Welcome to the Willow Court History Group.

Willow Court is the oldest, continually run on the same site asylum located in the island State of Tasmania, Australia and had its heritage start before 1827. This is older than the well-known and well visited Port Arthur Historic Site. Asylums like Willow Court that once segregated and housed people with disabilities and the mentally ill have lain empty and often unused for  two decades. As the Social Model of care was rolled out the vacating of these institutions began. Tasmania was the first state in Australia to de-institutionalise all of the people it housed and closed the doors of Willow Court 2000/Royal Derwent Hospital in late 2001.

This social experiment was watched by other states in Australia, which also had started their own journey of de-institutionalisation. Communities were left with large complexes and equally large maintenance bills, often too much for small municipal councils or state governments to bear through their rate payer/tax payer base. Theft, arson and vandalism all added to already growing problems of natural decay. This is the story of Willow Court in New Norfolk, Tasmania, a peaceful township on the banks of the Derwent River 35 km from Hobart.

About Us

We are interested in Willow Court’s history both inspiring and controversial and we seek to deliver an online representation of this hospital/asylum’s history before it is lost. We strive to present and preserve a balanced interpretation (without fear or favour) of the history and will include the stories of all those that were affected by Willow Court and the Government policies of the day designed to segregate people based on their mental health or intellectual disability.

An original plan (from 1962) to reuse Willow Court highlights the Barracks as an interpretation/museum that housed “invalid convicts”, along with this website’s online presence, we offer the public a glimpse into the workings of a hospital originally created for invalid convicts, people living with a disability and or a mental health issue and which operated mostly as a closed shop for 174 years.

There has been a stigma and shame surrounding Royal Derwent Hospital/Willow Court for many years and yet we consider this to be our rich and valuable heritage, both physical and human. We have called for Willow Court to become a listed “Site of Conscience” through the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience. During the advocacy stage of this group we called for recognition of the human struggle that took place at Willow Court. Past to Present, Memory to Action” was our motto when we first started in 2012 and we encouraged our community to use our history to enlighten our future.

Please feel free to join our Facebook group or Facebook page using the links provided. We are happy to supply educational material including podcasts, films, documentation, guest speakers who are registered teachers in the state of Tasmania. Tours inquiries can be made through our “Contact and Support Us” Page.

We are always looking for information about Willow Court and we wish to gather its long, proud and troubled history and record that for future generations to know and understand the past. We welcome written articles, reports and such as a contribution to the website. If this interests you please contact mark@willowcourttasmania.org

We have a research page (password protected) where research partners can gain access to online publications for the period of their research. This is a growing area where people can support this website in feeding back, evidence based articles. posts and general information. If you wish to gain access to this area please contact us through the email below.

Mark Krause

mark@willowcourttasmainia.org