A $63 million redevelopment of Melbourne University’s U-Vet Werribee Animal Hospital and teaching campus will transform the site into a five-storey building equipped with cutting-edge facilities.
Preliminary work has begun on the revamp, which will include a new animal hospital with a larger intensive care unit. There will be separate waiting areas, consultation rooms, wards and treatment areas for dogs, cats and exotic pets. Also included will be a new learning and teaching building with mock consultation rooms so veterinary students can get hands-on experience and improve their communication skills.
Other features of the redevelopment will be a new hospital entry, cafe, landscaped gardens, more carparking and improved accessibility across the campus.
U-Vet Werribee Animal Hospital interim director Simon Bailey said early work had started on a new carpark, with major building work to begin in January. Work is expected to be completed before the end of 2018.
The redevelopment is expected to bring in $653 million to the Wyndham economy, including the creation of construction jobs.
Dr Bailey said the animal hospital would remain fully operational throughout the redevelopment and would continue to provide full services for animal patients in emergency, general practice and specialist medicine and at the U-Vet Werribee Equine Centre.
“It’s having the state-of-the-art facilities to really deliver on the training and also the care of the animals,” he said.
“We’ll also have more consulting rooms, so we’ll be able to accommodate appointments for people much better so there’s less waiting.
“We’re also revamping and enlarging our intensive care unit in the hospital. That’s one of our crown jewels. We have a lot of specialists, emergency and critical care physicians … so that’s the real centre of excellence for us.”
The project is part of a broader Melbourne University redevelopment that encompasses a new $100 million building project on the Parkville campus.
Veterinary and agricultural sciences faculty dean John Fazakerley said the Werribee campus would support the university’s goals for world-class education and research.
“The new facilities will provide our staff and students with increased access to cutting-edge equipment and purpose-built spaces,” he said.
“The redevelopment will also provide additional opportunities to incorporate work place-based learning and scientific research
into our teaching courses.”
Wyndham mayor Henry Barlow welcomed the announcement.
“This redevelopment will align with the proposed East Werribee Employment Precinct and will help to bring valuable employment and training opportunities to Wyndham,” he said.
