Hospital call from Melbourne's outer north leaders

A group of councils in Melbourne's north is calling on the state government to spend $45 million to buy land to begin planning for a hospital and railway station to meet the future needs of the booming population.

The Northern Councils Alliance said the region was set to grow by 500,000 people in coming years, becoming home to about 1.5 million people.

Population data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed the three local government areas in Melbourne's outer north experienced well above-average population increases in 2024/25, including Mitchell at 4.2 per cent, Hume at 3 per cent and Whittlesea at 2.9 per cent.

Overall, Greater Melbourne experienced a growth rate of 2.0 per cent.

Melbourne's outer northern and western municipalities are some of the fastest growing residential areas in Australia. ( Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics )

The emergency department at the Northern Hospital in Epping claims to be the busiest in the state, caring for more than 300 people every day.

Northern Councils Alliance chair, Lawrie Cox, is also the mayor of the City of Whittlesea.

He said buying the land for a new hospital to the north of Epping now would put the government at an advantage when it came to planning.

"We're asking to put health services on the program now, as part of the development of the residential areas you can see in the background," he said.

"It's a major area, it doesn't have enough services available to it from health."

Whittlesea mayor Lawrie Cox is urging the government to plan for a hospital in the outer north.  ( ABC News: Kyle Harley. )

The group has proposed the government could spend $25 million to buy land in the Cloverton estate, where new houses were being built every day.

It said an extra $20 million could buy land for a future railway station adjacent to the future hospital site.

"We need the planning now," Cr Cox said.

"It's not saying we've got to deliver a hospital now.

"We understand there are demands, but now's the time to buy the land, now's the time to plan."

Transport to hospital crucial

The Northern Councils Alliance plan includes buying land for a new train station at Cloverton, extending the Upfield line north to the growth area at Wallan and a new railway station at Beveridge.

Infrastructure Victoria's 30-year strategy for Victoria also includes extending the Upfield train line through Kalkallo, north through Beveridge and Wallan.

Infrastructure Victoria’s 30-year strategy includes extending the Upfield train line. ( Source: Infrastructure Victoria  )

Mitchell Shire mayor John Dougall said a new train station at Beveridge was part of the council's advocacy strategy, ahead of the November state election.

"Provision of public transport is essential to support a growing population," he said.

"A new train station will allow improved access to the hospital but also for the growing suburb to be able to commute in to Melbourne and take advantage of those opportunities."

Mitchell Shire mayor John Dougall says a new train station at Beveridge is needed with thousands of people moving to Melbourne's outer north. ( ABC News: Kyle Harley )

Mr Dougall said planning for health and transport now would give residents and businesses the confidence that the infrastructure was coming.

"We need to see the first step now, so demonstrate your commitment, buy the land and put a flag in the ground."

Suburbs already under strain

Thousands of new residents are moving to Melbourne's outer north each year. ( ABC News: Kyle Hartley )

Infrastructure across Melbourne's northern suburbs is already under pressure from a growing population.

In 2023, the ABC reported a woman went into labour in peak-hour traffic in Kalkallo and it took her an hour and a half to get to hospital, where her baby was delivered safely.

The federal and state governments have pledged a combined $45 million to duplicate part of the major road in Kalkallo, Donnybrook Road, to ease congestion.

But locals say road upgrades can't come fast enough.

Councillor pushing for better health services

In the past two years, the state government has opened community hospitals at Craigieburn and Mernda.

But they do not have emergency departments and, while locals say they are meeting some needs, there are still gaps.

Naim Curt lives in Gladstone Park, in Melbourne's north-west, and is a councillor with the City of Hume.

Even though his suburb is more established, he said he was often forced to travel to central Melbourne for treatment of his type one diabetes.

Cr Curt said the new community hospital at Craigieburn had only recently got the capacity to help manage his insulin pump.

Gladstone Park resident Naim Curt is a councillor with the City of Hume. ( ABC News: Kyle Harley )

"Really, with all the growth over many years, it has taken a long time to get to this point," he said.

"It can take an hour to get in there, a couple of hours once you've found a park and to wait there, it can end up taking half a day, five, six hours.…