Locals are invited to nominate their interest to join a ‘New Bundaberg Hospital Community Reference Group’, which will provide a forum for consultation and two-way information sharing between the project team and the community as the project transitions into major construction.
The Community Reference Group will be made up of local residents and representatives from key organisations and community groups, providing a pathway for the project team to draw on local knowledge, perspectives and lived experience throughout delivery of the project.
Membership will reflect a broad cross-section of the community, with a balance of ages, cultures, interests and diverse needs.
Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service (WBHHS) Chief Executive Debbie Carroll said the Community Reference Group would provide an important mechanism for the community to continue having a voice as work on the new hospital progresses.
"We know there are specific matters that are particularly important to our local community," Debbie said.
"These range from health service offerings in the new hospital to parking, the look and feel of the building, and any construction impacts as work progresses onsite.
"This Community Reference Group will enable the project team to work directly with the community, receive valuable local input and address issues as they arise."
Debbie encouraged people from a range of ages, backgrounds, abilities, interests and professions to nominate their interest.
"We're looking for community members who can bring local perspectives to the table, share information through their networks and help us better understand the views of the wider community,” she said.
"The group may be invited to provide feedback on a range of topics, including the patient and family experience, wayfinding and signage, workforce attraction and recruitment, community readiness initiatives, and any community concerns that arise during project delivery.
"It's an opportunity for locals to share their knowledge, insights, lived experience and ideas with the project team and help shape the region's most significant health infrastructure project.”
The Community Reference Group builds on extensive consultation undertaken throughout the planning and design phases of the project, including consumer participation in design workshops, public displays at the hospital, local library and shopping centres, and multiple staff and community surveys.
Expressions of interest close on Thursday, 29 October 2026, with the inaugural meeting expected to be held in late 2026.
For more information or to register your interest, visit www.widebay.health.qld.gov.au/new-bundaberg-hospital.
The project team recognises the importance of ongoing engagement with the broader community and will continue to provide regular updates as the project progresses.
Background information
Membership criteria include:
- knowledge of the local area
- a demonstrated interest in the project
- relevant background or experience
- the ability to share information through community networks and bring representative views back to meetings.
Membership applications will be assessed by a panel comprising senior representatives from WBHHS, Health Infrastructure Queensland and the new Bundaberg Hospital project team.