Patients, families and visitors to PA Hospital in Woolloongabba can now see more of the hospital’s expanding footprint, with scaffolding coming down to reveal four new floors above the existing emergency department.
The changing exterior marks a visible stage in the PA Hospital expansion, which will eventually add 249 inpatient beds and increase the range of treatment spaces available at the hospital.
For people regularly coming through the campus, the new floors are becoming easier to see as the exterior nears completion and work begins to shift further inside the building.
More Space Taking Shape at PA Hospital
More than $748 million is being invested in the expansion, which has been planned as south-east Queensland’s population grows and more people are expected to require health care.
The completed project will include 249 additional inpatient beds, including 30 extra intensive care beds and treatment areas.
Another 13 cancer treatment bays are planned, alongside expanded medical imaging, pharmacy and kitchen facilities. An admission and recovery area supporting the cardiac catheter laboratory service is also being refurbished.
PA Hospital provides specialist health services to patients from across Queensland and treats people with acute and complex health needs.
Building Above a Working Emergency Department
Much of the construction has taken place directly above the existing emergency department, adding an extra layer of complexity to the work while patient care continued below.
A 15-stage decant strategy allowed critical infrastructure works to proceed without disrupting patient care.
Hospital staff, project partners and construction teams have been involved throughout the expansion, which recently saw the project team named a finalist in the 2026 Department of Health Awards for Excellence.
The team is a finalist in the Be Courageous category, with winners to be announced on 9 September 2026.
Changes Remain for Patients and Visitors
While more of the new building is now visible, construction activity around the Woolloongabba campus is continuing.
Patients and visitors may still encounter construction noise, changed hospital entry and exit points, and adjustments to traffic flow or parking. Extra travel time is recommended for hospital visits, while public transport is suggested as an alternative where possible.
Design work for the expansion began in mid-2023, followed by early works in early 2024. Major construction was scheduled to start in 2025.
With the exterior now reaching completion, attention is moving inside to prepare the people, services and systems that will eventually operate across the expanded hospital.
Published 25-August-2026
