HPAC was tasked with the delivery of a new purpose-built hospital with the existing 80 year-old building long past its use-by date. The goal is to improve the community’s access to health services and deliver additional inpatient and community outpatient health services by equipping it with the latest, fit-for-purpose facilities, including dedicated staff areas so they can continue to provide high-quality care to the Wentworth community and reducing the need for residents to travel to Victoria to access services.
The new facility, sited on the Darling River on the border of NSW and Victoria and an hour’s drive from the SA border, now includes:
- A new 19-bed hospital for low acuity acute care (new service), sub-acute care and TACP, with a direct view of the Darling River from all rooms.
- Enhanced capacity for new ambulatory care services in new Community Health areas.
- New UCC (Urgent Care Centre) with 3 treatment spaces including a procedure room.
- New support spaces, back of house and front of house areas.
- Palliative care suite, which includes an inpatient room with a private terrace and an adjacent family lounge.
- A gym with access to outdoor courtyard with yarning circle.
- Outdoor spaces and landscaping.
With its remote location in Wentworth, NSW, a small rural town of 1200 people the new hospital is more than just a building, it incorporates community, new sustainability initiatives, family, history and cultural inclusion with three arts projects featured in the redevelopment to make the clinical environment more friendly to give and receive care, including a collection of artwork by local students, a Barkindji-led community weaving piece, and a heritage display honouring the history of Wentworth Hospital.
HPAC’s dedicated team located their family to the small town for the duration of the project, with their children attending the local preschool and public school, their families joining and engaging in local community groups such as the P&C, Women of the Murray Darling Network and Western Landcare.
Through their connection and engagement with the local community the project team has gained an insight in to the significance that the redeveloped hospital brings to the community. The project team has, with every decision and element of the building process, considered the legacy that they are leaving with the small community and has taken great pride to deliver a high quality facility.
The project’s success was recognised with a Master Builders Association Riverina Murray Regions Excellence in Building Award in May 2026.
