Ward 10 was a high secure ward that was surrounded by a Ha Ha wall and was home for people with florid psychosis.
Ward 10
Disturbing mockery
This disturbing portrayal of people living with disabilities and\or mental health issues is on display at the Western Australian Royal Show. Advertised as “entertainment” this is a disgusting image that lacks the basic respect and sensitivity toward anyone who has lived or worked with people with a Mental Health issu
e or an intellectual disability and has known the inside of an institution. Right click the picture to read the full article.
“A mental health lobby group wants Perth Royal Show organisers to shut a haunted house based on a 17th century mental asylum in which actors pretend to be inmates.”
COMHWA executive director Shauna Gaebler said the haunted hospital and another exhibit, the asylum 3-D spinning horror, were “offensive and discriminatory” because they stereotyped mentally-ill people as dangerous and objects of general fun.
“The exhibitions reinforce stereotypes that people with mental illness differ in appearance to other members of the community and are violent, dangerous, untrustworthy or unpredictable,” she said.
It is hoped that the Derwent Valley Council never entertain the thought or entertain any group\s that wishes to promote Willow Court \ Royal Derwent Hospital in any manner such as this. A recent letter to the Derwent Valley Gazette expressed exactly this sentiment. It was believed that a group have approached the Derwent Valley Council asking for funds to promote their DVC co produced Paranormal film and conduct night tours. Willow Court History Group is about keeping Willow Court’s history in tact and not representing it in a different manner for people’s entertainment or the pure pursuit of making money. Another article ABC report
Open day postponed due to unfinished building works
The open day which was announced by the Willow Court Conservation Committee and the Derwent Valley Council and planning meetings have been underway has been postponed. The DVC has produced no advertising material despite asking people to prepare and present displays. This postponement is due to unfinished works on Bronte Ward. Another planning meeting is to be held Wednesday and I should know more details from that meeting. I will pass this on as soon as a new date is confirmed.
The Derwent Valley Council will be holding an “open the site” day of the Willow Court Heritage Precinct on 27th and 28 in September 2014.
The idea is to show the public what has been done to the historic location with conservation works over the last 18 months. Although the Council, have only just notified groups, there is a plan for:
Display of before and after photos by the Project Officer Mr. Brett Noble,
Display from the New Norfolk Historic Centre and
Input and displays from the Friends of Willow Court and the Friends of Frascati House.
More news when it comes to hand.
Derwent Valley Council gag order proposed.
An interesting agenda item is on the Derwent Valley Councils agenda for tonight’s meeting and deserves a bit of public scrutiny. The item of concern is under the heading
1.4 Powers and functions of the special committee (page 15)
- The Chairperson or any representative of any committee is not authorised to undertake a press release or communicate any decision of the committee prior to approval being given by the Mayor.
All information discussed and actioned from any Special Committee will now have to gain approval from the Mayor to communicate outside of that meeting. A couple of comments are worthy here; the Mayor has been very slow in responding to requests for information from the Friends of Willow Court Special Committee. The other point to be made is how good a job is the Derwent Valley Council doing in getting the word out about happenings at Willow Court and its preservation? The last media release was in JUNE 2013, yes that is right, JUNE 2013 over a year ago, so not a record that you would be proud of.
It would appear that this is more to do with a political agenda than it is about letting the rate payers of the Derwent Valley know how their rates are being spent. Also if committee members were unable to attend a meeting, but rang the next day to ask what transpired, the Chairperson or any other committee member would have to first contact the Mayor to get permission to divulge the information. Does this rule apply to Councillors who provide information to the community via blog spots or a personal news website?
There are a great number of Special Committee’s formed by the Derwent Valley Council made up of many people freely giving up their time volunteering to progress the Derwent Valley Council’s agenda and not to deal with gag bylaws that have a political agenda.
There are normal committee processes that decisions can stay “in committee” until it is decided that it can be released, this is normal professional practice and would apply when the information is of a sensitive nature or related to ongoing inquiries or has some commercial sensitivity. Having this extra burden on Special Committees means that their work will now be locked up. In some cases for years to come.
Read the Agenda in full.
