- Premier Steven Miles and Health Minister Shannon Fentiman have turned the sod on a new Aeromedical Hub at Brisbane Airport
- The spuer base will be home for Retrieval Services Queensland, Royal Flying Doctor Service, LifeFlight, and Queensland Police Service Aviation Capability Group
- 18,700m² multi-tenanted facility will feature state-of-the-art hangars and new patient transfer facilities.
A new Aeromedical Hub at Brisbane Airport will bring together the state’s aeromedical healthcare providers under one roof and connect more regional, rural, and remote Queenslanders to major hospitals and life-saving medical care.
The $426 million fully funded Miles Labor Government initiative will deliver a super base, which will be home to aircraft and resources for Retrieval Services Queensland, as well as Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), LifeFlight, and Queensland Police Service Aviation Capability Group.
The investment includes $217 million to build an 18,700m² multi-tenanted facility, with the remainder of funding for operational costs through to 2047.
The new precinct will oversee patient aeromedical retrieval and transport, clinical and logistic coordination, including statewide telehealth clinical and education support to rural and remote hospitals.
New patient transfer facilities will be on site to safely care for people transitioning between aircraft and road ambulances.
The joint purpose-built hub will also feature state-of-the-art hangars for fixed and rotary wing aircraft, administration areas, and a medical base for regional patient and donor transfers.
The new precinct will be located between Brisbane Airport’s two runways at the Airport North Precinct, to accommodate quick aerial access.
Building contractor Adco was awarded the construction tender in May 2024.
As stated by Premier Steven Miles:
“Queensland is the most decentralised state in Australia, which means we rely on our aeromedical capabilities so much more.
“Every person knows how important the Royal Flying Doctors Service and LifeFlight are, especially in regional Queensland, so I’m proud my government can deliver this new hub.
“This is for all the patients these critical care services support, and all the hardworking staff who take flight to save lives every single day.
“I will always back the frontline, and this investment is another demonstration of that commitment in action.”
As stated by Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Shannon Fentiman:
“We rely on aeromedical services to move patients needing care across our vast state, and the Miles Labor Government is committed to supporting world-class care for all Queenslanders, no matter where they live.
“The new Aeromedical Hub at Brisbane Airport will transform the aeromedical network, supporting the continued safe, reliable, and efficient systems to deliver timely access to healthcare, especially in rural, remote, and regional areas.
“This investment follows our 10-year, fully costed commercial agreements with Royal Flying Doctor Service and LifeFlight, securing the sustainable delivery of aeromedical services into the future.
“This is a game-changing investment and I’m so proud to be part of a government that continues to deliver for Queenslanders.”
As stated by Retrieval Services Queensland A/Executive Director Michael Cussen:
“We know demand for aeromedical services is growing.
“In the last financial year, on average 60 patients were aeromedically transported every day throughout the state, with around 18 of those patients transferred to and from Brisbane hospitals via Brisbane Airport each day.
“The Aeromedical Hub will co-locate Queensland Health’s statewide aeromedical services, ensuring a co-ordinated approach to delivering life-saving care.
“The facility will have a purpose-built patient transfer facility to provide continued care for patients and optimise the efficient use of aeromedical assets by reducing the need to wait for ground transport during patient transfers in Brisbane.”
As stated by Brisbane Airport Chief Executive Officer, Gert-Jan de Graaff:
“There’s nothing like the scale of Brisbane Airport’s Aeromedical Precinct anywhere in the world.
“This groundbreaking project will significantly enhance the level of care for Queenslanders needing urgent treatment in Brisbane.
“By bringing all our partners together in a state-of-the-art precinct, with a patient transfer hub at its core, Queensland is setting a new standard in care.
“This will also be the largest multi-tenanted property built by Brisbane Airport, and we’re delighted its sole purpose is to serve the people of Queensland, in every corner of the state.
“Brisbane Airport provides a vital 24/7 connection for Queenslanders in regional, country, and remote communities who need critical care.
“We want to commend the Queensland Government for its support of the Aeromedical Precinct.”
As stated by Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) Chief Executive Officer, Meredith Staib:
“The RFDS (Queensland Section) team is excited to see construction begin on the new state-of-the-art Queensland Regional Aeromedical Base.”
“We thank the State Government and our generous supporters for helping bring to life the vision of what will become a crucial patient care facility for many years to come.”
“The RFDS (Queensland Section) transfers around thirteen thousand patients via aeromedical services every year, many of those via our Brisbane Base.”
“We look forward to the opening of the brand-new patient facility in the future which will enable further important collaboration with our partners in care including LifeFlight and Queensland Health.”
As stated by LifeFlight Chief Operating Officer Lee Schofield:
“LifeFlight is delighted to join our Queensland aeromedical colleagues at what will become a premier super base to ensure we can collectively help more Queenslanders.
“LifeFlight proudly calls Brisbane Airport home and from this base we’ve had another bumper 12 months across a range of rescue helicopter missions and international repatriations with our 604 Challenger jet.
“Thank you to the Queensland Government, Brisbane Airport and our colleagues at Queensland Health – for their continued support.”
