Albury‑Wodonga Regional Hospital

Our municipality forms part of the Albury‑Wodonga Health catchment, and the quality, safety, and accessibility of health services in this region have a direct and significant impact on the liveability, wellbeing and future sustainability of Alpine Shire communities.

For Alpine Shire residents - particularly those in the Kiewa Valley - the location, capacity and functionality of a major regional hospital in Albury‑Wodonga is critically important.

Why a Single‑Site Greenfield Hospital matters

Albury‑Wodonga Health is the busiest regional health service between Melbourne and Sydney, servicing a population of more than 300,000 people, a figure projected to grow by around one‑third by 2036.

Currently, acute services are split across the Albury and Wodonga hospital campuses. This has resulted in:

• Critical services being divided between sites (such as ICU, maternity, paediatrics and theatres)
• Regular transfers of patients between campuses, increasing delays and clinical risk
• Capacity pressures, with inpatient beds frequently at or beyond full utilisation
• Long elective surgery waiting lists, stretching into several years for some procedures

Clinicians and community advocates, including the Border Medical Association and Better Border Health, have consistently identified that the existing hospitals are not fit for purpose and that incremental redevelopment will not address long‑term demand or patient safety concerns. 

A purpose‑built, single‑site hospital on a new site offers the most effective solution to:

• Deliver modern, efficient and integrated healthcare services
• Improve patient safety by co‑locating critical services
• Support workforce recruitment, retention and training
• Provide capacity to meet both current pressures and future growth

In the 2021 clinical services planning process, a new single‑site hospital on a greenfield site was identified as the preferred long‑term solution by health planners and clinicians involved in service planning.

The importance of a rural voice

While the hospital redevelopment has been the subject of extensive discussion among major stakeholders, Council remains concerned that the needs of rural and outer‑regional communities have not always been central to decision‑making.

Residents of Alpine Shire rely on Albury‑Wodonga Health for a wide range of specialist and acute services. Travel times, service availability and hospital capacity have significant consequences for health outcomes in rural communities.

Council strongly believes it is essential that rural perspectives are well represented to ensure future hospital planning delivers a service model that meets the needs of the entire catchment - not only the urban centre.

Council’s advocacy to date

Regional leadership

In August 2024, Alpine Shire Council took part in an unprecedented tri‑council meeting alongside Indigo Shire Council and Towong Shire Council, demonstrating a strong and unified regional stance on the future of health services in the Albury‑Wodonga Health catchment.

Held at the Beechworth Town Hall, this joint meeting marked the first time the three councils formally came together to advocate collectively on an issue of such critical importance to their shared rural communities.

At the meeting, councillors from all three councils engaged in robust discussion and unanimously endorsed a shared position calling for urgent action to ensure health services meet the current and future needs of all regional communities within the catchment.

The councils jointly resolved to:

• Call upon the Federal Government and the State Governments of Victoria and New South Wales to work collaboratively on the provision of a health service that meets the needs of the entire Albury‑Wodonga Health catchment
• Support the development of a new, single‑site hospital on a greenfield location for Albury‑Wodonga Health
• Advocate for immediate funding to commence planning and construction of a new hospital
• Call for the current Albury Hospital redevelopment plans to be paused, with efforts redirected toward a new single‑site development
• Acknowledge and endorse the urgent provision of modular units at the Albury Hospital campus to address the ongoing daily shortage of inpatient beds
• Authorise the respective Chief Executive Officers to formally communicate this agreed position to the Victorian and New South Wales Governments, the Federal Government, and the Board of Albury‑Wodonga Health

This joint resolution represented a significant milestone in regional advocacy and reinforced the importance of collaboration in securing better health outcomes for rural communities.

Formal Support by Council

At the February 2025 Ordinary Council Meeting, Council formally reaffirmed its support for the development of a new, single‑site hospital to service the Albury‑Wodonga Health catchment.

Council acknowledged the critical healthcare infrastructure challenges facing the region and the importance of ensuring future hospital planning delivers safe, high‑quality care for both urban and rural communities.

This resolution reinforced Council’s commitment to advocating for improved regional health outcomes on behalf of Alpine Shire residents.

Continued Regional Engagement

In September 2025, Council participated in a tri‑council briefing with Indigo and Towong Shire Councils.

Councillors received an update on the status of hospital redevelopment planning and heard directly from community and clinical advocates supporting a single‑site greenfield hospital, further strengthening regional collaboration and shared advocacy.

Investment in Ongoing Advocacy

Following the tri‑council briefing, Council received a request from the Albury Wodonga Regional Health Alliance to contribute to the engagement of professional advocacy support.

Under the Chief Executive Officer’s delegation, Alpine Shire Council has committed $8,263 towards continued advocacy for a New Albury‑Wodonga Regional Hospital.

This funding supports coordinated regional advocacy efforts and helps ensure the voices of rural communities within the catchment are effectively represented in discussions with State and Federal decision‑makers.

Council’s ongoing commitment

Council will continue to:

• Advocate for a single‑site greenfield hospital as the preferred long‑term solution
• Work collaboratively with neighbouring councils and regional partners
• Represent the needs of Alpine Shire’s rural communities in hospital planning discussions
• Support advocacy efforts that aim to deliver a health service capable of meeting future demand

Council believes that building once and building it right will deliver the greatest benefit for patients, clinicians and communities across the Albury‑Wodonga Health catchment for decades to come.