Kool Beanz and Western Bulldogs Join the New Footscray Hospital Precinct Servicing the Largest Public Hospital Development in Victoria

Kool Beanz and Western Bulldogs will open a childcare centre at the new Footscray Hospital after successfully securing the lease at the premises.

Through this partnership, an innovative childcare centre will open on Level 4 at 1 Tiernan Street, to support the largest new public hospital development in Victoria.

The leasing deal, a 15 year initial term with two additional five year options, was finalised following a successful expressions of interest campaign led by CBRE’s Australian Healthcare & Social Infrastructure in collaboration with Plenary Health.

This is Kool Beanz’s first location in Victoria and the Bulldogs-themed centre will provide care for up to 90 children.

With construction now underway, the childcare facility is expected to create nearly 30 new jobs and meet the growing needs of the local community. Scheduled to open later this year, the rooftop centre will feature specialised spaces including an art room, library, and dedicated Lego and STEM areas.

“The team received four offers during the expressions of interest campaign, and the deal was ultimately secured after a competitive process. Both CBRE and Plenary agreed that Western Bulldogs x Kool Beanz was the ideal tenant,” said CBRE’s Sandro Peluso.

Kool Beanz Founder Bruce Coulson echoed the sentiment: “This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to supporting families at every stage of their child’s learning and development. Partnering with the Western Bulldogs and Plenary Health enables us to deliver high-quality early education right in the heart of the community.”

Plenary Health is delivering the $1.5 billion New Footscray Hospital in partnership with the Victorian Government and Western Health. The hospital remains on track for completion by the end of 2025.

As one of the largest health infrastructure investments in Victoria, the new hospital will feature over 500 beds, enabling care for nearly 15,000 additional patients and accommodating around 20,000 more emergency department visits annually.

Mr Peluso added, “We’re seeing growing interest from operators in medical precincts. With over 70% of the healthcare component already committed, one of the key pieces of feedback from pre-committed groups was the strong appeal of having a high-quality childcare centre on site to support staff.”