practical next step for any trade business looking to get on the list.

Frequently asked questions

When does construction on Northern Hospital start and finish?

Construction is expected to start in 2025, with completion targeted for 2029.

Which other Melbourne hospitals are part of the same program?

The $1.6 billion program also includes a $535 million redevelopment of Monash Medical Centre and a $275 million expansion of Austin Hospital’s emergency department.

Who is managing the Northern Hospital expansion?

The Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) is overseeing delivery of all three hospital projects.

How do tradies find out about subcontracting work on these projects?

The VHBA publishes tender notices on its website, which is the recommended starting point for trade businesses looking to get on the supply chain.

Sourced from Victorian Health Building Authority, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia. Original article.