What’s happening?

• From 20 August 2025 the Austin Tower car park lifts will be closed as part of the Emergency Department Stabilisation Project.
• To move between the hospital and the car park please use the Austin Tower visitor lifts, located in the back left corner of the car park. These lifts go to all eight floors of Austin Tower as well as levels B1, B2 and B3 of the car park.
• From 8 September 2025 the front entrance to Austin Hospital will be closed as part of the Emergency Department Stabilisation Project. The area outside the front entrance will be closed to pedestrians and vehicles.
• Changes to how you access the hospital are outlined below.

What you need to know

The hospital will stay fully open during the emergency department upgrade, but construction will change how patients and visitors enter and move around the hospital.

Front entrance closure

From September 2025 until 2028 the front entrance to both Austin Hospital and Mercy Hospital for Women will be closed to enable the upgrade works. The area outside the front entrance will be closed to pedestrians and vehicles, including:

• the external stairs to Austin Hospital from Studley Road leading to the Austin Hospital front entrance
• driving access to the roundabout outside the front entrance.

Car drop off / pick up area

The car drop off / pick up area is located on level B3 of the Austin Hospital car park, with entry via Studley Road. You can access the hospital by using the Austin tower visitor lifts in the carpark. These lifts go to all eight floors of Austin Tower.

Parking

Parking is available in the Austin Hospital car park throughout construction on levels B1, B2 and B3. The Austin Tower car park lifts are closed during construction but you can access the hospital from the car park by using the Austin Tower visitor lifts, located in the back left corner of the car park. These lifts go to all eight floors of Austin Tower.

You can enter and exit the Austin Tower carpark within 30 minutes for free. This allows time for quick drop-offs and pick-ups without needing to pay.

Taxi rank

The Austin Hospital taxi rank is on Studley Road, outside the Austin Hospital car park. A taxi call point can be found on level B3 of the car park, near the vehicle entrance and exit.

Pedestrian access

Pedestrians can access the hospital via the Austin Tower visitor lifts within the car park or by using an alternative entrance to the hospital. There will be no pedestrian access at the Austin Hospital front entrance.

Austin Hospital front foyer

Areas of the Austin Hospital front foyer, including the front entrance, will be closed during the construction works. You can still move between Austin Hospital and Mercy Hospital and access Cafe Adamo on Level 1 of Austin Hospital by using the visitor lifts.

The reception within the Austin Hospital front foyer will be closed. To help patients and visitors, phones are available near the visitor lifts on levels B1, B2, and B3, as well as multiple locations on level 1, which connect to staff who can help provide directions and answer queries.

Construction impacts

Most construction will take place between 7am and 5.30pm, Monday to Saturday. During these times you may hear construction noise within the hospital. There will be times when night works are required.

We understand these works will cause some disruption and inconvenience. Every effort will be made to minimise impacts and to ensure the safety of patients, staff and visitors during construction.

Acoustic hoarding and other sound and vibration mitigation measures will be in place, and construction will only occur during approved construction hours.

Appropriate wayfinding and signage will be put in place to help people get where they need to go.

Special advice for patients with a weakened immune system or lung conditions

If you have a chronic lung condition or a weakened immune system, there may be more dust within construction areas. If you have these health conditions, we recommend you:

• wear a mask when near construction areas
• if you have concerns, talk to your healthcare team.

Helpful resources

Map of the construction area

Below is a map that shows the construction area and changes to how patients and visitors access the hospital.

• FAQS about the construction work

  Find answers to some frequently asked questions about the Emergency Department Stabilisation Project.

About the Emergency Department Stabilisation Project

The Victorian Government is investing $275 million to build a new Emergency Department (ED) for the Austin Hospital.

Stretching across three levels, the ED Stabilisation Project will add 29 extra emergency treatment spaces, supporting an additional 30,000 emergency patients each year and ensuring our organisation can meet the needs of a growing population.

The project will expand the existing Austin Tower building out over the front entry podium, allowing for progressive expansion and reconfiguration of the ED.

The expansion of the ED will also deliver improved clinical administration and an upgraded short stay unit, creating better services on site for patients, families and healthcare workers.

The project is being delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority in partnership with Austin Health.