In 1975, plans for a new Mater Adult Hospital were announced. The decision to build a new Mater Adult Hospital came after much discussion and negotiation by Mater to gain government support for which it had lobbied over many decades. The original hospital, which had been operating since 1911 would be replaced by a new 126 bed facility providing a wide range of surgical, medical and cancer services.
The following year on 9 March 1976 a new wing at Mater Children's Hospital opened, thus finally completing the original 1931 design plans.
Mater Mothers' also expanded their existing services to premature babies, opening a Neonatal Special Care Unit in December 1976. The following year, the first neonatal retrieval in Queensland was instigated by Mater using then Premier of Queensland, Sir Joh Bjelke-Peterson’s, plane.
This commitment to caring for Queensland’s smallest babies was supported by the opening of the Mater Growth and Development Clinic in April 1978. Managed by Professor David Tudehope, the clinic evaluated the progress of infants born weighing less than 1500 grams and babies whose lives depended on a respirator.
The Neonatal Emergency Transport Service, NETS, was also formally inaugurated in April 1978 when twins were transported from Toowoomba.