With community outrage at an all time high after the controversial removal of the historic residence of Dr Outridge on Caledonian Hill recently, whispers that the former nursing quarters at the Gympie Hospital being earmarked for demolition have raised eyebrows and blood pressures.
An anonymous source said a spokesperson from Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service dropped the bombshell at a recent meeting of the Heritage Reference Group.
Our source said the decision has already been made, with the spokesperson citing underutilisation of the building and structural issues as the reason for the dismantling.
We contacted Sunshine Coast Health who confirmed they were looking at repurposing the space where the former nurses quarters are, but did not go into specifics and do not expressly mention demolition.
“The Gympie Hospital nursing quarters are not listed on the Queensland Heritage Register as a place of significance; however, we have undertaken a process of Due Diligence,” a spokesperson said.
“The use of this location on the campus will form part of a broader site plan to meet operational needs now and into the future.”
With regards to the consultation process, the spokesperson was again vague on details.
“We have also consulted with a number of key stakeholders including staff, residents, and community groups to understand the history and significance of the Gympie Hospital site,” the spokesperson said.
“A number of our buildings aren’t able to be refurbished into clinical areas. We are looking at how we can maintain the character of the buildings for non-clinical support teams.”
A new set of buildings have been erected in front of the Gympie Hospital to be accommodation for hospital staff, a role that at least up until 2017 was being filled by the former nurses quarters, according to a Gympie Times article at that time regarding refurbishments funded by hospital charity organisation Wishlist.
These buildings, reportedly costing $8m, were also mentioned in the official Sunshine Coast Health Statement.
“Gympie Hospital remains one of our highest infrastructure priorities and we have seen recent investment in infrastructure with staff accommodation being built at the site,” the statement reads.
