Construction of Barwon Women’s and Children’s kicks off 

Main construction on Geelong’s biggest health infrastructure project – the new Barwon Women’s and Children’s – is underway.  

Recently on 26 February we turned the first sod on the more than half-a-billion-dollar project, marking the start of main construction. To celebrate the milestone, Barwon Health CEO Frances Diver was joined by Melissa Horne MP, Minister for Health Infrastructure, Christine Couzens MP, Allison Marchant MP, Ella George MP and VHBA Project Executive Director, Lisa Antonio, to launch the construction at the site on Myers Street.

The flagship Barwon Women’s and Children’s will deliver much-needed, new and expanded women’s and children’s services in Geelong. 

With contemporary, purpose-built spaces, the project will increase Barwon Health’s capacity to provide care for women and children by delivering additional multi-day beds, birthing suites, operating theatres, and outpatient clinic rooms. 

Built within the University Hospital Geelong precinct, the project will also deliver a new neonatal and parent care unit – expanding the capacity and function of the existing special care nursery that provides care for sick and pre-term babies in the first few weeks and months of life.  

The first few weeks and months of construction will involve demolition and earthworks paving the way for the Barwon Women’s and Children’s tower.   

Delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) in partnership with Barwon Health, Lyons Architecture and Built, construction on the new Barwon Women’s and Children’s is expected to be complete in 2029.   

A large-scale infrastructure project in the heart of Geelong, the Barwon Women’s and Children’s is expected to support around 1,500 jobs from both direct and indirect employment opportunities.  At the peak of construction there will be around 450 construction workers and trades onsite – providing a boon to local businesses.  

The local community from Geelong and surrounds have helped shape the new flagship Barwon Women’s and Children’s through extensive consultation including an online survey, workshops, and the project’s Community Consultative Committee where more than 600 ideas for the project were shared helping to ensure the project meets the need of the community for generations to come.