Even more than that, it will play a crucial part in both retaining and attracting residents to keep the region’s population buoyant.

Stage one construction works began in June of 2013, but the planning behind the scenes commenced many years earlier.

This facility we have before us now stands as testament to all of those who had a role, large or small, in bringing this mighty project to fruition.

The raw facts and figures tell part of the story.

Some 134,000 tonnes of soil has been excavated and 33,000 cubic metres of concrete poured. About 627 tonnes of structural steel erected and 14,000 square metres of glazing to the facade.

But it is not until you walk through the hospital, as The Addy had the privilege of doing yesterday, that the scale of the facility can be appreciated.

While the structure itself is important, what really matters, of course, is what goes on inside.

That is where the 372 inpatient beds, 72 same-day acute beds, 11 operating theatres, regional cancer centre and more will see patients treated with great skill and care.

The great challenge, of course, will be staffing the hospital.

Not just in the years ahead, but the decades to come.

The state-of-the-art facility itself will be a significant drawcard to medical professionals both in Australia and overseas looking to further their careers.

But the hospital alone will not be enough.

Bendigo, as a community, must continue to grow and evolve and mature to ensure skilled staff are not lost to other centres.

The paint might scarcely even be dry on stage one yet, but within a matter of weeks stage two works will commence at the site.

A helipad, conference centre and short-stay accommodation hub are among the most notable additions under the second phase of the project.

However, most exciting – at least for anyone who has struggled to find a park in the precinct – will be the multi-storey car park.

The new $630 million Bendigo hospital gives confidence to anyone who has the misfortune of falling ill that they are in good hands.

- Ross Tyson, deputy editor