Celebrating 70 years of care

TQEH opened in 1954 as a maternity hospital, expanding its services to become a general hospital in 1959. At the request of the Government of South Australia, the hospital was named after Queen Elizabeth II, who had recently ascended to British throne and thereby Australia’s head of state.

The newly integrated hospital was officially opened by Her Majesty the Queen Mother when she visited TQEH on 5 March 1958. The Queen Mother’s route to the hospital was so crowded that her visit was delayed by 20 minutes, with a further 3,000 people waiting to greet her at the hospital when she arrived.

Originally designed to service the western suburbs, TQEH is now the second most utilised hospital in South Australia, by patients from the central northern region of Adelaide.

Honoured in 2023 with Most Outstanding Hospital by the Australian Patients Association, TQEH is a leader in exceptional patient care and will continue to do so, with the opening of Kangkanthi in 2024.

Celebration activities will occur throughout this year, keep an eye out for more information and get involved as we celebrate 70 years of care.

• The Queen Elizabeth Hospital is opened initially as a maternity hospital in 1954. From 1959 it expands its services to become a general hospital.
• Friends of TQEH was established in 1960. Set up as a canteen service to provide patients with refreshments, this passionate group has evolved to become a vital volunteer service, working in partnership with the hospital to the benefit of clinicians, patients and the community.
• In 1964 surgeons performed Australia’s first successful kidney transplant at TQEH.
• TQEH was the first teaching hospital in SA to be accredited by the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards.
• TQEH was the first hospital in SA to appoint a Cardiac Nurse Practitioner.
• In 1983 the first baby conceived with IVF in South Australia was born at TQEH.
• The $314 million redevelopment project was completed in 2024. Meaning ‘to care’ in Kaurna, Kangkanthi will provide better access to high-quality healthcare for the western suburbs community.