Mackay Base Hospital Expansion masterplan released

The Queensland Government’s newly unveiled Mackay Base Hospital Expansion is delivering health services when Queenslanders need them with a new birthing centre, additional hospital beds and an expanded emergency department.

The Stage 1 expansion, due to begin construction in 2027, will deliver:

  • At least 128 new overnight beds
  • Expanded emergency, maternity, birthing, surgical, endoscopy, neonatal and paediatric services
  • A new Mackay Birth Centre
  • More than 1,000 new car parks
  • A rooftop helipad.

Mackay Hospital Expansion Project Principal Project Officer Kayla Nel says the project will benefit patients and staff alikeMackay Hospital Expansion Project Principal Project Officer Kayla Nel says the project will benefit patients and staff alike

Mackay Hospital and Health Service Chief Executive Sean Bergen said the expansion would help the hospital better manage demand from patients across Mackay, Isaac and the Whitsundays.

“This expansion will continue to position us as a regional centre of excellence here in Queensland,” Mr Bergen said.

Mr Bergen said he was incredibly proud his staff helped shape the masterplan, marking priority areas for improvement such as the entrance to the emergency department a priority area.

“We see a lot of kids through the emergency department in regional centres. We have both combined adult and a paediatric facility so the front end that is part of this Mackay Hospital Expansion Project will see a much more community-friendly and accessible entryway into the emergency department,” he said.

Mackay Hospital Expansion Project Principal Project Officer Kayla Nel said the major project would see changes that benefit patients and staff.

“It's a really exciting opportunity to make sure that we've considered our community's needs into the future,” Ms Nel said.

“We’ve factored in growth, and all of the important things that go into the background of expanding a hospital, to make sure that we are building a functional space.”

Junior Doctor Abdul Rawther was extremely pleased about the plans for the future of Mackay Base Hospital.

“It's good to see that there is a commitment in providing funding and expansion of the health infrastructure to not just in Mackay, but in North Queensland in general,” Dr Rawther said.

“I think having more funding and more focus on regional communities is the best way to go.”

Dr Rawther said the masterplan would provide more space for patients that he and his colleagues were seeing.

“Having good quality services and infrastructure can be encouraging to the workforce and that can also spread word like “this is a very lovely place to be in”, and the future of Mackay is fairly bright,” he said.

More information about the Mackay Hospital Expansion is available here.

Last updated:
31 August 2026