Royal Derwent Hospital Church, new life
Over on the east side of the Lachlan River is what is left of the once proud Royal Derwent Hospital, lots of open ground and a few buildings, some in disrepair and others partly demolished. One of the only buildings that could not be demolished is the church and this has sat in the middle of a demolition site for the past 14 years suffering a great deal of vandalism. I spotted some activity the other day at the old church site and went to ask what was going on. The two workers were inviting and showed me through the building and told me there were plans that the new owner had for the building so I went to see the owner to find out what the plans were. Dave Curtis from Our Valley Kitchen was open to discussing the new idea of the concept he called “Our Valley Church”. Unlike the normal idea of church, Dave has a new thought, which includes a wine bar, Indian restaurant and large venue for entertainment. Dave went though some of the line up, which included blues music and stand up comedy. The local house band will be Indigo and Dave hopes to be opened for the Christmas season. He said that he is receiving great support from the Derwent Valley Council in his venture and will have a new access road to the venue from Glebe Road. Dave also envisages the venue to appeal to the more mature clientele.
Pipes head underground
Recent water pipes installed by the new TasWater authority along the Avenue have caused some concern on this site when the ugly above ground pipe started appearing in and around the Heritage area of Willow Court. Even the Derwent Valley, a part owner of TasWater complained about the visual pollution that these caged pipes caused. Two of the caged pipes have recently been lowered underground to reduce the visual impact. There are still two above ground pipes in the Avenue, one outside the grounds of the privately owned section and the other outside the old Administration building. It is hope that the Derwent Valley Council will continue to demand that this visual pollution be re installed underground and direct any future works to be in keeping with the heritage plans.
Conservation of the WiIllow Court fence continues
A working bee by the Friends of Willow Court Committee, yesterday applied a second coat of special heritage approved paint and a first coat of a sandstone coloured finish to the concrete wall below the fence at the town entrance to Willow Court. Planned works to finish the job were delayed because of ill health to the heritage restoration expert, Mr Rod Quarrel, but yesterday he supervised a small number of the Friends of Willow Court to continue this vital works in keeping the Derwent Valley’s heritage in a condition to be enjoyed for future generations. Many members of the public came to see the works, share their stories and thank the volunteers. The first visit was Councillor James Graham who stopped to talk to Ann Salt, Chair woman of the Friends of Willow Court committee and a candidate for the next Council elections to be held next month. The friends of Willow Court are seeking new members at the moment to assist in the up coming open days and events that are planned for the partly preserved heritage site. Another coat and days work is planned for the near future to complete the task. The missing gate will soon be replaced after recent repairs. The lost fence up rights bars have been replaced and fixed in place by a local blacksmith, employed by the Derwent Valley Council and are indistinguishable from the original bars. The large cast iron upright pillars absorbed the paint finish and when wet took on a gloss finish, but will settle to a faded black when fully dry. Special thanks go to the workers, Chris Salt, Ann Salt and Mark Krause, but the job wouldn’t have proceeded without the good health and dedication of Mr Rod Quarrel.
The case of the missing gate
Yesterday it was noticed that one of the gates to the avenue was missing and questions were asked to find where it had gone. After a short investigation it was found out that they had been removed for repair after being vandalised. This weekend the Friends of Willow Court will again be working on the front fence and remaining gate under the supervision of Rod Quarrall. Rod has been ill and the job was delayed, but we are glad to see him again this weekend. Stop by and say hello if you are in the area, Rod, like the Friends of Willow Court donates every minute of his time with this project and the conservation of Willow Court as it reaches the end of its first stage.
Two large trees that were recorded in the Botanical Report have also been removed, one because it was rotten and posed a danger and will be replaced with the same species,
the other one because it was in appropriately planted in the first place. The stumps will be removed.
The Kettering Incident
Busy times in Willow Court and around New Norfolk today with the filming of The Kettering Incident. There are plans to film in the Willow Court Hotel and the Morgue. Today the crew filmed at Sorell Creek below and blocked the Avenue for a while trying to workout how to get all the trucks into the privately owned area of Willow Court. Catering service were set up behind the Nurses building. The filming is done by Foxtel and the BBC with one million dollars from the Tasmanian Government.
Mayor protecting the Derwent Valley Image
It is great to see the Mayor standing up for the image of New Norfolk and it’s people with this article from the Derwent Valley Gazette, we hope that this fastidious mind set will continue with the previous residents and staff from Willow Court.
A new promotion including a little bit of Willow Court.