
The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH) is Queensland's oldest and largest hospital. It was established in 1866 and is located in Herston, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The hospital has close to 1,000 beds and provides more than one-tenth of all patient services in Queensland. It is a major teaching and research hospital and is part of the Herston Health Precinct, which includes other facilities such as the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute. The RBWH celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2017 and is the result of a merger in 2003 between the Royal Brisbane Hospital and the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH) |
| Location | Herston, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Year of establishment | 1866 |
| Number of beds | 929-986 |
| Type of hospital | Tertiary public hospital |
| Operator | Metro North Health |
| Network | Queensland Health |
| Year of renaming | 1966 |
| Year of amalgamation | 2003 |
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What You'll Learn
- The hospital's history dates back to 1849, when the first public hospital in Brisbane, Moreton Bay Hospital, was established
- In 1867, a new hospital was built at Herston, then known as the Quarries
- The hospital was renamed Royal Brisbane Hospital in 1966
- In 2003, the Royal Brisbane Hospital and the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital merged
- Today, the hospital is Queensland's largest and oldest hospital

The hospital's history dates back to 1849, when the first public hospital in Brisbane, Moreton Bay Hospital, was established
The history of the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH) dates back to 1849, when the first public hospital in Brisbane, Moreton Bay Hospital, was established on 12 January. The hospital was located on George Street, near the present Supreme Court buildings, and served a vast area comprising the districts of Moreton, Darling Downs, Wide Bay, Burnett, and Maranoa.
In 1856, the hospital changed its name to Brisbane Hospital. Over a decade later, in 1867, a new hospital was constructed at Herston, then known as the Quarries, and patients were transferred from George Street to the new Brisbane Hospital. The first nurses graduated from the hospital in 1888. The University of Queensland Medical School opened adjacent to the hospital in 1939, and the hospital began training medical students in 1938.
The Brisbane Hospital was renamed the Royal Brisbane Hospital in 1966, with permission from Queen Elizabeth II, and became the major teaching hospital for Queensland. The hospital has provided training for thousands of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals over the years. It has also been a centre for research, with the world-renowned QIMR laboratories relocating to its grounds in 1977.
In 2003, the Royal Brisbane Hospital and the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital merged to become the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH). The RBWH is now Queensland's largest tertiary referral teaching hospital and a prominent innovator in healthcare, research, and education. It celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2017 and continues to serve the community with almost 1,000 beds and a wide range of clinical services.
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In 1867, a new hospital was built at Herston, then known as the Quarries
The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH) is a tertiary public hospital located in Herston, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is the largest hospital in Australia and is a major teaching and research hospital. The hospital celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2017.
The first public hospital in Brisbane, the Moreton Bay Hospital, was established on 12 January 1849 near the site of the present Supreme Court buildings in George Street. In 1856, the hospital was renamed the Brisbane Hospital. By the 1860s, other hospitals had been established away from Brisbane. The new Brisbane Hospital at Herston was built on a 15-acre site reserved by the Queensland Government in 1863. The site was bounded by Bowen Bridge Road to the east, O'Connell Terrace to the north, and the open space of Victoria Park to the west and south.
The Brisbane Hospital at Herston was an impressive two-storey masonry building with a central tower. In 1888, the first nurses graduated from the hospital. In 1939, the University of Queensland Medical School was opened adjacent to the hospital. Since then, the hospital has provided training for thousands of doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals.
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The hospital was renamed Royal Brisbane Hospital in 1966
The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH) is a tertiary public hospital in Herston, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is Queensland's largest hospital and a major teaching and research hospital.
The hospital was established in 1866 as Brisbane Hospital, and the first nurses graduated from the hospital in 1888. In 1939, the University of Queensland Medical School was opened adjacent to the hospital, and it has since provided training for thousands of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.
In 1966, the hospital was renamed Royal Brisbane Hospital, becoming the major teaching hospital for Queensland. This name change was permitted by Queen Elizabeth II, who granted permission for the use of the prefix "Royal". The hospital has a rich history, having previously been known as the Moreton Bay Hospital, established on 12 January 1849, and later renamed Brisbane Hospital in 1856.
In 2003, the Royal Brisbane Hospital and the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital were merged to become the modern-day Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. This amalgamation resulted in the creation of Queensland's largest quaternary and tertiary referral teaching hospital, renowned for its world-leading research and education.
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In 2003, the Royal Brisbane Hospital and the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital merged
The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH) is a tertiary public hospital located in Herston, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was formed in 2003 by the amalgamation of the Royal Brisbane Hospital and the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital. The women's hospital was demolished in 1998, and the acute hospital was demolished soon after.
The history of the hospital dates back much further, however. The first public hospital in Brisbane, the Moreton Bay Hospital, was established on 12 January 1849 near the site of the present Supreme Court buildings in George Street. In 1856, its name was changed to the Brisbane Hospital. A new hospital building was constructed in 1867 on the RBWH's present site at Herston, then known as the Quarries, and patients were moved from the hospital in George Street. The first nurses graduated from the hospital in 1888, and in 1939, the University of Queensland Medical School was opened adjacent to the hospital.
In 1966, Queen Elizabeth II gave permission to use the prefix "Royal" to the Brisbane Hospital, and in 1967, she approved the use of the same prefix for the Brisbane Women's Hospital. The first women's hospital in Brisbane began in 1864 and was called the Queensland Lying-In Hospital. It was located in Leichhardt Street, Spring Hill. In 1867, it was renamed the Lady Bowen Hospital after the wife of Queensland's first governor.
Today, the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital is a 1000-bed quaternary and tertiary referral teaching hospital. It is the largest hospital in Australia and provides a range of speciality services, including medicine, surgery, orthopaedics, psychiatry, oncology, trauma, obstetrics, gynaecology, and more. The RBWH is also a major research hospital, producing world-leading research and education.
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Today, the hospital is Queensland's largest and oldest hospital
The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH) is Queensland's largest and oldest hospital. It was established in 1866 and was originally known as the Brisbane Hospital. The hospital has a long and rich history, dating back to the 19th century when it was the main hospital serving the region.
In 1867, the hospital moved to its current site in Herston, then known as the Quarries. The Brisbane Hospital was renamed the Royal Brisbane Hospital in 1966, with the women's hospital, originally established in 1864, becoming the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital in 1967. These two hospitals amalgamated in 2003 to form the RBWH as it is known today.
The RBWH has close to 1,000 beds and provides more than one-tenth of all patient services in Queensland, as well as serving patients in Northern New South Wales and the Northern Territory. It is a major teaching and research hospital, with a strong culture of innovation and a commitment to improving patient outcomes. The hospital has provided training for thousands of doctors, nurses, and other health professionals over the years and is affiliated with the University of Queensland, one of the country's leading research and teaching institutions.
The RBWH is also a prominent healthcare provider, known for its preeminent cancer care, maternity services, and trauma and burns care. It is the largest provider of telehealth services in Queensland, allowing patients in rural and regional areas to connect with specialists via state-of-the-art video connections. The hospital is part of the Herston Health Precinct, which includes other healthcare facilities and research institutes, contributing to its reputation as a world-leading healthcare hub.
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Frequently asked questions
The Royal Brisbane Hospital was established in 1866. It was originally known as the Brisbane Hospital and was renamed in 1966.
In 2003, the Royal Brisbane Hospital and the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital were merged to become the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH).
The hospital has close to 1,000 beds, with sources stating either 929, 986, or 996 beds.

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