Bathurst Health & Knowledge Precinct

The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment collaborated with Bathurst Regional Council, Western NSW Local Health District and the Charles Sturt University to develop a master plan for a Bathurst Health & Knowledge Precinct.

There are four separate precinct areas, spread out across Bathurst around existing key activity clusters. Each precinct has historically grown as its own activity cluster focusing on differing activity.

The study identified significant challenges facing the Bathurst community from a growing and ageing population, pressure on workforce, a change in the educational industry and housing shortages for specific household types. The Precinct Plan provides an opportunity to cater for targeted intervention to manage these challenges.

The final Precinct Plan created the two primary ‘sub-precincts’ around the Bathurst Hospital and Charles Sturt University.

The Bathurst Hospital Precinct aims to continue and expand the focus of the Bathurst Hospital as the centre for acute hospital services in Bathurst. It will do this by ensuring space is available within the Hospital site to grow and expand acute and supporting services (e.g. new beds, expanded ED and radiology), and associated education space for increased medical student numbers, and for the ongoing health workforce needs.

The CSU precinct aims to enhance educational offerings, modernise the structure of the campus and increase related health and transitional housing uses on the site. The precinct also recommends a significant investigation of the old DPI research station land (adjacent to Research Station Drive) for major recreational and sporting purposes.

Strategic direction was also incorporated for the CBD and the Bathurst Private Hospital.