15 July 2024

Horsham will celebrate 150 years of public hospital service next month and Grampians Health wants to record the memories of staff and patients from different eras.

Grampians Health librarian Michelle Pitman has been busy sifting through old records and collating information for the occasion. She has asked for the community to provide their memories or that of their ancestors to record as much as possible.

“We want to hear from former staff members, volunteers, board members, auxiliary members and patients who have a good story to tell or a memory to share,” Ms Pitman said.

“We are particularly keen to see some old photos from different eras, especially prior to the 1970s where we don’t have many. The plan is to establish a page on our website to store pictures and stories.”

Grampians Health Chief People Officer Claire Woods said planning was under way to work out how to best recognise the occasion.

“We want to include our team but also our community in any celebrations so if anyone would like to get involved, we want to hear from them,” Claire said.

“The hospital has provided an amazing level of care for 150 years and we want to recognise the work that has been done by so many to improve the health of our region.”

A healthy history 

A public meeting was held on September 10, 1873, to discuss the establishment of a hospital which instigated a community fundraising campaign and a request for land at the site of the old police paddock in Robinson Street. Its main entrance was close to the site of today’s Wimmera Nursing Home.

Dr Frederick Lawton was assigned as the first doctor and a meeting on August 27, 1874, elected a hospital committee and appointed trustees. Dr Lawton soon returned to Melbourne and was replaced by Dr Thomas Steele at the end of 1874.

Horsham and District Hospital was incorporated by the Victorian Government on August 27,1877. Its first student nurse was Isabella Sexton who passed her qualifications in 1892. The hospital’s first Matron is generally accepted to be Isabella Bolton.

On December 12, 1927, the hospital name was changed to Horsham Base Hospital and in July, 1942, the first section of a new multi-storey hospital fronting Baillie Street is opened. On August 15, 1949, the hospital was renamed once more to its present day title of Wimmera Base Hospital.

In November, 1995, Wimmera Base Hospital and Dimboola District Hospital merged to form Wimmera Health Care Group and a new $12.5-million hospital was officially opened in April, 1996.

On November 1, 2021, Wimmera Health Care Group merged with Stawell Regional Health, Edenhope and District Memorial Hospital and Ballarat Health Services to form Grampians Health, becoming Victoria’s largest regional health service and Australia’s largest public aged care provider.

The earliest known photo of nurses at Horsham’s original hospital site.
Taken in 1916/17, it includes from left, Sr Curran, Sr Booth, Sr Anderson,
Sr McCarlie, Matron Annie G Duffy (seated), Sr Veitch, Sr McClounnan,
Sr Hawkin and Sr Laycock.