Global, Local

DVC confusion

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Are the Derwent Valley Council confused about Willow Court use? It would appear so. The Malcolm McDonald Report was the professional advice the Council spent $80,000 of taxpayer funds to obtain, so they could follow the best path for the centre.

Yet in the Gazette the Mayor, who has previously declared Willow Court to be one of the most haunted sites in Australia, without evidence has declared that the expressions of interest process will go ahead to look for “after dark ghost tours (exploiting previous staff and patients), weddings, history tours and even a gallery or wine show”plan to activate site

The current state of the Derwent Council and their decision making was on display on social media a couple of weeks ago after the last meeting when the planned food van/main street festival idea was voted down. There appears to be many agendas with individual council members and we are not sure if this is one of them. We also believe that spending $80,00 of taxpayer funds on advice only to totally ignore it is disappointing of the public office.

While these plans are going ahead, the Council are still in negotiation with the Agrarian Kitchen and a micro brewery to occupy the Bronte building.

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Global, Local

New Norfolk Structure Plan (Draft)

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asbestos at RDH

This is the section of the Structure Report from the Derwent Valley Council that relates to Willow Court and Royal Derwent Hospital. There are some interesting statements on the Willow Court side, in particular the “development in a ad-hoc manner” and “there is currently no overall documented vision or consistent set of objectives for Willow Court”.

As for the Royal Derwent side of the Lachlan River; “identify risks on site, including flood prone land and potential land contamination”, this would be referring to development in low areas along the Lachlan River and the the fact that there were landfill sites with “potential bio-hazard material” and also a previous unknown location of an “asbestos dumping site”. There has been concern over asbestos during the demolition process along with other building rubble.  

The current zone , it would appear is for residential urban development on the Royal Derwent Hospital side of the Lachlan River which would raise concerns with the unknown location of the asbestos dump and ground contamination.

While this is a draft document there are concerns, hopefully now the Council know these they can be addressed. We will watch this space.

Click image above to see full document.

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Global, Local

Archaeology field work at Willow Court.

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It’s been a big week at Willow Court with the Archaeology team on their field trip from Flinders University. Many of the students have been doing 14 hour days with field work and their study load. It was a pleasant and relaxed break on Friday night to enjoy a BBQ with the Team and the Friends of Willow Court. There was a lot of talk about the site and it’s history.

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The next day the team were back into the work with a survey team, a geophysics team and more cataloguing of items including the clothing found in the privately owned Ladies Cottage.

077Logging each pass in the grid as a file

The geophysics team used three types of ground penetrating radar in the quest for hidden foundations and artifacts. Early reports have found, what is believed to be the foundations of the Male Refractory building, which is an “L” shape” and crosses from Carlton yard to the rear of the Carlton side yard. The equipment is so sensitive that the metal contained in the Carlton Ward exercise yard walls was showing up on the equipments data up to five metre away from the wall.

070Students setting up the grid

When I visited, the team were setting out grids behind the Barracks and beside the Carlton Ward and old Lachlan Ward, which is now converted to residential units. Once the grid was set out the radar was dragged over the surface and each pass was logged as a separate file which will later form an overall bigger picture.

065Calibrating the equipment

The internal walls were being measured in the Barracks and the floorboards were of some interest and were being analysed and the data was being recording. The survey team were just finishing the Willow Court side and started to survey the grounds of Frascati House.

The Friends of Willow Court are hoping that Associate Professor will be able to return to present some of the findings in a public information / lecture session during heritage month activities this year (yet to be confirmed and approved by DVC).

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Above: A small pair of shoes which had been catalogued.

Below: Students and the teacher setting out areas to be surveyed in front of Frascati House.

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Above: Walking the grid starts.

Below: Checking the instrumentation.

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Global, Local

1970’s study into children’s attitudes about the disabled

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Primary School Children's Perceptions

click image above to read full document.

This is a 32 page study that was undertaken when there were thoughts of deinstitutionalising the children at Willow Court. What was the likely outcome and how would children blend into a integrated educational system?

The late Dr Merrill Stanley Jackson (March 2015) and Brian Knowles asked 63 questions that attempted to seek the perceptions of children from grades 3-6 with some interesting results.

It would be interesting to see if there was a follow up study after integration/inclusion, if not, this may well be a basis for a study to see what perceptions are held today.

