Ambulance Tasmania is set to bolster its services in the rural towns of Bicheno on the East Coast and Longford in the Northern Midlands with the construction of new ambulance stations.
The Bicheno station, initially approved to be built on ‘prime retail land’ on Burgess Street, will now be located around the corner following opposition from locals and developers.
Health Minister Guy Barnett confirmed the preferred site for the new Bicheno facility is on existing Crown Land at 19 Sinclair Street.
“Our government is continuing to build new infrastructure for our expanding ambulance service to ensure Tasmanians receive the right care, at the right place, at the right time,” Barnett said.
He said consultation with the Glamorgan Spring Bay Council and key community stakeholders indicated a “good level of support” for the alternative location.
The new Longford Ambulance Station will be built on a patch of land at 20 Union Street.
Both stations are currently in the planning and concept design stages.
The new stations are part of a larger investment in rural ambulance services, which includes the completion of new stations in Bridgewater, Beaconsfield and Queenstown and the construction of new facilities in Cygnet, Snug, Legana and King Island.
