The Sunshine Coast is set to become the epicentre of mental health innovation in Australia, with a nation-first treatment and research precinct being planned for Birtinya.
Led by Thompson Brain and Mind Healthcare, the neuro-innovation and mental health hospital project is expected to position Queensland as the national leader in the field.
The precinct will feature an eight-storey, 10,000sqm flagship facility within the Birtinya health precinct, serving as a prototype for statewide and national rollout.
Digital models will extend its reach into regional and rural Queensland, enabling expanded access to advanced mental health care.
“This precinct will be a cornerstone for mental health research, treatment and innovation, not only for our region but for the nation,” TBMH CEO Professor Jim Lagopoulos said.
“We are proud to be pioneering neuroscience-led approaches that reshape mental healthcare, and we are actively engaged with government and local representatives to progress this project and bring it to life for the Sunshine Coast community.”
Plans for the Birtinya facility were approved in 2023, with TBMH hoping to commence construction next year. The build is expected to take about two years.
A TBMH press release said the project could create up to 300 high-value jobs across technology, clinical care and research.
It said it would also attract investment and international collaborations to the state through the global clinical trial and biomedical market, and deliver long-term cost savings through early intervention and reduced healthcare burden.
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The project would build on TBMH’s Brain and Mind Hub in Maroochydore, which has delivered more than 4500 occasions of care since it opened 18 months ago.
In that time it has introduced Queensland-first treatments amid a wide spectrum of mental health presentations, many of which are complex, multi-layered and resistant to traditional treatment approaches. These include co-occurring conditions, neurodevelopmental disorders, trauma-related presentations and treatment-resistant depression and anxiety.
TBMH, which is a not-for-profit organisation, was recently named Best Large Health and Medical Services Business at the 30th annual Sunshine Coast Business Awards, and the Brain and Mind Hub was honoured as Organisation of the Year at the 2025 Sunshine Coast Community Gala Awards.
Prof Lagopoulos was also a finalist for the Jess Cheverton Individual Award at the 2025 Queensland Mental Health Awards.
“These awards are a testament to the exceptional team we have built and the urgent need for innovative, accessible mental health care,” he said.
“We are proud to be offering neuroscience-led approaches that are reshaping how mental health is understood and treated.”
TBMH also acknowledged the generosity and vision of philanthropists Roy and Nola Thompson, saying the neuro-innovation and mental health hospital precinct, along with the ongoing delivery of mental health services to the Sunshine Coast community members who need it the most, would not be possible without them.
“My family and I are deeply excited to support this vision, and we are proud to stand behind TBMH as it works to make a lasting difference,” board member Peter Thompson said.
