The Townsville University Hospital Expansion project will add an additional 143 beds to the existing facility.
The project’s scope of works includes construction of an eight-storey building for rehabilitation and surgery services, comprising:
- an additional 143-bed capacity
- 330 additional staff carparks
- acute and rehabilitation inpatient units
- operating theatres
- medical imaging, and
- a new helipad on level eight of the building.
The project aims to address growing demand for health services throughout the region and maintain health care for a growing population.
Key Dates
| Sep 2020 | Project Announcement |
| Oct 2022 | EOIs Open |
| Nov 2022 | EOIs Close |
| Jun 2023 | Contract Award |
| Mar 2024 | Construction Commencement |
| 2029 | Expected Construction Completion |
Funding contributions
| Queensland Government |
Procurement
| Procuring Agency: | Queensland Health |
| Successful Tenderer: | BESIX Watpac |
| Procurement note: | The project is being procured as a part of the Queensland Government's Capacity Expansion Project (CEP). The CEP will deliver $9.8 billion worth of new and upgraded hospitals across 15 separate projects. CEP projects are being procured using a Pre-Qualified Panel model. Under the model, interested parties submit EOIs outlinining the list of projects or ‘bundles of projects’ they wish to participate in. Contractors successfully appointed to the panel will then be selected to participate in a Request for Tenders phase for particular projects, or packages of projects. The Project will be delivered under a two-stage Managing Contractor model, with Stage One including design works and Stage Two including a separate main works delivery contract. |
| Related contracts: |
PROJECT HISTORY
| Jun 2022 | The project was confirmed as having been funded through the Capacity Expansion Program. |
| Oct 2022 | Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to join a prequalified panel to deliver Capacity Expansion Program projects was released. |
| Jun 2023 | The Queensland Government announced that BESIX Watpac has been awarded the contract for the project. |
| Oct 2023 | Turner & Townsend was awarded the Project Management contract for the project. |
| Mar 2024 | The Queensland Government announced the commencement of early works, comprising the delivery of a temporary helipad and 330 additional staff carparks. |
| Apr 2025 | The Queensland Government released its Hospital Rescue Plan and response to the 42 recommendations made by the Independent Review of Queensland Health’s Capacity Expansion Program. The Review recommended pausing early site works and engaging with the Stage One contractor - BESIX Watpac - to review the project. In response, the Government accepted the recommendation and committed to further design review and potential rescoping as outlined in the Rescue Plan. The Review also confirmed the project's total estimated cost has increased from $530 million to $1 billion, and the project's expected completion date has been delayed from 2026 to Q1 2029. |
