A 48-metre tower crane has been installed on the Ballarat Base Hospital Redevelopment site bearing a bold message of gratitude to the community, patients, staff and local businesses for their patience and support during Stage 3 construction works.

CEO Dale Fraser said the sign was a literal shout-out from the rooftops.

“While our team has worked hard to minimise disruptions such as noise and changes to pathways, a project of this scale can inevitably impact staff, patients and visitors at times,” Mr Fraser said.

“This crane is our way of saying a heartfelt thank you to everyone for their patience and understanding over the past 12 months.

“We know the finished tower will transform healthcare in our region, but right now we want our community, our staff and our local businesses to know just how much we value their support.”

The fourth crane joins three others already on site, each named after Grampians Health staff members whose lives and work reflect the organisation’s values of compassion, respect and innovation.

Chief Redevelopment and Infrastructure Officer Veronica Furnier said the story behind the cranes showed the redevelopment was as much about people as it was about bricks and mortar.

“Our first crane honours Josie Ashmore, a former nurse, educator and volunteer whose kindness left a lasting legacy for patients. The second was named after Associate Professor Wasek Faisal, a leader in lung cancer research and care,” Ms Furnier said.

“The third honours brothers Ashton Kline and Grant Monks, who have shown remarkable strength and resilience through personal tragedy. Their stories represent the humanity at the heart of this hospital.”

All four cranes will support the construction of the new seven-level tower part of Stage 3 works which includes a new emergency department, state-of-the-art theatre suite and an extra 100 additional inpatient and short stay beds.

Stage 3 works will also deliver a new and expanded critical care floor, featuring advanced operating theatres, procedure rooms, an expanded intensive care unit, endoscopy suites and consulting spaces. Once operational, the new facilities will support an additional 4,000 surgeries each year.

Construction of the multi-level tower is expected to be completed in 2027.

Stage 3 is being delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority, in partnership with Grampians Health and Built, one of Australia’s largest privately owned construction companies.