St George Hospital

What started out as a humble cottage with 6 beds and one children’s cot, St George Hospital is now known as a world class institution, with some of the finest nurses and doctors in the world.

The Hospital first opened in November 1894 and cost a mere £750 to construct. The land itself was purchased for £850 and offered picturesque views of the country all the way to Botany Bay and out across the Pacific.

By July 1897, a new wing and additional nurses’ quarters had been opened, and plans for further alterations and improvements to the Hospital had been drawn up.

In 1898, the Hospital had admitted 107 patients and performed 17 operations.

In contrast, there were almost 10,000 people admitted to the emergency department in 2020 alone.

Perhaps my proudest achievement over the last 10 years, is the record spend on health infrastructure, front line health services and staff. Thanks to the NSW Government, more than $700 million has now been invested in St George Hospital and there is still more work to be done.