Cairns Hospital Campus Master Plan

The Queensland Government has finalised the Master Plan to modernise Cairns Hospital, expand services, increase its capacity, and integrate health, education, and research facilities to meet growing demand in Far North Queensland.

Cairns Hospital is at capacity and has outgrown its footprint. It is essential that the hospital grows so it can continue to deliver excellent care for the growing population of Far North Queensland.

Investment in the hospital campus will also strengthen the region as a hub for clinical excellence, research, education and innovation, which will help attract, retain and incentivise skilled clinicians.

Stage 1

Stage 1 of the Master Plan includes the following new hospital infrastructure:

• Health Innovation & Surgical Centre connected to the existing hospital via link bridges. It includes 4 new operating theatres,16 day-surgery spaces, 40 overnight beds and specialist outpatients department, as well as clinical trials, simulation and collaboration spaces
• Health Management Hub, which is a new health office building co-located with the James Cook University Dugurrdja development
• Staff multi-storey car park with around 950 spaces located adjacent to existing and new Cairns Hospital facilities
• Helipad on the existing Block D and support services expansion.

In addition to using land already owned by the Queensland Government, further land is being acquired to co-locate the new hospital buildings.

Future stages

Future stages of the Master Plan propose a new Acute Services Building connected with the Health Innovation & Surgical Centre and the current hospital, as well as refurbishment, demolition and redevelopment to some parts of the existing hospital, and precinct connectivity and improvement works.

Timing

Construction of the new Stage 1 buildings is expected to commence in late 2026, following completion of land acquisitions and approval of the Ministerial Infrastructure Designation.

The main construction program for the Health Innovation & Surgical Centre is expected to run from 2027 to 2030, with the new facilities commissioned and operational in 2031.

Construction of the staff multi-storey car park and Health Management Hub will be scheduled around construction of the Health Innovation & Surgical Centre to address construction market capacity and manage disruption around Cairns Hospital. All construction timeframes are subject to approvals, weather, and site conditions.

Ministerial Infrastructure Designation – public consultation

A Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID) application has been lodged with The Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning (DSDIP) to allow for the delivery of Stage 1b of the Master Plan. A MID is the development approval used for essential community infrastructure, such as hospitals, schools and emergency services.

The MID application for Stage 1b covers the new Health Innovation & Surgical Centre, Health Management Hub, staff multi-storey car park and public and clinical link bridges to the existing hospital.

Preliminary community consultation was undertaken in March 2026 prior to the MID application being finalised. DSDIP has now released the MID proposal for public consultation.

For more information, read the fact sheet (PDF 9946 kB).

Making a submission

You can make a submission, on or before 5 August 2026, about the DSDIP Ministerial Infrastructure Designation team via:

• Email: infrastructuredesignation@dsdip.qld.gov.au; or
• Post: PO Box 15009, City East QLD 4002.

If you wish to discuss the proposal, please contact the Ministerial Infrastructure Designation Team on 1300 967 433 or via the email address above.

What do I need to include in my submission?

All submissions should:

• Be clearly marked as Proposed Ministerial Infrastructure Designation of the development of the Cairns Hospital Campus Master Plan Stage 1b
• Be in writing, dated and signed by each person who made the submission
• State the name and residential or business address of all submission makers
• State one postal or electronic address for service relating to the submission for all submission makers
• State the grounds (or reasons) for the submission and the facts and circumstances relied on in support of these grounds.

Next steps

After considering the comprehensive assessment of land use planning matters and submissions received during community consultation, the Planning Minister then makes a decision on the MID.

We remain committed to working closely with the community to deliver this vital health infrastructure.

Affected properties

Queensland Health is continuing to work with property owners, tenants, businesses and community services directly impacted by the first stage of the Master Plan.

Additional local information

Cairns Hospital expansion and master plan explained

Bold new future for Cairns Hospital

Why a new hospital is not being built south of Cairns