BY ASHLEY GEELAN
Ambulance Victoria (AV) has officially opened the doors of its new Epping branch, providing local crews with new state-of-the-art facilities.
The new two-storey Epping branch includes a five-bay ambulance garage, six rest and recline areas for paramedics to recuperate, training facilities, a fully equipped kitchen and improved security and car parking.
The project involved demolishing and rebuilding the previous ambulance branch from the 1990s to provide new, modern amenities that meet today’s paramedics’ needs.
The branch is home to 35 paramedics and operational since mid-November.
Alongside the Epping Ambulance Unit, the new branch also houses the South Morang Ambulance Unit, Woodstock Ambulance Unit and the Epping Clinic Car.
AV Executive Director, Specialist Operations and Coordination Anthony Carlyon’s first appointment as a senior team Manager was at Epping where the team expanded after the 2009 wildfires to serve the communities of Epping, Whittlesea and Kinglake stated: “it’s great to see the area receive such a welcome upgrade.”
“I look back on my time at the Epping branch in 2009 fondly and remember the wonderful team I worked with during those years,” he said.
“It will always hold a special place in my heart and it’s great to see the crews get a new branch that will support them to serve the community well into the future.”
The Epping team attends more than 560 emergency call-outs a month and covers one of the largest local government areas in metropolitan Melbourne.
The updated branch provides space for the service to grow as needed to meet the needs of the rapidly growing community.
The branch was funded by the Victorian Government’s Ambulance Victoria Development Program and delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) in partnership with Ambulance Victoria (AV), and the builder, Bowden Corporation.
In 2023-24, eleven stations were completed for Ambulance Victoria, including Inglewood, Gisborne, Rochester, Clyde North, Avoca, Paynesville, Oak Park, Craigieburn (Yuroke), Karingal (Langwarrin), Epping and Morwell.
