The opening comes a year after the community successfully fought a plan to close the old operating theatre because of concerns about the air conditioning and wall suction after an audit conducted by the Australian Council of Healthcare Services.

In August last year, the Murrumbidgee Local Health District had planned to close the existing theatre and transfer services for women who needed caesarean births and gynaecological surgery to Cootamundra and Young hospitals.

The upgrade includes a refurbished theatre with new equipment including a new operating table, pendant lights, new service panels for oxygen and changed to the way patients are transferred in and out of theatre.

The theatre upgrade follows a $390,000 upgrade to the medical ward, which was completed in February.