Radiotherapy was available at The Alfred in one form or other during much of the 20th century. For many years The Alfred was served well by excellent visiting radiation oncologists, however, not until close to the end of the century was a dedicated radiotherapy and cancer facility established at The Alfred.

The proposal for a centre at the hospital resulted from the Victorian Government’s report on cancer services in 1985, prepared by a Ministerial Committee chaired by Professor RRH Lovell. The report recommended the creation of a second principal cancer centre in the South Eastern Melbourne Region, along with the redevelopment of the existing Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute.

A successful submission by Alfred staff including Mr Ian (Cas) McInnes, A/Prof Max Schwarz and Dr John Wiseman was made to the Government on behalf of the hospital. This led to the hospital’s most successful building appeal in September 1987. This appeal headed by Mr John Gandel AO (Chairman) and Sir Peter Derham (Deputy Chairman) raised $5 million for the centre. The highlight of the appeal was a donation of $1 million from The William Buckland Foundation, paving the way for the establishment of The William Buckland Radiotherapy Centre.

The $18 million Centre was also funded by the Alfred and the Victorian Government through the then Health Department Victoria.

The building works took place during the early 1990s, with The William Buckland Radiotherapy Centre opening its doors to patients in November 1992.

The official opening was held several months later on March 3, 1993. The opening, by the then Minister for Health, the Hon. Marie Tehan, represented the most significant development at the Alfred since the commissioning of the Main Ward Block in 1977.

Former Alfred Head of Surgery, Mr McInnes, searched the globe for a suitable Director of the Centre and managed to lure renowned oncologist Professor Alan Rodger from Edinburgh, Scotland.

With the establishment of The William Buckland Radiotherapy Centre, the objective of providing a comprehensive cancer care service at the Alfred was realised.