Major construction starts on $585m Melton Hospital

The facility is expected to treat up to 130,000 patients annually.

Major construction has started on the new $585m (A$900m) Melton Hospital in Victoria, Australia.

Work over the next six months will include excavation, trenching for in-ground services, piling and retaining wall construction, pouring of concrete footings and ground slabs, and installation of the first tower crane.

The hospital will have the capacity for at least 274 beds and is expected to treat up to 130,000 patients annually.

The upcoming facility will include a 24-hour emergency department capable of handling nearly 60,000 patients each year.

It will also feature an intensive care unit, mental health services, maternity and neonatal care, radiology, outpatient services, and spaces dedicated to teaching, training, and research.

The project is expected to be completed by 2029.

A$1 = $0.65