Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital

The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital is a specialist facility in East Melbourne focused on treating eye and ear conditions for patients across the region. The building contains separate areas with inpatient wards and additional accommodation options designed to support patients during their recovery periods.

The hospital was established in 1863 to serve miners from Victorian gold fields who suffered from eye and ear conditions. This founding mission shaped the institution's medical focus, which has evolved and expanded over more than 150 years.

The hospital's coat of arms displays a falcon standing on a closed book, supported by a rod symbolizing medicine and representing the institution's commitment to healing knowledge. This emblem reflects how the place continues to blend tradition with medical care in the heart of the city.

The facility operates an emergency department available around the clock to handle cases involving eye and ear issues. Visitors should allow time to navigate the different specialist areas within the building.

In 1978, surgeons at this hospital performed the world's first multi-channel cochlear implant procedure, a landmark moment for hearing technology. This groundbreaking work led to the creation of the Bionic Ear Institute and established the facility as a center for innovations in audiology.