General
4 September, 2025
Darling Downs students invited to name new Toowoomba Hospital cranes
Primary school students from across the Darling Downs are being invited to name four new cranes being used to build the new Toowoomba Hospital.
These highly specialised luffing cranes have a reach of up to 65 metres horizontally and 100 metres vertically and can lift an impressive 18 tonnes.
They will play a critical role in lifting and transporting heavy materials on and off the hospital structure throughout construction.
The cranes were installed at the Baillie Henderson Hospital site last week.
Darling Downs Health’s Acting Chief Executive Louise Van Every said the installation of the cranes was a major milestone.
“It’s exciting to see the new hospital take shape,” Ms Van Every said.
“The new hospital will ensure Darling Downs Health can continue to improve its service and deliver high-quality care to people across the region.”
Early works on the new Toowoomba Hospital are progressing in parallel with final design development, with the first stage of construction on track for completion in December 2025.
The new hospital will deliver at least 118 additional beds, expanded emergency, surgical, and diagnostic facilities, plus a multi-storey car park.
Renee Sherriff, Acting Nurse Unit Manager of the Paediatric Ward at Toowoomba Hospital, said the name the crane initiative was an important opportunity to strengthen positive connections between children and healthcare.
“We know from paediatric care research that when children have positive, non-threatening interactions with hospitals, it can reduce anxiety, improve cooperation during treatment, and lead to better health outcomes over time,” Ms Sherriff said.
“By involving them in something fun and creative like naming the cranes, we’re not just engaging their imaginations, we’re helping to build familiarity, trust, and a sense of belonging. Those early positive experiences can make all the difference when a child needs care in the future.”
Students are encouraged to submit a name for each of the four cranes, along with a short explanation about why their chosen name is the perfect fit.
The winning students and their class will win a tour of the new Toowoomba Hospital site and receive a replica model of a crane.
Primary school students can submit their entries at:
www.darlingdowns.health.qld.gov.au/about-us/our-projects/new-toowoomba-hospital/name-the-crane.
Entries close 31 October 2025.