General News
24 July, 2024
Memories wanted for birthday milestone
Patients and staff from Wimmera Base Hospital are being asked to share their memories as the facility prepares to celebrate 150 years.
Grampians Health librarian Michelle Pitman has been busy collating information and sifting through records for the occasion, and has asked the community to assist with adding to the archives.
“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 are currently dicussing plans and options for how best to commemorate 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,” Grampians Health chief people officer Claire Woods 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 meeting was first held on September 10 1873 to discuss the establishment of a hospital in Horsham, which would cater to the medical needs of the town and surrounding district.
Following this, a community fundraiser was established, and use of a piece of land on Robinsons Street was requested as the site of the Horsham and District Hospital.
Its main entrance was close to where the Wimmera Nursing Home sits today.
In July 1942, the first section of a new multi-storey hospital, fronting Baillie Street where it sits today, was opened.
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, and three years later, on August 27, Horsham and District Hospital was incorporated by the Victorian Government.
Horsham and District Hospital's first student nurse was Isabella Sexton, who passed her qualifications in 1892, and the hospital’s first Matron is generally accepted to be Isabella Bolton.
The hospital has undergone a few name changes over the years.
On December 12 1927 the hospital's name was changed from Horsham and District Hospital to Horsham Base Hospital.
Twenty-two years later, on August 15, 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, with the new $12.5 million hospital was officially opening 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.
It was now Victoria’s largest regional health service, and Australia’s largest public aged care provider.