Work starts on $34m Swanbourne children’s hospice

Construction has started on the $34 million children’s hospice in Swanbourne, which was previously at the centre of a tug-of-war between state and local governments.

Premier Roger Cook and Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson today turned the first sod at the project site of Western Australia’s first purpose-built paediatric hospice within Allen Park on Odern Crescent.

The hospice, to be named Boodja Mia (Sandcastles), is a project between the Child and Adolescent Health Service and Perth Children's Hospital Foundation.

The development will include a children’s hospital with seven patient rooms, three family suites, family and play areas, clinical areas, hydrotherapy and allied health spaces.

Despite some roadblocks prior to the Western Australian Planning Commission’s approval of the project in July, Ms Sanderson said majority of the community supported the hospice.

“We obviously had some pretty unreasonable objections from the local council and the state government has worked hard with the foundation to overcome those and make sure that this hospice actually happens,” she said.

“Most of the issues which came through the local council, and certainly we were able to overcome those.”

The project was initially estimated to cost $25 million when the application was submitted to the state government’s Significant Development Assessment Unit pathway.

However, the estimated cost has blown out to $34 million, the state government said today.

The decision by the Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation to build the hospice at Allen Park was met with backlash from the City of Nedlands council and the community.

In September 2021, the state government transferred its ownership of 5,000 square metre of land at Allen Park to the Child and Adolescent Health Service for the proposed hospice.

Nedlands councillors have opposed the project being built in Allen Park, wanting the site to remain a public reserve.

The council voted to recommend the proposed hospice be refused by the WAPC.

This has put the local government at odds with Lands Minister John Carey, who several times blasted the council’s opposition to the project.

Ms Sanderson said the Boodja Mia facility would be a home away from home for children with a life-limiting condition.

"Boodja Mia will provide support for families during their toughest times and will be the central hub from which state-wide paediatric palliative care services are coordinated,” she said.

"These services will help Western Australian children and their families, and I look forward to seeing this important facility complete."

The Boodja Mia children’s hospice is expected to open in late 2025, with main works to start in April this year.