WHILE many shops and businesses remain closed, history will show that Sunraysia experienced remarkable growth during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The property market boomed with sales of almost $300 million to the 12 months in September last year, with a staggering 759 house sales in the Mildura region, right up there with the biggest regions in the state.
Developers also kept the faith, investing heavily in the future of Mildura, with a number of stunning projects that are literally changing the face of the city centre.
Take the three-storey building with a restaurant, apartments and office space on the corner of Ninth St and Deakin Avenue, which has added a genuine urban feel to the city end of Mildura.
Work is also about to begin on the vacant block opposite the Sunraysia Daily office in Deakin Avenue, with the slab of concrete set to be transformed into a four-storey, European-style development.
The development will include a day spa, eight owner-occupier two and three bedroom apartments, connected by a central courtyard and community garden. The rear accommodation will be 12 hotel rooms linked to the adjacent Quality Hotel Mildura Grand.
There is a market for inner city apartment living, in walking distance from restaurants, pubs, clubs, shops and work. It holds real appeal for young professionals, in particular, including those who may be relocating from a big city, but also the older types who may want to downsize. Increased foot traffic will naturally benefit CBD businesses.
All this is positive. A sign that things are literally looking up.
The challenge, of course, is keeping up with that growth in terms of infrastructure and services.
And a huge part of that will be the need for a new hospital.
The fact is that Mildura and its enormous surrounding area, stretching from Ouyen to Robinvale and Wentworth, has outgrown the Mildura Base Public Hospital. And the issue is only getting more serious as the region grows.
Fortunately, the Victorian Government seems to have picked up the memo.
Late last year, Victoria’s Health Minister Martin Foley conceded Mildura Base Public Hospital is “constrained on a whole number of levels” to meet the future health demands of the community.
Speaking in State Parliament, Mr Foley said a detailed service plan and a capital plan would establish “how and where the future of the Mildura Base Public Hospital needs to come together” on the growing health demands of the community.
“I look forward to persuading my friend the Treasurer in due course to bring together that next important investment and making sure what should have always been a public asset, the Mildura Base Hospital, continues as such,” he said.
Mr Foley was responding to questioning from Member for Mildura Ali Cupper, who sought a timeframe for Mildura’s new hospital.
“The site of Mildura Base Public Hospital is not designed for growth,” Ms Cupper said.
“You can barely build out, and you cannot build up. You cannot build over the road, because that is a rubbish tip. We need a new hospital.”
Mr Foley said the Victorian Government had provided more than $2 million for the capital planning development stage of “what is next for the Mildura Base Public Hospital” and wider health providers and services.
The words from the state government are promising. But a commitment to fund and build a new hospital is what is needed now.
The health of our growing region depends on it.
