Helipad reopening is ‘very close’, minister says
Murray Bridge’s hospital helipad, unused for two years, will reopen soon, state Health Minister Blair Boyer says.
This story is now free to read. Help Murray Bridge News tell more stories like this by subscribing today.
Murray Bridge’s hospital helipad is “very close” to reopening after going unused for two years, South Australia’s Health Minister says.
The helipad at the hospital, used for transfers of critically ill patients to facilities in Adelaide, has been closed since April 2024.
It was upgraded around that time, but national aviation regulations changed while the work was being completed, leading to a dispute between a contractor and the state government which prevented the project from being certified for use.
Since then, patients in need of urgent, high-level medical attention have been transported to the Pallamana airfield – up to 15 minutes away – and airlifted from there to Adelaide, potentially putting lives at risk.
But in parliament last week, prompted by a question from local MP Robert Roylance, Health Minister Blair Boyer promised that a resolution was on the way.
“(The Murray Bridge helipad) is one of three that have been quite difficult in terms of meeting the new standards from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, in terms of making sure areas around that helipad that are affected by the downwash from the rotors are safe,” he said.
“We are getting much, much closer.
“I hope to have positive news soon.”
He credited both Mr Roylance and Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network CEO Wayne Champion for working with the community on the issue.
Previous minster Chris Picton had promised back in February that the helipad would reopen “not too long after” Mannum’s, which was returned to operational status in March.
The helipads in Murray Bridge and Victor Harbor are now the only two of 13 around the state which remain out of service after being upgraded in 2024.
The upgrades cost taxpayers a total of $23 million.
