Wilson Memorial Community Hospital
Wilson Memorial Community Hospital located in Murrurundi, New South Wales, was designed by architect George McRae and completed in 1919 . It is now proposed to be demolished to make way for a new hospital. Community groups have been fighting to get the hospital heritage listed.
History[edit]
The hospital grounds was owned by Peter Haydon in 1840 who sold the land to William Arlington Wilson.[1] The hospital replaced a smaller facility run by the Benevolent Society in 1861 It was named after William Arlington Wilson who donated the land.[2] After he died in 1913 he gave five acres of land to community to build the hospital.[1]
First foundation stone was laid in 1916.[2] The building was delayed for three year due to WWI and finally opened in 1919.[3] The foundation stone was buried in the rose garden for the 100th anniversary.[2]
It was designed by George McRae who designed many other buildings including Sydney's Queen Victoria Building and the Taronga Zoo.[4] The hospital was only one of two building that he designed outside of Sydney,
Facilitates[edit]
Located on corner of Paradise and O'Connell Streets.[5] The hospital has a number of services including 24/7 emergency department , palliative care and many allied health services including physio, dietetics and baby health clinics.[5]
Proposed new hospital[edit]
The old hospital is set to be demolished to improve ambulance access, provide staff accommodation and parking.[4] The new hospital will be named Murrurundi Wilson Memorial Hospital.[4] Hutchies construction was awarded the contract in December 2019[6]
Fight for State Heritage Listing[edit]
Ray Haynes the heritage consultant campaigned to cancel the demolition and place the hospital on the State Heritage List.[4] On the 7th of July the State Heritage Committee rejected the Upper Hunter Shire Council application to make the hospital a state heritage building.[6] A Murrurundi community group resubmitted an application for State Heritage listing.[1]
The council claims no is asbestos and leaks to the building but this only in the extensions with the core building having no issues.[1] Hunter New England Health claim that there is no integrity to the original building[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e "New Hope For Wilson Memorial Hospital". scone.com.au. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- ^ a b c Reid, Caitlin (3 December 2019). "Preserving the old, making way for the new". The Scone Advocate. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- ^ Murphy, Ben (20 September 2016). "100 years – and still going strong". The Scone Advocate. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- ^ a b c d Messenger, Andrew (24 October 2020). "Demolition of historic 1919 Murrurundi hospital necessary: health". The Northern Daily Leader. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- ^ a b "Wilson Memorial Hospital -Murrurundi". www.hnehealth.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- ^ a b "Wilson Memorial Hospital To Be Demolished". scone.com.au. 9 October 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.