---
title: "The longest published surgery waits in Australia"
description: "The 50 longest published median waits for planned surgery in Australian public hospitals in 2024–25, across every surgery type and public hospital."
url: "https://surgerywaits.au/longest-waits/"
---

# The longest published surgery waits in Australia

The longest published median wait in 2024–25 was **1236 days**, for rhinoplasty at [Box Hill Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/box-hill-hospital/rhinoplasty/) in Victoria.

Reference period 2024–25 (1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025) · released 28 May 2026.

Every figure below is a median a public hospital published for 2024–25: half of the people who had that surgery there waited even longer. The companion pages show [the shortest and longest wait for each surgery](https://surgerywaits.au/longest-waits/by-surgery/), [where crossing a state border cuts the wait most](https://surgerywaits.au/longest-waits/border/) and [where waits rose and fell year on year](https://surgerywaits.au/longest-waits/changes/).

A long median is a measured fact about surgery that already happened, not a judgement of a hospital: case mix, size and demand all differ. No hospital here is called best or worst, and a suppressed figure is never treated as a number.

## The 50 longest published waits

The 50 longest published median waits across every surgery type and public hospital, 2024–25. Closed hospitals and suppressed figures are excluded. Every figure was released on 2026-05-28.

| Rank | Hospital | Surgery | State | Median wait | Surgeries |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [Box Hill Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/box-hill-hospital/rhinoplasty/) | Rhinoplasty | VIC | 1236 days | 13 surgeries |
| 2 | [Sunshine Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/sunshine-hospital/dupuytrens-contracture-surgery/) | Dupuytren's contracture surgery | VIC | 1231 days | 30 surgeries |
| 3 | [Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital \[Heidelberg West\]](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/heidelberg-repatriation-hospital-heidelberg-west/rhinoplasty/) | Rhinoplasty | VIC | 951 days | 19 surgeries |
| 4 | [Box Hill Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/box-hill-hospital/septoplasty/) | Deviated septum surgery | VIC | 910 days | 75 surgeries |
| 5 | [Dandenong Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/dandenong-hospital/breast-reduction/) | Breast reduction | VIC | 849 days | 10 surgeries |
| 6 | [Albury Wodonga Health \[Wodonga Campus\]](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/albury-wodonga-health-wodonga-campus/septoplasty/) | Deviated septum surgery | VIC | 814 days | 61 surgeries |
| 7 | [Royal Perth Hospital Wellington Street Campus](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/royal-perth-hospital-wellington-street-campus/rhinoplasty/) | Rhinoplasty | WA | 794 days | 28 surgeries |
| 8 | [Western Hospital \[Footscray\]](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/western-hospital-footscray/eardrum-repair/) | Eardrum repair | VIC | 787 days | 11 surgeries |
| 9 | [Royal Children's Hospital \[Parkville\]](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/royal-childrens-hospital-parkville/ptosis-repair-of/) | Droopy eyelid repair | VIC | 779 days | 27 surgeries |
| 10 | [Royal Darwin Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/royal-darwin-hospital/eardrum-repair/) | Eardrum repair | NT | 767 days | 30 surgeries |
| 11 | [Lismore Base Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/lismore-base-hospital/eardrum-repair/) | Eardrum repair | NSW | 736 days | 10 surgeries |
| 12 | [Albury Wodonga Health \[Wodonga Campus\]](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/albury-wodonga-health-wodonga-campus/turbinectomy/) | Turbinate surgery (inside the nose) | VIC | 729 days | 26 surgeries |
| 13 | [The Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/the-royal-victorian-eye-ear-hospital/rhinoplasty/) | Rhinoplasty | VIC | 723 days | 10 surgeries |
| 14 | [Albury Wodonga Health \[Wodonga Campus\]](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/albury-wodonga-health-wodonga-campus/varicose-vein-surgery/) | Varicose vein surgery | VIC | 714 days | 18 surgeries |
| 15 | [Blackburn Public Surgical Centre](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/blackburn-public-surgical-centre/septoplasty/) | Deviated septum surgery | VIC | 690 days | 94 surgeries |
| 16 | [Albury Wodonga Health \[Wodonga Campus\]](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/albury-wodonga-health-wodonga-campus/knee-replacement/) | Knee replacement | VIC | 667 days | 103 surgeries |
| 17 | [The Queen Elizabeth Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/the-queen-elizabeth-hospital/breast-reduction/) | Breast reduction | SA | 659 days | 45 surgeries |
| 18 | [Rockingham General Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/rockingham-general-hospital/prolapse-repair/) | Prolapse repair | WA | 631 days | 17 surgeries |
| 19 | [Royal Adelaide Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/royal-adelaide-hospital/breast-reduction/) | Breast reduction | SA | 588 days | 22 surgeries |
| 20 | [Fiona Stanley Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/fiona-stanley-hospital/adenoidectomy/) | Adenoid removal | WA | 585 days | 17 surgeries |
| 21 | [Rockhampton Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/rockhampton-hospital/knee-replacement/) | Knee replacement | QLD | 562 days | 41 surgeries |
| 22 | [Monash Medical Centre \[Moorabbin\]](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/monash-medical-centre-moorabbin/cleft-lip-and-palate-repair-of/) | Cleft lip and palate repair | VIC | 560 days | 19 surgeries |
| 23 | [Royal Adelaide Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/royal-adelaide-hospital/breast-reconstruction/) | Breast reconstruction | SA | 558 days | 17 surgeries |
| 24 | [Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital \[Heidelberg West\]](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/heidelberg-repatriation-hospital-heidelberg-west/septoplasty/) | Deviated septum surgery | VIC | 557 days | 262 surgeries |
