Batemans Bay emergency unit set to shut as new Moruya hospital opens

The Batemans Bay hospital and its emergency department will close next year when the €330 million Eurobodalla Regional Hospital opens in Moruya, sparking concerns over longer travel times for residents and tourists.

A new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital, costing $330 million and classified as a level-four facility, will replace both the existing Batemans Bay level-two and Moruya level-three hospitals, prompting the closure of Batemans Bay’s emergency department early next year. Residents such as Christine Hayes, who credits the current ED with saving her life after a stroke, and local GP Andrew Gibson fear the 30-kilometre ambulance trip could exceed the critical “golden hour” for emergencies, especially when holiday traffic congests the sole bridge over the Moruya River.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park and Bega MP Michael Holland contend that ambulance travel will take only 15-20 minutes, citing transport studies and coordination with NSW Ambulance. Community activist Peter Ryan’s group “Don’t Close Batemans Bay ED” measured a 29-minute drive under emergency conditions and has collected about 18,000 petition signatures, which were presented to the state legislature without further action. Eurobodalla Shire Mayor Mathew Hatcher notes the region’s growing permanent and tourist population, while the state maintains the new hospital will deliver definitive, higher-level care that smaller facilities cannot provide.