restoration – Page 2 – Willow Court Tasmania

State election news early report

January 30, 2014 1 Comment

Willow Court has many friends that are fighting to be elected at the next Tasmanian state election.

Yesterday the Chairwoman of the Friends of Willow Court Special Committee, Mrs Anne Salt has appeared on the ABC news as a representative for the National Party in the seat of Lyons.

Mayor Martyn Evans has announced some time ago that he will also be seeking to be elected to the seat of Lyons for the Liberal Party. Martyn Evans also sits on the Willow Court Conservation Committee along with the Labor candidate David Llewellyn, who is the chair person of the Willow Court Conservation Committee.

We will again ask each of these candidates about their thoughts of Willow Court becoming a Site of Conscience and what would their contribution be to the restoration, both socially and physically of the site.

Global, Local

Tasmania Library and TasTAFE referring people to this site!

January 27, 2014 No Comments

A couple of weeks ago I visited the State Library to source some information about Willow Court/Royal Derwent Hospital and was delighted to find that they referred me to this website(Willow Court Advocacy Group). They said it was a great site for people studying the history of the hospital throughout time and through the eyes of the patients, families and also the staff.

We have been asked to supply our website to students studying Community Services while incarcerated at Risdon Prison on a local intranet which we have been please to do. It’s been great to have a good quality resource about the hospital history for students who are studying the past practices that the community had to support people living with a disability and/or mental health issues together in one place and in a respectful manner.

We have supplied teaching resources to high schools and guest speakers, often ex-staff and ex-patients to interested groups.

If you have anything to share about the history of Willow Court/Royal Derwent Hospital please contact us HERE, we would love to speak to you about sharing your historic knowledge, artefact, report or picture etc. We are able to professionally interview and present your knowledge and we can create a professional podcast to the highest industry standards.

Global, Local

Media coverage for the opening of Willow Court?

January 2, 2014 No Comments

The Derwent Valley Council is about to open the restored Willow Court heritage precinct late February or early March, so how are they going to get the word out to the Tasmanian community and the tourists that it hopes to attract? This is a good question and the DVC have been sitting on the domain name “willowcourt.org.au” for nearly two years, it is going to be good to see what the DVC will reveal.

It would have been good to have the website already running so the local community can see what is happening from the official channels and know what type of activities and attractions will be available in a couple of months time.

This will be the revealing of the master plan and the large “Port Arthur” style attraction, it could only be expected that a media package equal to the sites heritage values be applied as soon as possible. It is also unclear what level of local employment will be generated by the opening. No positions vacant have been seen yet in the public domain.

Communication between the DVC and the Council Committees has been limited and the plans of council have not been revealed to the volunteer support base, that are the Friends of Willow Court, who normally run open days and arts events at the site. Local business that will have to cater for the opening have not been advised about an opening date or what to expect. Normally with an event this large in Tasmania some months of planning would be expected and would be well underway. A skeleton of the event and how the Council are going to management it could be shared.

We look forward to the opening, the events and wonder how the previous residents/patients are to be involved?

Global, Local

2013 Report Card

December 26, 2013 No Comments

The biggest news story for the year would have to be the start of the physical restoration of the Barracks and Bronte Ward. Although the Derwent Valley Council have reported that

“The former psychiatric institution is recognised as having significant heritage values both in terms of its architecture and social history. After a chequered past, work is now being done to ensure its conservation for future generations and to look at adaptive reuse for some of the original buildings on the site”. (2012-13 annual report, page 9)

It appears that restoration is currently only for the architectural side only at the moment. However it is important that the DVC can see the “social history” from all parties who had something to do with the former hospital. It is this rich cultural heritage that should be shown to the world when the Derwent Valley Council opens the site to the public this Feb-March 2014.

