Seven drill holes were put down to depths of 10-15 m, and six backhoe pits were excavated to a maximum depth of 2.6 m, to investigate subsurface conditions at the proposed Para District Hospital, Elizabeth South. The site was found to be underlain by at least 10 m of stiff clayey silt of the Pooraka Formation, with a red-brown earth developed on it. In the northern portion of the site a terrace gravel occurs on the surface up to 1.8 m thick. Foundation conditions were found to be quite uniform and should be adequate for the proposed structure. The near surface clay layers should be subject to only small swelling and shrinkage and no soft silt layers were detected. The terrace gravel is however not recommended as a bearing horizon due to its thinness and variability. Evidence from an adjacent site indicates that groundwater occurs at 13 m (rising to 11 m) in this area, and no water was struck during this investigation.