Past to Present. Memory to Action
A great opportunity to hear and see the history in relation to Human Rights at Willow Court and beyond. One of the best documentaries about the history of changing institutions will be screened. “Valuing Lives” was released in the United States last year.
The second official Friends of Willow Court day of tours and display has past with great success. The group are running tours on the first Sunday of each month at 10 am, 12 mid-day and 2 pm. For those wondering where the takings of the tours go, “the entry fee goes to the Derwent Valley Council, GST and development of resources for future activities on site” according to ex Chair person of the friends of Willow Court.
Head over to our “events page” to see what is happening next and also see our “Open days and Events” under the “Gallery” tab to see what activities have been happening at the site.
This month there is an extra event as the Derwent Valley Players are again putting on two short plays “MEET THE MATRON” and “TEA AND CHARITY”, two historical plays written by Sharon Hutchison. They will be performed at The Barracks, circa 1830 WILLOW COURT on Sunday 14th. October, at 11 am and 1.30 pm, with a cream tea served between the two plays at each performance. $30.00 per head.
Bookings 0411 744 248.
As a bit of fun we have been going through some photos of the often lost things on the Heritage site. They can be lost because there is simply so much to take in and these things are over looked but they played an important part at the site.
The first picture I put up on the Willow Court History Group’s Facebook group was of a red button. We had a number of people attempt to answer where they thought it was and what it was used for.
It is always good to have ex staff on the Facebook site as they not only know the answers to these questions, they can often add details that had not been known either to me or in records that help us all know what went on behind the walls.
“Matty Graham: That’s an alarm button in the office on the floor in A ward.”
The answer was 100% correct but Matty went on to inform us that C Ward and the Admin Building also had similar foot operated panic alarms.
We also had Carla who had insight into A Ward and stated;
“This button came in handy when the men escaped from C ward and came to get their girlfriends out in A ward.”
She is referring to one of the most recent and well known escapes from the secure hospital Wards. This is when male patients broke out of C Ward and entered A Ward “to get their girlfriends out”.
The other side of this was from a residents view. If you lived in the town of New Norfolk there were different reactions, Paul Mayne remembers growing up and stated;
“When i was a kid and the alarm went off and we were seen on the streets .. you got to feel the wooden spoon across your ass !!!”
So one photo and we have enjoyed three different perspectives and learnt some new stuff along the way. Thanks guys for participating.
Here is what the Book Troubled Asylum stated about the siren when it was sounded.
“The Lachlan Park Hospital will sound a siren when a patient is considered dangerous escapes” The medical administrator of the hospital (Dr J.R.C. Weatherly) said yesterday the alarm would be three ten-second blasts at five-second intervals. If the patient were recaptured within five hours of the alarm being given. an “all clear”, one thirty second blast would be sounded. Dr Weatherly said the siren would be tested each Friday at noon. The test would be a single 15-second blast. (Troubled Asylum)
Cheers Mark Krause
We have two wonderful events coming to Willow Court this October, brought to you by the Friends of Willow Court and the Derwent Valley Players.
Bookings can be made on the contact details on each poster.
According to the developer, the Derwent Valley Council has just given permission for the Developer to move ahead to the next stage of creating a Rum Distillery using the Occupational Therapy Centre, Carlton and Allonah Wards.
The Council rejected all historic based proposals put forward tonight and have committed any new council to the proposal which was based on a survey which is attached.
Tonight there will be a number of motions put to the Derwent Valley Council meeting, which will be held at the Granton Hall. This has been the biggest activity by the owner of the site for near 3.5 years.
The local media in the Derwent Valley recently reported on one motion which also left out some important facts which created a lot of negative discussion and personal attacks on social media. Two other positive motions were not reported on.
Also on the agenda was a (workshop presentation 6 September) by representatives of Crusader Homes, while many locals may know who this group are, most people wouldn’t know that they are the group who have put a unsolicited expression of interest to Council to develop the Council owned area (excluding the Barracks) into the New Norfolk Rum Distillery.
Also the Agrarian Kitchen have proposed an expansion and relocation of their Lachlan based Cooking School and Garden to the Willow Court site.
