Friends of Willow Court National Trust Heritage Festival Event 12 May 2018 –

Report from the Chairperson A Salt

The theme for this year’s National Trust Heritage Festival was My Culture My Story, with a focus on sharing the strengths of our local cultural identities.

The Friends of Willow Court invited the New Norfolk High School, the Derwent Valley Community House and the Derwent Valley Concert and Marching Band, Professor of History Hamish Maxwell-Stewart, Dr Helen Norrie and past Lachlan Park Hospital Education Dept. teacher Margaret Reynolds to participate in the event.

The displays included Willow Court artifacts loaned by DVC (Derwent Valley Council) and the HIC (History Information Centre), posters depicting various aspects of connections to Willow Court’s history, including a display depicting the establishment and activities of the Lachlan Park Hospital Auxiliary. New Norfolk High display included a portrait of 95 year old local identity Ken O’Brien who the students interviewed as part of a history project, and memorabilia from the high school.

Prof. Maxwell-Stewart presented talks on his research projects into Understanding Convict Records and Prisoners, Solitary Confinement and Psychiatric Admissions. Dr Norrie photographed Willow Court artifacts brought to the event by participants, and Margaret Reynolds talked about her experience as a teacher at Lachlan Park Hospital in 1963, and her actions that led to the establishment of a dedicated school building which is now the Community House.

History tours of the site were conducted throughout the day by Friends of Willow Court members with 133 people participating in the tours.

 A total of 209 people attended the event
 Visitors came from 27 different postcode districts in Tasmanian and three interstate 
 $1710.00 total takings
 $1045 entry takings deposited in DVC Willow Court account.
 $655 takings from tours deposited in Friends of Willow Court account.
Costs incurred by Friends of Willow Court have yet to be calculated, but will exceed the takings from tours.

Derwent Valley Council Agenda – 21 June 2018 Page 247