Doctor Daeyvd Rodda moved to the Sunshine Coast seven years ago with a dream of building a health facility run by surgeons and aimed at helping patients get back on their feet.
On Wednesday, the orthopaedic surgeon's dream came a step closer to reality, as construction began on the new Maroochy Private Hospital.
The eight-storey building will stand out, not just because of its striking design that features multi-level windows and cascading gardens.
Dr Rodda said the facility would become a training and research hub, that had already attracted orthopaedic surgeons from across Australia and abroad.
"Originally, I had this vision to come up with a multidisciplinary surgical hospital that would be a real centre for excellence," Dr Rodda said.
Dr Rodda has teamed up with healthcare property fund managers Barwon Investment Partners, technology specialists Medacta, and the University of the Sunshine Coast.
USC vice-chancellor Helen Bartlett said the 48-bed facility would offer a post-graduate certificate in anterior hip surgery, believed to be a world-first.
"It is definitely unique," Ms Bartlett said.
"The building is going to house different types of companies and providers in all the sort of health and sports sphere, and that means we will be able to collaborate in many different ways.
"We're going to be locating some of our other health courses here, including orthotics and prosthetics, occupational therapy and, in the future, physiotherapy.
Barwon Investment Partners has committed $100 million to the project.
Company director Tom Patrick said the hospital, due to be completed by the end of next year, would be ideally located in the CBD.
"What was really important for us was ensuring that we had great amenity for doctors and patients during their stay and their working days in the hospital," Mr Patrick said.
"We canvassed the entire Sunshine Coast and we really believe in this new CBD location as a place for the coming 20, 30 years."
The Sunshine Coast has one of the highest populations of residents aged 65 years and older in Queensland.
It's also known as a sporting capital.
That combination of an ageing and athletic community has led to a surge in demand for orthopaedic procedures, according to Dr Rodda.
"You really couldn't pick a more perfect demographic to have a facility like this," the surgeon said.
"The growing need for joint replacement surgery, particularly hip and knee replacement surgery, has been very evident.
"And I've seen that, in my own practice, the numbers of patients requiring these surgeries have really skyrocketed, and even though COVID, with the demographic changes and people moving up from Melbourne and Sydney, it's only added to that demand."
Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson said the project was a demonstration of the "faith and confidence" the investment market had in the region.
"This is a really important moment."
While regional areas often experience trouble attracting and retaining medical specialists, Dr Rodda said the reverse was true in this case with surgeons lining up to get involved.
"It's actually a good problem to have," Dr Rodda said.
"And we appreciate the support that the medical community has shown to this project.
"And we expect that demand will only grow as the project is coming to fruition."