Motion number 1:
7.2 Cr Salt – Willow Court Barracks Precinct – Conservation Management Plan
That the Council consider seeking expert heritage advice and associated funding to develop an over- arching Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for the Willow Court Barracks Precinct. The purpose of this CMP is to provide Council with a long term framework for the effective use, development and management of the Willow Court Barracks Precinct, particularly in relation to conserving its historic cultural heritage values.
Rationale
Currently Council has CMPs for individual buildings within the Barracks precinct, but does not have an overarching CMP that encompasses the cultural significance of the Barracks precinct; or policies to guide decision making appropriate to the significance of the site.
The lack of an over arching CMP and associated policies has impacted on successive Councils long term development plans for Willow Court, and is a major factor in Council’s inability to secure loans to continue conservation and development.
Should a future successful application for National Heritage Listing be made for Willow Court, Council will be subject to the National Heritage Management Principles that would
encompass existing overarching Conservation Management Plans.
Motion number 2:
7.3 Cr Salt – Moratorium on Expressions of Interest for Willow Court
That the Council consider a 120 day moratorium on all Expressions of Interest to enable FoWC to develop a structure plan to meet Councils recommendation in the letter dated 9 July. Council has accepted FoWC EoI with a recommendation to develop a structure or group to prepare detailed plans to be included in the 2019/20 budget (FoWC letter dated 6 September below).
Rationale:
FoWC have made significant progress on developing a group to prepare a detailed plan, and will have a plan prepared within the time frame requested.
The FoWC have undertaken initial research from which it has been discovered a significant amount of work was undertaken between 2002 and 2010 by Valley Vision, and in 2014 by the Willow Court Conservation Committee to redevelop and reactivate the site, and which all indicate substantial expenditure by DVC to achieve these ends. This substantial amount of work appears to have been mothballed by successive Councils, as no reference to any of it can be found in Council minutes after August 2014, and some current Councillors have indicated they are not aware of the extent of the work.
The work referred to include a Visitor Services Project that aimed to establish a world class
fee paying, sustainable and vibrant visitor experience with the themes Life Behind the Wall and Art Behind the Wall. The themes were developed and tested by leading tourism and marketing consultants, the process included input from both the Derwent Valley community and the wider Tasmanian and interstate market.
Plans were completed for infrastructure, interpretation, brand, marketing, business, art and object management including a curatorial program, building stabilization and re-use, building fabric, landscape, parking, perimeter wall stabilization and site security.
Examples supporting the viability of the visitor experience include a successful exhibition that was held in The Barracks building as part of the 2009 10 Days on the Island Festival which drew over 900 visitors, and the Dark Mofo event in 2016.
Motion number 3:
7.4 Cr Salt – Willow Court Opening Fee
That the Council considers removing the $110 Willow Court opening fee when the site is
opened by Friends of Willow Court volunteers for individual and group tours, and events;
but retain the current entry fee of $6.00 that goes into the DVC Willow Court account.
Rationale
The Facilities Fee Policy was developed in 2016, with the Opening Fee implemented to cover costs of DVC staff opening Willow Court for events and individuals, and small groups, although it now seems it was an oversight that application of the $110 opening fee may be considered as a deterrent to some people who do not have the financial means to access the site over those who do.
The rationale for this request is that FoWC was unsuccessful in receiving a grant from Council to assist in covering the costs involved to develop materials used for displays and tours; and that Council staff have not been required to open the site since April.
With the establishment of the FoWC Calendar of Events and Facebook page, requests to
access the site have been received by the Committee, and it is expected they will increase.
Request include a visiting archaeologist and PHD student (Eleanor Casella letter below), and a Senior Psychiatric Clinician originally from the UK, seniors groups, and TAFE, in addition to the groups who attend the monthly open days, and Heritage Month event.
To date the Council has waived fees for some events, and the fees were not charged for the
other private tours as it was understood the fee did not apply due to the site being opened
by volunteers, not Council staff. The $6 pp entry fee is charged for all events and site visits.
