Choosing the right hospital for a sick or injured child is one of the most important and emotionally charged decisions a parent can make. Australia is home to some of the world’s finest dedicated children’s hospitals, staffed by paediatric subspecialists who have trained at the most respected institutions in Australia, the United Kingdom, and North America. This 2026 guide profiles Australia’s best children’s hospitals, their leading paediatric specialist doctors, the conditions they treat, and the advanced technologies available to deliver the highest quality care to young patients.
Australia’s Dedicated Children’s Hospital System
Australia has four major stand-alone dedicated children’s hospitals — The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Sydney, Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane, and Perth Children’s Hospital — each functioning as a tertiary and quaternary referral centre for complex paediatric cases across their respective states. These hospitals are complemented by paediatric units at major regional hospitals and a small number of private paediatric facilities. All four major children’s hospitals are academic medical centres affiliated with their state’s leading universities and are significant sites of paediatric research.
Top Children’s Hospitals in Australia 2026
The Royal Children’s Hospital — Melbourne, Victoria
The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) in Parkville, Melbourne, is Australia’s largest and most complex children’s hospital, treating over 90,000 emergency patients and 300,000 outpatients annually. It is consistently ranked among the top 10 children’s hospitals in the Asia-Pacific region. The RCH is a world leader in paediatric cardiac surgery — its cardiac surgical program performs over 500 open-heart operations per year on children, among the highest volumes globally. Leading specialists include Professor Andrew Cochrane (Chief of Paediatric Cardiac Surgery, internationally recognised for complex congenital heart repair), Professor David Coman (neurology and metabolic diseases), Professor Kate Bourne (paediatric endocrinology and diabetes), and Professor Andrew Fuller (paediatric neurosurgery). The RCH houses a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) with 24 beds, a dedicated neonatal intensive care unit, a children’s cancer centre (in partnership with Murdoch Children’s Research Institute), and one of the Southern Hemisphere’s leading paediatric research institutes.
The Children’s Hospital at Westmead — Sydney, New South Wales
The Children’s Hospital at Westmead (CHW) is NSW’s principal tertiary children’s hospital, located on the Westmead Health Precinct campus — one of Australia’s largest health campuses. CHW provides quaternary care for the most complex paediatric cases in NSW and acts as the primary referral centre for children from regional and rural NSW. World-class subspecialty services include paediatric oncology (with a dedicated Oncology Unit linked to the Kids Cancer Alliance), paediatric nephrology and transplantation, paediatric neurosurgery, complex paediatric surgery, and the NSW Newborn and Paediatric Emergency Transport Service (NETS). Leading specialists include Professor Glenn Marshall (paediatric oncology and translational research), Professor John Christodoulou (genomics and metabolic diseases), and Associate Professor Sarah Cherian (paediatric immunology).
Queensland Children’s Hospital — Brisbane, Queensland
The Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH) in South Brisbane is Australia’s newest major children’s hospital, purpose-built and opened in 2014. It serves as Queensland’s only dedicated paediatric tertiary hospital and provides specialist care for children from Queensland, the Northern Territory, and northern NSW. QCH houses Queensland’s only paediatric cardiac surgery program, a Level 6 PICU, a comprehensive paediatric cancer and blood disorders service, a dedicated paediatric emergency department treating over 70,000 presentations annually, and a fully integrated research institute. Leading specialists include Professor Andrew McLure (paediatric cardiac surgery), Professor Nick West (paediatric haematology and bone marrow transplantation), and Professor Helen Leonard (paediatric neurology and Rett syndrome research — internationally recognised).
Perth Children’s Hospital — Perth, Western Australia
Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) in Nedlands opened in 2018 as WA’s flagship dedicated paediatric facility, replacing Princess Margaret Hospital. PCH provides WA’s only paediatric cardiac surgery, paediatric oncology and bone marrow transplantation, paediatric neurosurgery, and complex neonatal surgery. The hospital incorporates all major paediatric subspecialties under one roof and is affiliated with the Telethon Kids Institute — one of Australia’s leading children’s health research organisations. Leading specialists include Professor Nick Gottardo (paediatric oncology and haematology), Associate Professor Bhavna Dhaliwal (paediatric nephrology), and Professor Vijay Roach (complex paediatric surgery).
