WORK continues on the redevelopment of Coffs Harbour Hospital and during the past few weeks there has been activity in the older building behind the new section of the main hospital.

On Tuesday morning, when the blinds were opened in the children’s ward on the second floor, the youngsters whose windows looked out on the older building were amazed and delighted to see a mighty yellow crane right outside, carefully manoeuvring into position alongside a long, orange flat-bed truck.

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One little fellow who had been in traction for three weeks had his bed moved closer to the window by a nurse and he watched enthralled as the boom’s telescoping sections were slowly extended.

It wasn’t only the children who were excited, a small crowd of onlookers also gathered on the ground to watch proceedings.

The crane, a 100-tonne Liebherr slew crane with an upper and lower cab from North Coast Cranes at Coffs Harbour, was there to lift air-dryer units onto the building as part of the hospital upgrade.

This crane is the largest in the North Coast Cranes’ fleet of slew cranes and is operated by the company’s longest-serving crane operator, Geoffrey Bohringer, who has been working with the company for more than 45 years.

The unexpected excitement lifted spirits on the second floor, and on ground level too.

It’s a further step in the redevelopment of the hospital, bringing better health care to residents of Coffs Harbour and surrounding communities along the north coast.

By Susan KONTIC