Full details of the full agenda are HERE
The Friends of Willow Court will be holding their Annual General Meeting this Friday and today have released a Press Statement about a new exciting event. Along with Hamish Maxwell-Stewart who is a Professor of Social History there will be a return of the 4th Light Horse Brigade medal to the family of origin.
Press Release:
12/09/2018
Friends of Willow Court locate family of 4th Light Horse Brigade medal
Friends of Willow Court were handed a 4th Light Horse Brigade medal during their Heritage Month event in May 2018. As part of the event FoWC called for artifacts to be brought to the site to be photographed and recorded.
By coincidence a friend of FoWC Chairperson, Anne Salt, mentioned he had found the medal forty years previously in ashes somewhere in the bush, but only this year recalled having the medal and mentioned it to Anne, who had been doing research on Willow Court history (formerly Lachlan Park Hospital), and who recognized the name on the medal matched that of a nurse at Willow Court.
A direct link between the medal and nurse was discovered through a service record search on the National Archives Australia website. Amongst the records was a letter written in 1956 by the nurse requesting that his outstanding service medals be sent to Lachlan Park Hospital, New Norfolk.
After much searching the family has been located and the medal will be presented to them at the Friends of Willow Court AGM, 7 pm on 14 September, at the Willow Court Barracks.
Anne Salt
Chairperson
Friends of Willow Court
Anne Salt
Chairperson
Friends of Willow Court
c/-92 Blair St
New Norfolk 7140
E. friendsofwillowcourt@gmail.com
M. 0419213232
Local business identities of the Derwent Valley have put together a proposal for the use of the Council owned section of the Willow Court site. Many local residents received a phone call asking their opinion about a Rum Distillery and warehouse going into Willow Court. Many residents were confused as the phone survey didn’t indicate which section it was. There were a number of comments on social media which related to the oval wards and also the private section and many people were in favour of developing these areas.
The actual site is the area which was recently rejected for National Heritage Listing and includes Carlton House, Allonah and the Occupational Therapy building that connects the two wards which were once used for forensic mental health patients and later people with disabilities.
Kelvin Derksen who is one of the proponents of the project has joined our Facebook Group to discuss and answer any question people may have in relation to the business proposal.
New Norfolk Distillery The full proposal is on the website. The Derwent Valley Council currently have one Expression of Interest after their advertised period of time. That was from the Friends of Willow Court and the Council has encouraged them to pursue the plan.
The local Government election are currently in full swing with new and sitting Councillors all getting out and about. One of the issues that has been raised is the timing of this proposal and the current election, bad timing or good management, at this stage it’s hard to tell. Last week with Glenora Ward (G Ward) burning down there was a noticeable absence of local government figures commenting on the loss of yet another ward around the oval. Some have seen the site as an anchor around the neck of each council elected since 2003 as many residents still believe that most of the site is in a state of disrepair, open to vandalism and arson attacks. The concern, that a quick ill thought out decision could be put forward as early as the next Derwent Valley Council Meeting this month. This would commit the incoming Councillors to years of planning and negotiations.
Like Franklin House (F Ward) before, Glenora House (G Ward) was burned today and will be demolished due to the dangerous state it remains in. Two young people were arrested and charged shortly after the fire destroyed the building.
The Ward was home to many people living with an intellectual disability before institutionalisation started in the 1980-90s. Many modern ideas were implemented in this Ward due in part to the ongoing advocacy of the parents on the Willow Court Parents and Friends Association and Staff. Shower curtains between baths, leisure programs like cooking and potted gardening were all part of the skill development that Project Workers introduced into this house.
It is believed that this section is under a contract to be sold to a developer as recently announced by the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. It was also mentioned that there is a caveat on the buildings around the oval on the east side of the Avenue, but it is not believed to apply to the vacant land. The building has now been demolished.
The Friends of Willow Court have started regular tours on the first Sunday of each month starting in September. This long overdue activity will now open the site up for respectful activity and education. The Friends have been testing their skills out at open day events for a couple of years and their historical scripts have been verified as a true record of events on the site by Historians and Academics.
We support this wonderful opportunity and encourage people to visit New Norfolk’s many cafes or restaurants as part of a great day out.
