The Nationals candidate for Murray Plains, Brett Hosking, has announced when elected a Liberals and Nationals government will transfer the former Echuca South Primary School site to the hospital.
ERH chairperson Stacy Williams said the hospital “maintains its longstanding interest in the site as a potential community services hub”.
Mr Hosking said the McKenzie Street site would provide a central location for ERH's community services staff, bringing services together under one roof and freeing up valuable space at the existing hospital campus for future medical expansion.
“This is an opportunity to make better use of a significant public asset while planning for the future health needs of Echuca and district,” Mr Hosking said.
“Bringing community services together in one location will make it easier for residents to access the support they need, while allowing Echuca Regional Health to plan for the continued growth of its clinical services.”
Mr Hosking said since the new Echuca hospital opened in 2014, the population in the twin towns had increased by around 6000 people and was showing no sign of slowing down.
The former Echuca South Primary School closed in 2017 and has remained largely unused since, apart from a period during Covid, when ERH used it as a drive-through vaccination hub.
Mr Hosking said the land's location, close to existing health infrastructure, makes it an ideal site for a dedicated community services hub.
“Regional health services are under increasing pressure from population growth, an ageing community and growing demand for medical and allied health care,” he said.
“We need to be thinking ahead, not waiting until our hospital runs out of room before looking for solutions.”
Mr Hosking said the proposed transfer would retain the land in public ownership and allow ERH to undertake master planning for the future development of the site.
The initial land transfer would involve no immediate capital construction cost, with development to be considered through future funding processes.
“This is about making the most of the land and infrastructure we already have, rather than facing the expense of trying to secure suitable land years down the track,” Mr Hosking said.
“By relocating community services to a purpose-planned facility, we can improve access for patients and create much-needed opportunities for the expansion of medical services at the existing hospital.”
Mr Hosking said the former school site has served generations of Echuca families and should continue to deliver benefits to the community.
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