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Burnie's new health hub under construction, with 24-hour pathology lab set to open in July
For the past three years, the former University of Tasmania (UTAS) campus in Burnie has sat empty — but that's starting to change.
Brothers Jack and Jerome Muir Wilson, a pharmacist and GP respectively, have plans to transform the site into a multidisciplinary health hub combining primary care, allied health and social services.
The $24 million health hub will host 16 permanent service providers and require an estimated 180–200 staff once operational.
The project attracted bipartisan support during the federal election campaign, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese committing $8 million during a brief visit to the site in April.
Builders are now on site, working to turn the university's old science lab into a 24-hour pathology lab that will service the North West Regional Hospital, before its July 1 opening date.
A development application for the rest of the health precinct will be lodged with Burnie City Council in the coming weeks.
If all goes to plan, the new health precinct will be open to the public by the middle of next year.
The fate of the old university buildings on Mooreville Road has been uncertain since UTAS moved its Cradle Coast campus to West Park in 2021.
At one point, the Tasmanian government — which owns the site — proposed using the site for new Supreme and Magistrates courts.
In the face of strong community opposition, the plans were eventually scrapped, leaving the future of the former campus in doubt.
Jack said the site was an ideal location for the health hub, but three years of disuse have taken its toll.
"The site's been left unused and unserviced for three years. Basically, they rolled out ... and shut the door," he said.
Animal droppings left by resident possums were strewn throughout some of the buildings, and empty classrooms showed signs of break-ins and general neglect.
But despite the work ahead, Jack said he was confident the health hub would be operational by mid-next year.
The centre will bring multiple services under one roof.
There will be a GP clinic, mental health care, medical imaging, pathology, a pharmacy, and a range of family and women's services.
The Muir Wilson brothers also hope to host Burnie's promised Medicare Urgent Care clinic, pending the outcome of a tender process.
Dr Jerome Muir Wilson, the visionary behind the Launceston Health Hub, will lead the GP clinic.
While the Burnie health hub will draw on the experience and success of the Launceston Health Hub, Jerome said the Burnie precinct would not simply be a copy of it.
"It wouldn't be the same mix that you'd put in Launceston, in Mildura, or on the Sunshine Coast. It's what Burnie needs and it's what services are lacking support and accommodation," he said.
Women's Legal Service is one of the not-for-profit service providers set to move into the space once it's complete.
Chief executive Yvette Cehtel said the organisation's current office in Burnie was not fit for purpose, so she jumped at the chance to be part of the health hub.
"It being fitted out means it will have proper, safe soundproofing, which we don't have in any of our other offices statewide, because we're always going into existing office spaces," Ms Cehtel said.
One of the former university buildings will host the legal service, alongside a sexual assault support service, and family planning and parenting support groups.
These organisations will share some facilities and consultation rooms, including rooms that are connected to both indoor and outdoor playgrounds for children to use during consultations.
Ms Cehtel said she was confident it would make a significant difference for the region.
"Having the Women's Legal Service, places like Laurel House, Family Planning, and Playgroup Tasmania all together will provide an opportunity for us to do some really interesting work in the prevention space, and no doubt it'll be a hub for ideas and innovation as well," she said
Laurel House is a sexual assault support service that operates in multiple locations across the state, including Burnie.
Therapeutic services manager Kerri Collins said a permanent home in the Burnie Health Hub would provide long-term stability for the organisation, and greater confidentiality and anonymity for victim-survivors.
"People don't see them walking particularly into our building and go, 'oh, they're going to a sexual assault support service'.
The second stage of the development is being finalised, with a development application expected to be submitted to the Burnie City Council in the coming weeks.
For the Muir Wilson brothers, who grew up on the north-west coast, the project is personal.
"We know that our health system should be better and we know we can do better. We want to see better access and better services for the people of Tasmania," Jack said.