The large book (from Willow Court) of collected studies explores the idea of integration in the 70’s and what would be the possible ramifications and obvious questions and concerns the non-institutionalised community would have towards such a program.

By the 1980’s the children started the deinstitutionalisation process – the rest is history.

 

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Global, Local

Archaeology Students return to Willow Court this February

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mms_img1573385350_20141126T201311-071Looking forward to the next visit from Associate Professor Heather Burke and the team of Archaeology Students this February. Willow Court has much to reveal of it’s past through artifacts, be they in the ground or under the protection of the Derwent Valley Council or attached to the buildings themselves.

The most interesting find for me would be a confirmation that the wooden structures that pre-dated the Barracks are, where original plans suggest. At this stage the history would suggest the site in front of Frescati House, somewhat in line with the new gates of Willow Court is that site.

It is believed that the wooden structures which were written about in the book, “Troubled Asylum” were discribed as being totally inapproprate and leaked rain through the roof and couldn’t stop water running along the earth floor, were discribed in a letter of complaint that started the process of designing the Barracks as we see them today

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Global, Local

2015

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Well another year comes to an end and this year has seen some progress both at the Willow Court Site and on this website. At Willow Court we know that stage one of the conservation has been completed and the Derwent Valley Council have now reconsidered the Community House idea for Willow Court and are now pursuing a more tourist focused plan. The site closed for conservation in 2012 and remains closed three years later, by comparison the Mona Site was built and opened to the public in a shorter space of time.

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(c) 2015 Heritage Week Display officially opened by the Governor of Tasmania.

The Friends of Willow Court are to present to the Derwent Valley Council their plans for professional thematic tours early next year. We have seen part restoration of the wall this year, displays of the juncture of Willow Court and world conflict, a play by the Derwent Valley Players at Frascati House and the Prime Minister of Australia visit the soon to be listed Heritage site. We have also seen the very real support from Eric Hutchinson MP who has actively pursued the interests of Willow Court in Canberra.

Conflict and Consequences

(c) 2015 Professional display presented at Willow Court by the Friends of Willow Court.

On the not so positive side we still can’t arrange tours despite the countless inquiries by individuals and groups. We have also heard of several different councillors who all have their own agendas for the site.

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(c) 2015 Group of visitors can’t access the site.

The website has had a big facelift this year and has become more accessible for our diverse community, thanks to the input and skills of Joshua Krause IT and Michelle Eastwood for her transcribing services of our audio podcasts.

I would also like to thank Anthony Nicholson OAM: Consultant Historian and Ex-Employee Willow Court Admin and Anne McKinstray: Advisor and Ex-Employee Willow Court Centre for their input and advice.

The new website also makes reviewing the year easier by having the years news and other years down the right side of the webpage. Click the month to the right and see for yourself.

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(c) 2015 Supporter Eric Hutchinson is a voice in Canberra.

From the Team at Willow Court History Group we thank you for your interest, participation and ongoing support to see Willow Court became the Historic Centre in New Norfolk that tourists want to visit and respect.

Happy New Year.

Mark Krause

 

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Global, Local

Christmas Parade Photo Gallery

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The Friends of Willow Court were at this years Christmas Parade in New Norfolk with a display of the work that the group has been involved in. Joint projects with the New Norfolk Tidy Towns Committee and the Derwent Valley Players along with working bees and training days were all on display. The Matron also made a visit.

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2015 Christmas Parade and static display of the Friends of Willow Court, the Derwent Valley Players and the Tidy Towns.

 

Photos supplied and copyright Nadia Lobb

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Missing Chattels at Royal Derwent and Willow Court Training Centre

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The minutes of the Derwent Valley Council show an interesting item, below Mr Len Butterworth asked the Mayor if there is an answer to the discrepancy between the 2002 audit and the latest audit figure which puts the number of artifacts held and protected by the Derwent Valley Council at 500.

There is an ongoing investigation and we will keep an eye on this one.

 

6.5 Mr Butterworth – Royal Derwent Chattels Mr Butterworth noted that the had previously queried the location of 3,973 chattels documented in a 2002 audit, and referred to the provision of an electronic record documenting only 500 items by the former General Manager. The Mayor took the question on notice.

Minutes of the Derwent Valley Council

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Global, Local

New use for Bronte?

