South Australians are getting their first look inside the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital, with fresh flyover footage offering an early preview as construction of the hospital’s large car park moves closer to completion.
The flyover, released this week, shows interior spaces for the first time and comes as work continues on the eight-storey car park, which is now around three quarters complete. Construction is currently underway on level seven, marking a visible step forward on one of the project’s early structures.
Once finished, the car park will provide around 1,300 spaces, almost 40 per cent more than the 940 spaces available at the existing hospital. The increase is intended to ease access for families, patients and staff, particularly during busy periods.
Alongside the progress on site, the project has reached another planning milestone with the start of schematic design. This phase includes the onboarding of new clinical advisers across a wide range of services, including women’s and babies care, surgical services, paediatric medicine, child and adolescent mental health services, and sub-acute and allied health.
The focus of this stage is on how the hospital will function day to day. Design work is examining patient flows, the layout of departments, and where equipment and technology will be placed. Engagement with staff is expected to continue throughout the process, with clinical service planning and models of care shaping how spaces are configured.
Construction on the main hospital building is scheduled to begin later this year, starting with inground and structural works. The project remains on track for completion in 2031.
When finished, the new hospital will include 414 overnight beds, an increase of 56 compared with the current facility. The site has also been planned with future growth in mind, allowing capacity for up to 20 additional beds if required. Overall, the development is designed to provide around 25 per cent more capacity, supported by a larger emergency department and an intensive care unit for women located alongside the paediatric ICU.
Surgical capacity will also expand, with five additional operating theatres planned. All theatres will be larger than those at the existing hospital. Oncology services are set to grow, with overnight beds doubling from nine to 18.
Neonatal services are a central feature of the new design. The unit will include five additional cots and move to single rooms throughout, replacing shared cot spaces. These rooms will be larger, aiming to provide a more comfortable environment for families, particularly during longer stays.
The neonatal intensive care unit has been designed to support parents staying overnight with their babies, offer greater privacy during breastfeeding, and reduce noise. Access to natural light and external views has been incorporated, along with adjoining rooms to support families with multiple births. Plans also include an outdoor space where babies and families can spend time outside in a clinically equipped and secure setting.
Design elements such as floor layout and glazing are intended to support clear lines of sight for staff, while dedicated visitor lifts will separate public access from clinical areas to improve movement through the building.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said the release of the flyover footage marked an encouraging moment for the project. He said the car park’s progress was giving the community a clearer sense of what the new hospital will offer once completed, adding that the development was being planned with long-term needs in mind.
Acting Women’s and Children’s Health Network chief executive Rachael Yates said the project was entering an important phase, with the design reflecting extensive engagement with staff and consumers. She noted that larger, individual rooms were intended to support families during difficult periods, while also allowing space for private moments of connection and care.
Lendlease executive general manager Ben Symons said progress on the car park and the move into schematic design reflected growing momentum on the project. He said the construction team was focused on preparing for the next stage as work on the main hospital building approaches.
The flyover footage of the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital is now available to view online, offering a glimpse of how the long-planned facility is beginning to take shape.
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