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Brisbane Airport has begun works on its new centralised aeromedical precinct.
The $217 million precinct will be located between the airport’s two parallel runways and will house aircraft and resources for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, LifeFlight, Retrieval Services Queensland and Queensland Police Service Aviation Capability Group.
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In total, the project will include 18,700 square metres of hangar and headquarters space, plus 17,800 square metres of tarmac parking. There will be parking space for 450 staff and capacity for 26 aircraft including fixed and rotary wing aircraft, as well as administration areas and a medical base for transfers of donors and regional patients.
“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,” said Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff.
“Around 18 patients every day are flown in and out of Brisbane Airport. Those transfers between aircraft and ambulance will now take place inside a patient transfer hub at the core of the Aeromedical Precinct.
“Currently RFDS, LifeFlight and other emergency agencies are spread across Brisbane Airport, kilometres apart. The Aeromedical Precinct will bring them together in one location, centrally located between our two runways so they can quickly get into the air. Not only will these lifesavers work together, they’ll learn from each other.”
This will be the largest multi-tenant precinct built by Brisbane Airport, and has the strong backing of the Queensland government, according to state Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Shannon Fentiman.
“We rely on aeromedical services to move patients needing care across our vast state, and the Queensland Government is committed to supporting world-class care for all Queenslanders, no matter where they live,” Minister Fentiman said.
“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.”
The RFDS alone flew 4,611 patients to Brisbane Airport in the 2024 financial year, while LifeFlight helped 1080 people between its air ambulance jets and helicopters. Demand for aeromedical services is growing, said Retrieval Services Queensland acting executive director Michael Cussen.
“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.”
The project is expected to be completed by December 2026.
Murray Joel
says:To better facilitate patient transfers, perhaps the cross runway could be reactivated. It would save the miles of taxying for the RFDS et al.