A $360-million expansion is underway at The Prince Charles Hospital in Chermside, with upgrades planned for Acute Services, emergency care, the operating theatre and other facilities, plus adult and paediatric care. Once complete, the facility will become Queensland’s second-largest paediatric health service.
The expansion is progressing under Queensland’s statewide hospital infrastructure program, despite a $6 billion cost blowout affecting the overall scheme.
Project Details
As part of a $2.3-billion investment in Metro North Health infrastructure, the $360-million upgrade being delivered at TPCH includes a new Acute Services Building, 94 new beds for adult and paediatric patients, expanded emergency departments for both groups, new paediatric outpatient and operating theatre facilities, and additional green spaces.
Once complete, the facility will become Queensland’s second-largest paediatric health service.
The Acute Services Building is expected to open in late 2027. Hutchinson Builders was appointed as the managing contractor in June 2023.
Additional Infrastructure at the Chermside Site
Alongside the clinical expansion, a nine-storey car park is under construction at the TPCH campus. Once complete, the new facility will add 1,500 spaces, increasing the total number of multi-storey parking spots on site to 2,000. The structure is being built next to the existing car park on Main Road and is designed to support future growth at the hospital.
The Chermside campus also recently opened the $14-million Nujum Jawa Crisis Stabilisation Unit, addressing the growing number of mental health crisis presentations. Opened in September 2024, the modular building facility offers 24/7 support in a culturally informed, home-like setting, developed in collaboration with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
With construction set to intensify through 2025 and the new Acute Services Building slated for completion in 2027, the Chermside community is expected to see sustained development activity at the TPCH site.
Statewide Comparisons and Broader Implications
Queensland’s Capacity Expansion Program (CEP), introduced first in 2022, aims to deliver 2,200 additional hospital beds across the state by 2028. The program includes three new hospitals in Bundaberg, Toowoomba and Coomera, a new Queensland Cancer Centre, and 11 hospital expansions, including the project in Chermside. Originally announced under a $9.78 billion plan, the estimated cost has since risen to $16 billion.
Despite the budget escalation, the State has confirmed it will continue with the projects. Health Minister Tim Nicholls reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the program, which includes the Chermside hospital expansion.
The TPCH expansion is one of 15 major projects under the CEP, which includes hospital developments and upgrades in Townsville, Ipswich, Logan, Cairns, Mackay, and Hervey Bay, among others. While several projects have faced delays and funding gaps, Nicholls indicated that an independent review was underway to determine funding reallocations and ensure project completion.
The Prince Charles Hospital expansion is delivering 94 of the planned 2,200 beds, making it a key component in the government’s plan to address healthcare demand in growing urban areas like Chermside.
While funding shortfalls remain across the broader program, the city officials have confirmed its intention to continue delivering the expansion projects to meet rising healthcare demand statewide.
Published 26-Mar-2025