Advanced Paediatric Technologies in Australian Children’s Hospitals 2026
| Technology / Service | Clinical Application | Available At |
| Paediatric ECMO | Extracorporeal heart-lung life support for critically ill children | RCH Melbourne, CHW Sydney, QCH Brisbane, PCH Perth |
| Proton Therapy (Paediatric) | Precision radiation with minimal developmental impact | Available via international referral from all major centres |
| CAR-T Cell Therapy | Engineered immune cell treatment for childhood leukaemia | CHW Westmead, RCH Melbourne (trial access) |
| Whole Genome Sequencing | Rapid genetic diagnosis for rare and complex conditions | RCH Melbourne, CHW Westmead, QCH Brisbane |
| Foetal Surgery | Surgery on unborn baby for certain structural defects | RCH Melbourne, CHW Westmead |
| Hybrid Cardiac OR | Combined surgical and catheter-based cardiac intervention | RCH Melbourne, QCH Brisbane, PCH Perth |
| NETS / MedSTAR Transport | Specialist paediatric retrieval and transport teams | NSW (NETS), SA (MedSTAR), VIC (PIPER) |
Leading Paediatric Specialists in Australian Children’s Hospitals
| Specialist | Hospital | City/State | Specialty |
| Prof. Andrew Cochrane | Royal Children’s Hospital | Melbourne, VIC | Paediatric cardiac surgery, CHD repair |
| Prof. Glenn Marshall | Children’s Hospital Westmead | Sydney, NSW | Paediatric oncology, neuroblastoma research |
| Prof. John Christodoulou | CHW / Murdoch Children’s Inst. | Sydney/Melbourne | Genomics, rare metabolic diseases |
| Prof. Nick Gottardo | Perth Children’s Hospital | Perth, WA | Paediatric oncology, brain tumours |
| Prof. Helen Leonard | Queensland Children’s Hospital | Brisbane, QLD | Paediatric neurology, Rett syndrome |
| Prof. David Coman | Royal Children’s Hospital | Melbourne, VIC | Paediatric neurology, metabolic disease |
| A/Prof. Sarah Cherian | Children’s Hospital Westmead | Sydney, NSW | Paediatric immunology, allergy |
What Conditions Do Australian Children’s Hospitals Treat?
Australia’s major children’s hospitals provide specialist care for virtually every paediatric condition including congenital heart disease (requiring cardiac surgery, catheter intervention, or lifelong cardiology follow-up), childhood cancers (leukaemia, brain tumours, neuroblastoma, Wilms tumour, lymphoma), rare genetic and metabolic diseases diagnosed through whole genome sequencing, paediatric neurosurgical conditions (brain tumours, hydrocephalus, epilepsy surgery, vascular malformations), kidney disease and transplantation, liver disease and transplantation, neonatal conditions requiring surgery, and complex orthopaedic conditions including scoliosis and limb deformities.
Accessing Private Paediatric Care in Australia
While Australia’s major children’s hospitals are primarily public institutions funded by state governments, private patients can be admitted at most with private health insurance, enabling access to a specific specialist of choice and private room amenity. Private paediatric specialist clinics operate from major private hospitals including Epworth HealthCare (Vic), St Vincent’s Private (NSW), and Mater Private Hospital (Qld), with paediatricians and paediatric subspecialists consulting across public and private settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which children’s hospital is the best in Australia?
The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne is Australia’s largest and most comprehensive children’s hospital, leading in paediatric cardiac surgery, complex neonatal surgery, and research through the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute — the largest child health research institute in the Southern Hemisphere. Each state’s major children’s hospital is a world-class tertiary centre in its own right.
How do I get a referral to a children’s specialist hospital in Australia?
A referral from your child’s GP or paediatrician is required to access specialist services at children’s hospitals. Emergency presentations do not require a referral. For complex cases, your local paediatrician will refer to the appropriate tertiary children’s hospital. Interstate referrals are common for quaternary conditions and are facilitated between hospital networks.
Do Australian children’s hospitals have paediatric ICUs?
Yes. All four major children’s hospitals — RCH Melbourne, CHW Westmead, QCH Brisbane, and PCH Perth — have dedicated Paediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) with 24-hour specialist intensivist cover, ECMO capability, and the full range of life support technology. Each state also has specialist paediatric retrieval teams to transport critically ill children safely from regional hospitals.
Conclusion
Australia’s children’s hospitals in 2026 stand among the finest in the world, providing extraordinary levels of specialist care, research, and compassionate family-centred treatment. The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Queensland Children’s Hospital, and Perth Children’s Hospital each offer the full spectrum of paediatric subspecialty care with some of Australia’s most experienced and internationally recognised specialists. For families navigating a child’s serious illness, these hospitals provide not only clinical excellence but dedicated child life, psychology, and family support services that acknowledge the unique needs of young patients and their families.