General News
18 February, 2025
New ambulance station officially opens
Avoca’s new 24/7 state-of-the-art ambulance station officially opened on Friday, giving paramedics the facilities and support they need to quickly respond to local emergencies and save lives.
Minister for Ambulance Services Mary-Anne Thomas, Ambulance Victoria Interim CEO Andrew Crisp and Member for Ripon Martha Haylett met with local paramedics to officially open the new station on Rowe Street.
The new station operates 24/7 with seven paramedics on a rotating roster, to support towns throughout the Pyrenees and the Central Goldfields.
The new station includes a three-bay ambulance garage, two rest and recline areas, training facilities, a fully equipped kitchen, improved security and car parking and relievers quarters.
Senior team manager Simon Vendy said having access to these new facilities was significant for the Avoca community.
“The previous branch was quite small and we didn’t have appro-priate size training areas. We’ve now got appropriate relief quarters for our staff, so they are ready to hit the road,” he said.
Paramedics throughout regional Victoria were previously only able to access these facilities in metro-politan areas.
“Having the training here now in Avoca allows us to keep all of our training in-house. It’s good that regional ambulance branches aren’t forgotten,” Mr Vendy said.
Ms Haylett said regional emergency services deserve the new facilities.
“It’s a huge win for Avoca and our local paramedics, this means our paramedics are well rested and taken care of, so they can continue delivering world-class, life saving care when the community needs it,” she said.
The original branch at 13 Liebig Street will be used for paramedic accommodation.
The government has invested in even better ambulance services across regional Victoria by increasing the number of dual paramedic 24-hour ambulance stations and dedicated units that can respond to peak periods of demand.
This is a project part of the State Government’s $279 million investment since 2015 to upgrade and rebuild ambulance stations throughout Victoria.