| 25 | [Flinders Medical Centre](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/flinders-medical-centre/breast-reduction/) | Breast reduction | SA | 553 days | 25 surgeries |
| 26 | [Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital \[Heidelberg West\]](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/heidelberg-repatriation-hospital-heidelberg-west/stapedectomy/) | Stapedectomy | VIC | 553 days | 13 surgeries |
| 27 | [Monash Medical Centre \[Moorabbin\]](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/monash-medical-centre-moorabbin/breast-reconstruction/) | Breast reconstruction | VIC | 553 days | 20 surgeries |
| 28 | [Latrobe Regional Hospital \[Traralgon\]](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/latrobe-regional-hospital-traralgon/rhinoplasty/) | Rhinoplasty | VIC | 551 days | 12 surgeries |
| 29 | [Modbury Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/modbury-hospital/rhinoplasty/) | Rhinoplasty | SA | 543 days | 18 surgeries |
| 30 | [Northeast Health Wangaratta](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/northeast-health-wangaratta/septoplasty/) | Deviated septum surgery | VIC | 543 days | 24 surgeries |
| 31 | [Fiona Stanley Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/fiona-stanley-hospital/breast-reconstruction/) | Breast reconstruction | WA | 541 days | 42 surgeries |
| 32 | [Austin Hospital \[Heidelberg\]](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/austin-hospital-heidelberg/septoplasty/) | Deviated septum surgery | VIC | 534 days | 78 surgeries |
| 33 | [Port Pirie Regional Health Service](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/port-pirie-regional-health-service/septoplasty/) | Deviated septum surgery | SA | 513 days | 17 surgeries |
| 34 | [Port Pirie Regional Health Service](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/port-pirie-regional-health-service/functional-endoscopic-sinus-surgery/) | Keyhole sinus surgery | SA | 510 days | 18 surgeries |
| 35 | [Fremantle Hospital and Health Service](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/fremantle-hospital-and-health-service/sub-mucosal-resection/) | Sub-mucosal resection | WA | 498 days | 48 surgeries |
| 36 | [Modbury Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/modbury-hospital/eardrum-repair/) | Eardrum repair | SA | 487 days | 16 surgeries |
| 37 | [Sunshine Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/sunshine-hospital/carpal-tunnel-surgery/) | Carpal tunnel surgery | VIC | 482 days | 62 surgeries |
| 38 | [John Hunter Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/john-hunter-hospital/eardrum-repair/) | Eardrum repair | NSW | 481 days | 14 surgeries |
| 39 | [The Canberra Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/the-canberra-hospital/septoplasty/) | Deviated septum surgery | ACT | 481 days | 44 surgeries |
| 40 | [Bowral Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/bowral-hospital/knee-replacement/) | Knee replacement | NSW | 473 days | 78 surgeries |
| 41 | [Fremantle Hospital and Health Service](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/fremantle-hospital-and-health-service/blepharoplasty/) | Excess eyelid skin removal | WA | 473 days | 33 surgeries |
| 42 | [Latrobe Regional Hospital \[Traralgon\]](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/latrobe-regional-hospital-traralgon/functional-endoscopic-sinus-surgery/) | Keyhole sinus surgery | VIC | 473 days | 54 surgeries |
| 43 | [Sunshine Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/sunshine-hospital/trigger-finger-release/) | Trigger finger release | VIC | 473 days | 17 surgeries |
| 44 | [Fremantle Hospital and Health Service](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/fremantle-hospital-and-health-service/ptosis-repair-of/) | Droopy eyelid repair | WA | 471 days | 11 surgeries |
| 45 | [Maitland Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/maitland-hospital/thyroidectomy-hemi-thyroidectomy/) | Thyroid gland removal | NSW | 464 days | 17 surgeries |
| 46 | [Coffs Harbour Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/coffs-harbour-hospital/varicose-vein-surgery/) | Varicose vein surgery | NSW | 462 days | 14 surgeries |
| 47 | [Lismore Base Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/lismore-base-hospital/septoplasty/) | Deviated septum surgery | NSW | 462 days | 14 surgeries |
| 48 | [Bowral Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/bowral-hospital/shoulder-joint-replacement/) | Shoulder joint replacement | NSW | 456 days | 14 surgeries |
| 49 | [Fiona Stanley Hospital](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/fiona-stanley-hospital/functional-endoscopic-sinus-surgery/) | Keyhole sinus surgery | WA | 452 days | 13 surgeries |
| 50 | [Port Pirie Regional Health Service](https://surgerywaits.au/hospital/port-pirie-regional-health-service/adenoidectomy/) | Adenoid removal | SA | 451 days | 21 surgeries |

## What is not here

Public hospitals only. Private hospitals do not report to this collection, so their waiting times cannot be compared here.

A hospital doing very few of a surgery can publish an unusual median — [how to read these figures](https://surgerywaits.au/methodology/).

## Before you use these figures

Surgery Waits is not medical advice. It republishes official statistics about waiting times that have already happened, and it does not recommend any hospital, doctor or treatment. Your general practitioner (GP) and your treating specialist are the right people to help you decide what is appropriate for you.

**In an emergency call 000.**

Waiting-time figures: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare MyHospitals, licensed under [CC BY 3.0 AU](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/). Quarterly state figures: Queensland Health. Suburb and locality data: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Both licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Surgery Waits is not connected with any of these organisations.

Surgery Waits is published by [National Digital](https://nationaldigital.com.au/).

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This is the Markdown copy of https://surgerywaits.au/longest-waits/.