We started the years off with being involved with the open days at the site and we released a 40 minute documentary to view free Willow Court Documentary (first public release). We then attended the Frascati House Heritage Day and made a podcast of the history that was spoken by the Daughter of Dr Brothers the Medical Superintendent during the second world war when she lived at the house with her brothers Frescati Heritage Open Day Our recording is now used as part of the New Norfolk Heritage Walk tour. Frescati House Plan (including audio link)

Tasmania was hit hard during the fire season and the Friends of Willow Court swung into action to raise much needed money for effected people with the Long Table Dinner Tasmanian Bushfire Fundraiser. This was cancelled by the actions of Cr. Judy Bromfield when she knowingly and deliberately stopped the insurance cover for people who were arranged as catering staff and had the necessary qualifications to serve alcohol for the evening’s event, Shame Cr Judy Bromfield Shame.

Another unfortunate event this year has been the Derwent Valley Council’s supported and sponsored “Paranormal Documentary”. This unpleasant work was reported to the Anti-discrimination and Privacy Commissioners, who found it to be in bad taste towards the previous patients who lived at Willow Court, but didn’t find it to be openly discriminatory. However the Privacy Commissioner believes if one of the previous residents depicted in this film should forward a complaint, there can be action taken to have the film maker remove the Archival footage obtained through Archives Tasmania. Australia’s Disability Discrimination Commissioner Steps In

Tasmania released its tourism statement to the world in March this year and Willow Court was to be part of that promotion as arranged by Willow Court Tasmania Advocacy Group, only to be told that Council infighting causes exclusion to Tourism Tasmania advertising campaign.

Some great moments were the audio recording of Ken O’Brien’s recollection of his 90 plus years living in a community with a hospital as its main employer. Some of Ken’s podcast can be found on the audio tab and linked to this article, posted soon after the interview. Royal Derwent Hospital’s water supply, sewage and sullage systems. Ken’s living witness and this 1941 Agreement help us to resolve the many stories that had emerged from the community about what the tunnels under the township were used for. Tunnel discovery announced.

We also released an ABC 7.30 Report about “institutionalisation to community” and how a group of ex-patients were successfully making a new life in the greater community of Hobart, Tasmania. ABC 7.30 Report 1991.

The Tasmanian Heritage Council Approved New Shopping Centre next to Willow Court which will dominate the oval area, while the previous Wards around that oval passed to private ownership, with some major works starting.

The Derwent Valley Players, in conjunction with the Friends of Willow Court, presented two original plays, written by Sharon Hutchison and directed by Vivienne de Bressac at the Barracks. Willow Court, New Norfolk, was the site of a wonderful event over the week-end this was the last public event before the restoration started.

The website had 100,000, then 200,000 hits this year and continues to grow as does the Facebook group and Facebook page which shows many people are interested in Willow Court becoming a “site of conscience”, a place that saw human struggles and achievement. Our members join without the admin “nominating” them. This is a better and realistic gage of true support.

The new Restoration Tab took shape with reports and photos of the progress of works at the site and continues to record the restoration processes.

This year has also seen a big push for an apology to the former residents which dominated and brought up many mixed feelings from residents and staff alike, New article from Margaret Reynolds in today’s Mercury plus a news article from 1960, Mayor to meet with Lara Giddings over “Apology” We saw the DVC declare its position about the history and struggle of human rights in this article Derwent Valley Council; crisis talks over apology, No voice for previous patients from Mayor Martyn Evans.

The Federal election this year gave us an opportunity to contact all the candidates for the seat of Lyons and ask their opinion about Willow Court becoming a Site of Conscience. We had replies from the Tasmania Greens and the sitting Labor candidate Federal Election 2013 Lyons and we are arranging a meeting with the current elected Member, Eric Hutchinson in early 2014. All are supportive for an Apology to mend the past wrongs of Government policy and inaction at Willow Court as advocated by us and many parents and former staff and management.

A highlight this year was the tour from the Project Manager Brett Noble and being able to share a portion of the photos that I took while listening to this man’s immense knowledge and experience with restoration of Tasmania’s Heritage Willow Court tour of closed Barracks section

We also saw the podcasts of the social history and audio tour by ex-employee, Anne McKinstray being used as educational tools for students from Fahan School by having them loaded onto I-pads and listened to during a wander around the site. Educational Audio Tour.

We also had a number of very personal stories shared, A personal story, Nurse Miss Evelyn Rose Morey M.B.E.

