It was a wet weekend and one that rained emotions, as the community rallied for improvements to the Eurobodalla Shire's health services.
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A further $60 million for the new regional hospital at Moruya was welcomed by the community on Saturday, November 27.
However, it was still unclear whether the new hospital will open with level 4 services - which is what the community is calling for.
The rain drizzled on a crowd that gathered at a rotunda beside the Moruya Bridge.
Spirits were not dampened as more than 200 people eagerly expressed their support of the hospital campaign, driven by The ONE - New Eurobodalla Hospital advocacy group.
Over the past three years, the hospital advocacy group has submitted three petitions of approximately 10,000 signatures.
The group has campaigned for improvements to emergency, critical care and perioperative services and the development of a level 4 regional hospital that is equal to other regional hospitals within the Southern NSW Local Health District.
Campaign advocate Dr Michael Holland organised a public assembly to lobby for "adequate health services" in the Eurobodalla Shire.
"We didn't assemble to ask for more money - it's not about the money, it's about the current and future services," Dr Holland said.
The rally called for "transparency" from the government and to understand what the $260 million hospital will provide.
Since changes to the clinical services plan, Dr Holland said "it is still unclear of exactly what we will get".
"I want this hospital to be open as a functional hospital, regardless of how many beds," he said.
"We haven't seen a breakdown of where that extra $60 million goes.
"The final business plan has been postponed from mid-December to mid-February, which is when we're expecting the Bega electorate byelection.
"The community needs to know what's in that business plan before the byelection."
During his speech at the public assembly, Dr Holland said the current Batemans Bay and Moruya hospitals were "falling down".
"The only good thing about them, is what's inside them," he said.
With 19-years experience in the shire as an obstetrician and gynecologist, he said more support was needed to help health workers perform their duties safely under the demand.
Dr Holland also made this clear in a recent testimony at a parliamentary inquiry into rural health.
He expressed "it was a mistake" standing as a witness and calling out the shire's "newborn services were unsafe".
The NSW government was quick to investigate and compiled a report after Dr Holland's testimony.
Dr Holland said the report did not appreciate the "root cause of the lack of safety", but instead was a "witch hunt, that blamed the victims".
He wanted the report to be released to the public.
Dr Holland said work had to be done now in recruiting specialists to reach a level 4 service.
Until the new hospital opens, Dr Holland said the transition of services can not downgrade at any point.
"While we are transitioning, there can't be a loss of beds or nursing numbers until the new hospital opens," he said.
"We still have no resolution on the current deficiencies on neonatal and maternity services situation at Moruya District Hospital."
Dr Holland's resignation comes into effect mid-February. In the meantime, he was committed to working with the new district lead in the recruitment and transition of services to the new hospital.
He reassured the public, not to be concerned over accessing specialists in the event of an emergency. He referred the public to hospitals at Moruya or Bega.
