Brett Noble, the Conservation Committee’s Senior Project Manager, today showed me through the previously closed and sealed sections of the north and west wings of the Barracks. I was able to gleam a little of the breadth and depth of restoring the Barracks today while looking through these sections, while in good condition each of these rooms and wings need extensive works. Suring up floors and replacing some boards through to whole floor replacement in some areas will be needed. The electrical system will need to be completely replaced, some switching equipment has asbestos still contained as part if it’s construction while most of the barracks has external exposed electrical cabling which will either be redirected through the roof space or under the floor.

Brett was able to show me some significant areas and interesting spaces that will enrich any tourist activities once explained and interpreted sensitively. The writing of numbers in a section was something I have past many times but failed to see. Brett has had someone investigate this number writing to see if there is any patterning. While this sort of thing is not common for all people who have had some mental health issues during their life, it and other types of patterning can be found in many institutions around the world.

The rooms retained some of their original features and this was exciting, the fireplaces and doors and locks are maintained well. The windows are different in these wings as opposed to the south wing, possibly delineating between worker space and patient space.

I was able to have a conversation about the Burra Charter (Learn more) and how this would apply to the restoration at Willow Court, Brett was very good at explaining that the Charter is a starting point to creating the discussion for future works and not a prescriptive rule to stand by. This is why the conservation committee have to look at the possible future use of the site because this will influence  what and how much work needs to go into a space and how much change needs to or doesn’t need to happen. This is going to be an important part of the works and without a plan of use, money could be wasted.

Preliminary works have started in the south wing with the investigation stage underway. Brett was able to point out some original features which will be carefully maintained and restored. We also discussed the surfacing of the landscaping and that some of the original road and brick paving in front of the Barracks will remain because it is a suitable sub structure to support the coloured gravel pathways that will lead tourist to the Barracks and will have good drainage abilities already in place.

One interesting point that was made is the word “Barracks”, while most of us think about a solders garrison, the context that it is used at Willow Court is a range of small rooms with exits into the veranda and open courtyard, so a lot of the doorways that lead from one room to another are later additions.

The current fence that used to be around the old Administration building has now been removed and the admin building actually is looking good, well done Mario. The new placement of the temporary fence is going to be the location for the new solid fence and boundary between the two complexes.

We moved into Bronte Ward to have a walk through and it was wonderful to see all the windows in place and really making a difference to the building. I like the idea of having wheelchair access to all the buildings. This is a very important feature considering the history of the site. I liked the idea of removing the newer toilets at the back of the ward and restoring the veranda along the south and west sides which will now face beautifully into the garden with this beautiful tree as a centre piece.

Click here to see the Gallery