In a year that I thought we had little activity, it was good to look back at the history of what we have been up to at a volunteer work level, political level and a public communications level. It was great to have the support page up and running this year with a collections of supporting statements from our support base Contact & Support Us, it is these positive messages that keep up going.

From our team we wish you a happy and safe new year and we would love to see you at the opening of the NEW RESTORED WILLOW COURT in 2014.

Mark Krause

Global, Local

Window Saved

December 20, 2013 No Comments

The window from Esperance Ward was saved by a concerned person when they found it partially damaged and removed from the window frame a year ago. This window is a unique piece as it has the chew marks from one of the patients who during the long nights would chew at the window frame. This window starred in the news report, of the then Minister for Community Services, the Hon. Judy Jackson MHA when she visited the site before announcing it’s closure. Repatraition of Residents from Willow Court Tasmania film can be found by clicking on the link and shows the ward in operation and how a group of Willow Court’s previous residents are surviving on the outside.

Paul Mayne (Ex-employee and current CEO of a Disability Service Provider) explains during a tour with a group of students about the window and how it came to be chewed. (Podcast below)

[soundcloud]http://soundcloud.com/willow-court/willow-court-paul-mayne-window[/soundcloud]

Global, Local

Vandalism continues

December 18, 2013 No Comments

Vandalism continues to be a problem on both privately owned buildings at Willow Court. The oval wards and the old nurses home have been written on, “I’m Sorry” appears on the external wall of Derwent Ward which faces the Avenue. The writing on the old Nurses Quarters (pictured below) also faces the Avenue and has defaced the old sandstone foundation wall.

The oval Ward works have slowed and workers have not been present for some time, while at the Heritage precinct area, the Barracks is undergoing major works.

Anyone witnessing such vandalism should inform police.

Global, Local

Restoration update

December 4, 2013 No Comments

From Brett Noble, Senior Project Officer Willow Court.

As many would have noticed, there is currently considerably activity at The Barracks.
Over the last couple of weeks, all the windows facing into The Barracks courtyard have been restored to working order. The windows retain all the marks of their 180 years of life – patches, different paint layers, repairs, and breaks – but are now in working order. Some very intriguing metal work, hand stamped with the ‘convict arrow’, was uncovered during this work. The ‘convict arrow’ was also found on many of the window frames.
Work has also begun on a couple of the original doors, as a test of what this work will entail.
In addition, specialist renderers have been working on the verandah plinth, removing cement render and bits of loose render, ahead of applying a poultice. The poultice will be on for a few weeks, to draw out the moisture and salts that had been trapped in the masonry, before a new lime render is applied. Part of this work involved the removal of some of the brick pavers that were hard against the verandah plinth, and a little excavation along the face of the plinth. This work has shown that along the southern side of the building the original ground level was much lower that at present.
Behind the scenes, the head contractor requests for tenders is nearing completion, which should see the selection of a head contractor in the next week. As you will recall, part of the selection criteria for this work is the involvement of local sub-contractors.

Global, Local

Merry Christmas Willow Court – Restoration underway.

November 29, 2013 No Comments

“The Development Application (DA) has been approved and we are organising contracts and arranging for the work to be undertaken as per the DA documentation. Some specialist works are already underway. Asbestos has been removed from the buildings. Should be quite active on site leading up to Christmas”

Brett Noble

Senior Project Manager (Willow Court Project)

Great news that things are moving forward for Willow Court with restoration works and that tradespeople will be onsite in bigger numbers before Christmas. Opening events will be soon arranged and we will soon be able to have public access. Expected time for opening would be February – March 2014.

Global, Local

All most 200,000 HITS!

November 28, 2013 No Comments

Global, Local

Facebook group hits over 300 members

November 2, 2013 No Comments

The Willow Court Advocacy Group’s Facebook group has now climbed to over 300 members and the Facebook page has over 100 members. This is a great support for Willow Court and the sensitive restoration of the social and physical history. Help us grow even more by using the “invite by emailing” and asking your friends to support this cause. Together we can make Willow Court a Site of Conscience.

Join Willow Court Facebook Group