The Project
The $365 million New Mount Barker Hospital is a major redevelopment funded by the South Australian Government, located in the Adelaide Hills.
Key additions include expanded maternity, paediatric, rehabilitation, medical, surgical and palliative care services, along with 35 consulting rooms for Community and Allied Health, Aboriginal Health and outpatient services. The development also includes a new 12-bed mental health unit, onsite pharmacy, an allied health gymnasium, and a multi-storey car park.
The new hospital will increase inpatient capacity from 34 beds to 102 beds, tripling the hospital’s ability to serve the fast-growing region. WGA was engaged to deliver civil, geotechnical and structural engineering services for the project.
Technical Solutions
WGA implemented a range of strategies to maximise cost efficiency while supporting the project’s program. A fast-tracked design and procurement approach enabled key project milestones to be achieved within tight timeframes.
For the clinical services building, WGA adopted an 8.4 m column grid that provided an efficient floor plate, reducing structural costs while maintaining flexibility for future clinical planning. Working closely with the project contractor, Built, the team further refined the design by removing pile caps beneath building columns and introducing a flat raft ground-bearing slab, reducing material use, simplifying construction and saving time on site.
WGA’s team also assessed existing hospital buildings to identify cost-effective adaptive re-use opportunities, working closely with the building surveyor and cost manager to determine the most suitable outcomes.
The final design incorporated converting the former maternity wing into a new chemotherapy and renal dialysis unit.
A federated BIM model was developed across the consultant and trade contractor teams, with Revit and Revizto utilised to create an interactive digital environment that enabled real-time coordination, issue resolution and seamless collaboration across disciplines.
Client Focus
The new hospital will triple inpatient capacity compared to the original Mount Barker District Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital. This expansion will provide greater access to specialist care closer to home, reducing the need for patients to travel to metropolitan hospitals for treatment.
Delivered on a complex brownfield site, the project required careful staging and planning to maintain continuous healthcare operations throughout construction. WGA worked closely with SA Health, the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network, and Swanbury to develop solutions that minimised disruption to patients, staff and hospital services.
Following Built’s appointment as managing contractor, WGA continued its collaborative approach, supporting the construction team to successfully deliver this important healthcare asset for the region.
Photo Credits: Swanbury Penglase and Hassell
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