Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Scot MacDonald, said a new $4.2 million station would be built to replace the existing station on Main Road, Toukley.

“And in addition to the existing Wyong ambulance station, a second $4.9 million ambulance station will be constructed in Wyong’s north as part of the Wyong Hospital campus at Hamlyn Terrace,” Mr MacDonald said.

“This is a significant milestone in the NSW government’s election commitment to build two new NSW Ambulance stations as part of the $122 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration (RAIR) program.”

The planning approvals process for both stations would start soon, he said.

The new stations will be welcomed by the Australian Paramedics Association who had labelled the old stations “a disgrace”.

The Toukley station was built in 1966.

The new building would occupy the same footprint, but would offer an improved design, better facilities, and enhanced security, Mr MacDonald said.

NSW Ambulance deputy director of operations, Sean Kearns, said the new stations had been designed in consultation with paramedics.

“These brand new, fit-for-purpose stations will better support the needs of our hardworking local paramedics in delivering high quality emergency medical care to local residents now and into the future,” Mr Kearns said.

The new station would include designated rest and work areas, Mr MacDonald said.

It would also feature four separate parking bays for the ambulances. Currently at Toukley, the four ambulances are parked nose-to-tail across two lanes.

Labor’s Member for Wyong, David Harris, welcomed the announcement, but said it came only after harsh criticism of the government’s failure to allocate the funds last year.

“This project should have been a top-order priority in past budgets. It is disappointing that it has taken this long,” Mr Harris said. Ambulance staff deserved modern and safe facilities, he said.