Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald did the honours with NSW Ambulance’s clinical operations deputy director Evan Clark and Health Infrastructure senior project director Anthony Dimech.

Superintendent Clark said the future facility would be a “state-of-the-art facility” for the region. 

“This will be a replacement ambulance station with seven ambulance bays and retain the rescue operations,” he said. 

“In addition, it will also be an education facility and retain our zone management out here as well.

“It’s quite a massive improvement and particularly with the education facility moving out here as opposed to being located in Newcastle.”

Once completed, the new station will include internal parking for seven emergency vehicles, administration and office areas, education facility and zone management office. 

“The current site is a little bit restricted. This is about a modern facility to keep track of where we are going in the future,” Superintendent Clark said.

“This is the first of [Ambulance NSW] moving an education site out to a regional location.”

The new facility is being constructed as part of the state government’s $122 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration program.

Mr MacDonald said the station would cater for the  needs of the growing region. 

“It’s about being future proof. This is one of the fast growing areas in the state,” he said. 

“It’s about ensuring future services for Rutherford and the Maitland area.”

The new station, located on Aberglassyn Road, is expected to be operation by the end of next year.

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