With the new $1.5 billion Footscray Hospital set to officially open in 2025, a new construction milestone has been reached with the footbridge connecting Victoria University (VU) to the hospital installed.
The footbridge was unveiled at the new Footscray hospital by Premier Jacinta Allen on Monday, March 25.
The footbridge creates a link between the new hospital and VU’s Footscray Park Campus future education and research centre.
“This connection is crucial to the future success of Footscray becoming a destination for health, education and research,” VU said.
VU Chancellor Steve Bracks said Footscray is transforming into a leading precinct for health, education, and employment.
“The unveiling of the pedestrian footbridge linking the New Footscray Hospital and Victoria University’s Footscray Park campus is a shining example,” he said.
“For VU, this bridge symbolises a vital connection. It will strengthen our collaboration with Western Health and will amplify opportunities for VU students and researchers – the region’s future skilled health professionals.”
In 2023, VU provided 48 per cent of Western Health’s graduate nursing positions, the highest proportion of any university.
According to VU, each year, almost 1000 VU students complete more than 110,000 hours of clinical placements at Western Health locations.
Second year VU bachelor of nursing student and state government nursing scholarship recipient, Teaghan Wilton, said having the hospital on VU’s doorstep will be of huge benefit to her and her fellow students.
“To have a major tertiary hospital with the newest technology on VU’s doorstep is a fantastic professional development opportunity for me and other nursing students, with huge potential for upskilling the workforce in Melbourne’s west,” she said.
Ms Allan said the new hospital will not only provide Melbourne’s west the best care closer to home, but it will also give generations of aspiring nurses access to a world-class education.”
