Patient transfers to a temporary ward took about an hour for Ballarat Health Services Base Hospital staff with builders stepping straight in to start preparing the ward for upgrades.

The $3.5 million redevelopment is expected to take about six months. A paediatric and adolscents ward set up in the space directly above, 3 South, in what had been a surgical ward.

Most junior patients slept through the process, others enjoyed the extra treats that came with moving day.

Smythesdale mum Jess Walsh’s son Leo, aged four, loved the ice-cream and jelly on offer.

“It was very organised – they can come and move my house any day,” Ms Walsh said. “They were talking about this 10 years ago when my eldest was in here, and it’s been really exciting.”

Volunteer hospital crew spent the weekend shifting what they could early and logistically plotting the move.

Paediatrician Louise Du Plessis said there was a full ward when she arrived this morning, and the move was a big undertaking.

Dr Du Plessis said needs for the ward had changed. There were more high acute patients and a need for more bed space in treating more sick children during winter and in taking on more children from bigger city hospitals.

“It’s actually truly massive and our nursing staff have done an amazing job in planning this,” Dr Du Plessis said. “It was all planned out, mapped out, drug rooms, toy rooms, not to mention the patients and their tubing and drips so it is a massive undertaking to do safely."

Clothing retailer CottonOn has pledged to raise half the redevelopment funds with the annual Run Ballarat. The event has raised more than $1 million the past five years from 100 per cent of entry fees.

BHS chief executive officer Dale Fraser said this was very much a proud community project and the organisation was “excited beyond” for such a milestone achieved.

A key feature of the new ward was more family-friendly space and brighter, modern design.