Stage one of the village is now fully funded, with construction expected to start in the coming months.
The purpose-built accommodation will provide an affordable place for families to stay close to loved ones receiving care, helping keep families together when they need each other most.
The campaign now enters its public phase, with a focus on establishing a dedicated clinical research centre at Grampians Health.
Grampians Health chief executive Dale Fraser said the centre would help ensure regional patients had greater access to the latest advances in healthcare without having to leave their communities.
“We know that where someone lives should not determine the quality of healthcare they can access,” he said.
“For too many people across western Victoria, accessing clinical trials and innovative treatments still means travelling long distances away from home and family.
“Grampians Health is already a leader in clinical research, with more than 250 active research studies, including more than 100 clinical trials.
“A dedicated clinical research centre will allow us to build on that expertise, expand opportunities for patients and attract new research and partnerships to our region.
“This is about giving more people the opportunity to access potentially life-changing treatments closer to home.”
Grampians Health currently delivers clinical trials across a broad range of specialties and is one of few regional centres able to deliver Phase I–IV clinical trials.
With demand for clinical trials continuing to grow, existing facilities have reached capacity.
The proposed centre will provide dedicated space to expand research programs, support clinicians and researchers, attract new research opportunities and partnerships, and give more patients across western Victoria the opportunity to participate in clinical trials closer to home.
More than $1.4-million has already been secured to kick-start fundraising for the Clinical Research Centre.
Acting chair of Grampians Health and member of the Volunteer Philanthropic Campaign Committee, Cora Trevarthen, said the campaign represented a shared vision for the future of healthcare across the region.
“This campaign is about much more than bricks and mortar. It is about people,” she said.
“It is about a farmer from Horsham, a young parent from Ararat, a retiree from Stawell, a family from Maryborough, or a patient from Ballarat being able to access world-class care closer to home.
“When we talk about a clinical research centre, we are talking about hope.
“We are giving more people the opportunity to access leading-edge treatments and clinical trials without the financial, physical and emotional burden of travelling long distances.
“This campaign is not just for Ballarat.
“The people who will benefit live right across western Victoria, and the impact of these projects will be felt throughout our region.”
The campaign has been supported by a Volunteer Philanthropic Campaign Committee comprising community leaders who have given their time and resources to champion the appeal.
The campaign’s founding donors include Community Bank Avoca, Maryborough and St Arnaud; Goldacres: The Richards family; Good Friday Appeal; and the Handbury Foundation, auspiced by ACE Radio owners Judy and Rowly Paterson.
The entire July 29, 2026 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!
