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 needed 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 have shorter programs and will be scheduled around the Health Innovation & Surgical Centre construction to address construction market capacity and manage disruption around Cairns Hospital. All construction timeframes are subject to approvals, weather, and site conditions.

Preliminary community consultation

Preliminary consultation for Stage 1b of the Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID) application is now closed. Thank you to everyone who provided feedback.

A MID is the development approval used for essential community infrastructure, such as hospitals, schools and emergency services.

Stage 1b includes delivery of a new integrated Health Innovation and Surgical Centre, a new health office building – referred to as the Health Management Hub, a new ~950 space staff multi-storey car park, and public and clinical link bridges to the existing hospital.

Feedback will be reviewed and will help confirm local priorities, opportunities, and potential impacts, ensuring that the planning for this essential health infrastructure is finalised and delivered in a way that best serves the region.

For more information, read the Preliminary Community Consultation for Stage 1b Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (PDF 854 kB) fact sheet.

We remain committed to working closely with the community to deliver this vital health infrastructure and thank you for your ongoing engagement.

For more information, please contact the project team via phone or email using the details below.

Next steps

Once the detailed MID application is lodged, it will be shared with the community for final feedback and review from the community and local, state government agencies in mid-2026.

Further details about the statutory consultation, including dates, locations, and how to participate, will be shared closer to the time.

Affected properties

Queensland Health has contacted property owners, tenants, businesses and community services directly impacted by the first stage of the Master Plan. They have been invited to arrange a personal meeting with the project team to obtain further information about the Cairns Hospital Campus Master Plan and associated stages, outline the next steps, and answer any questions.

A fact sheet is available for affected property owners and stakeholders on the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service website.

Additional local information

Bold new future for Cairns Hospital

Why a new hospital is not being built south of Cairns

Health Up North community newsletter - Cairns Hospital Master Plan - stage 1 explained