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Derwent Valley Council are considering a joint proposal tonight from “The Eleventh Order” which is a craft brewery based in New Norfolk and the popular Agrarian Kitchen. The Council will also will consider deferring the expression of interest process that was going to find a compatible tenant for the Bronte Building.

Because of the zoning requirement Heritage Tasmania will be consulted into the proposed use of the site. This interest came from the Prime Minister’s visit to Willow Court in October during which time members of the invited group had a limited tour of the restoration and conservation works.

Back in August the Derwent Valley Council had an agenda item recommending the lease of the Bronte Building to the Derwent Valley Community House. (CLICK HERE)

The proposal was going to see the building being leased for nine years for nine dollars. This morning Councillor Shaw, Deputy Mayor announced on Facebook “There is no “current lease holder” there was a decision of council to form an agreement/lease with community house, which has to my knowledge not been signed. Community house has now expressed interest in moving to another council facility which is also on the agenda for tonight“.

Tonight Councillor Shaw also announced on facebook “there was a decision made at tonight’s council meeting, to formally enter into lease negotiations with DVCH in relocating to carinya education park. This is a magnificent space and has huge kitchen amenities. All it needs now is all party’s to agree on terms.”

By the amount of likes on the notice it would appear that locals and interested people seem to agree that this is a better fit for the Historic Precinct than previous proposals. The public heard this proposal this morning on the ABC’s Leon Compton morning program during talk back.

The proposal is to explore an agreement between the parties before March 2016.

Mercury Article

 

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Global, Local

Startling statisics

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Shadow of businesswoman by projection screen
Statistics and humanity.

After 23 years supporting people with disability I have enjoyed the company and the diversity that is now in my community and would find it hard to not know that in the future. So when I came across some papers that were part of the gathering of statistics for a 1975 national survey into who was living in institutional care facilities around our country and in what conditions they were living, I wanted to collate this information about Willow Court.

I have some papers which will not be published by me or this group as the detailed information contained in them is private, however the statistical information that can be gathered from these papers is this:

Number of people in each ward.

Gender balance in each ward.

Age of person at admission.

Current age.

Measure of “Mental Retardation” or other diagnosis.

Length of stay in institution.

The information goes on to explore how many toilets had doors that would lock and how many toilets contained toilet paper. The final survey broke down all the data into percentages. It would be interesting to obtain the national data as a comparison. I know that the figures I have are 20 Patients short of the final total, so one ward is missing.

So this is what I have:

Year = 1975

Ward = B

Age range = 12 – 52

Gender = F

Collective years in willow court = 459.5 years

Number of people = 26

 

Year = 1975

Ward = 9 (45 bed ward 36 people had mental retardation)

Age range = 22 – 81

Gender =

Collective years in willow court = 631 years (2 questionable as short)

Number of people = 36 (45 Bed Ward, only 36 with MR)

 

Year = 1975

Ward = D

Age range = 17 – 76

Gender = M

Collective years in willow court = 897.4

Number of people = 44

 

Year = 1975

Ward = E

Age range = 15 – 64

Gender = M

Collective years in willow court = 587.5 years

Number of people = 40

Year = 1975

Ward = F

Age range = 10 – 26

Gender = M 10 F 13 = 23

Collective years in willow court = 187 years

Number of people = 23

 

Year = 1975

Ward = H

Age range = 11 – 64

Gender = M 11 F 33 = 44

Collective years in willow court = 365 years

Number of people = 44

 

Year = 1975

Ward = J

Age range = 16 – 74

Gender = F?

Collective years in willow court = 555 years

Number of people = 43

 

Year = 1975

Ward = L

Age range = 5 – 24

Gender = M 20 F13 = 23

Collective years in willow court = 164.5 years

Number of people = 23

Year = 1975

Ward = M

Age range = 3 – 14

Gender = M 17 F 15 = 22

Collective years in willow court = 128.4 years

Number of people = 22

 

Year = 1975

Ward = O

Age range = 22 – 63

Gender =

Collective years in willow court = 718 years

Number of people = 42

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Total people = 343 (study had 363)

Total years spent in institution = 4693.3 years

Age range = 3 – 81 years

I am stunned that we as a community have not enjoyed the diversity that people with disability bring for 4693.3 years collectively. I feel that we are the losers for that decision.

 

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