willow court tasmania advocacy group – Page 3

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

Disability History Month: Unpacking medieval myths

December 13, 2013 No Comments

BBC Disability History Month

“Delving into disabled people’s social history can help us understand modern
attitudes to disability, argues Richard Rieser, coordinator of the UK’s annual
Disability History Month.”

I really like this concept and think that this is a real going here in Australia,
and why shouldn’t we be the first State to start something like this after all we
have the oldest institution in Australia?

Global, Uncategorized

Spring Growth on Tasmania’s oldest Grape Vine.

December 10, 2013 No Comments

The Friends of Frascati have been busy tending the gardens around Frascati house and with so much rain fall everything is looking very lush and green including the old grape vine. Still yet to be identified as a particular variety. The vine was looking rather spending last Monday. Conservation Committee Chair person David Llewellyn has taken cuttings in the hope of identifying the variety and recently stated: “I have four of them growing at St Helelns but they aren’ big enough to identify as yet”. David is the owner of

Priory Ridge Wines

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Change rooms up in flames in day light hours.

December 8, 2013 No Comments

Yesterday the old change rooms on the oval precinct went up in flames during the day sparking concern in the near by Woolworths Supermarket as shoppers went about their business. These were going to be removed to make way for a new Woolworths supermarket and shopping area.

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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.

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Nominations: Willow Court Conservation Committee

December 2, 2013 No Comments

The following is a notice from the Derwent Valley Council. We would like to think that the word “local” means Tasmanian community that was served by Willow Court. We hope that a narrow vision is not trying to discriminate based on location only.

The Willow Court Conservation Special Committee herby invites nominations for the two community representatives on their committee.

The selection criteria is as follows:

Demonstrated long standing association with Willow court and local community endeavours to conserve and present the site.
Demonstrated long association with Willow Court and the provision of mental health services at the site, including involvement in the ongoing interpretation and presentation of the operation of the institution.

Additional requirements

Representatives on this committee are further advised that they will not be remunerated save to claims for out of pocket expenses such as travel, accommodation and meals for which they must fill in a claim form as per the attached. Discussions held at the Willow Court Conservation Special Committee are in strict confidence and all representatives are require to fill in and sign the attached confidentially agreement before taking their seat on the committee.

Written expressions of interest detailing your experience based on the above selection criteria are to be in a sealed envelope clearly marked “Expression of Interest Willow Court Conservation Special Committee” and addressed to the General Manager Derwent Valley Council, PO Box 595 New Norfolk 7140.

The term of office for the community representatives on the Willow Court Conservation Special Committee is 12 months.

The closing time for expressions of interest is Close of Business on Wednesday 11^th December 2013.

WCCC representative

Confidentiality Agreement

Claim for payment

Travel arrangements

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TasWater’s contrubution to the Heritage values?

December 2, 2013 No Comments

The Derwent Valley Council has requested that above ground pipes installed by Taswater in “The Avenue” be relocated underground. A unanimous vote from all councillors in the October minutes “instructs” TasWater to reinstall them underground, in consultation with the Willow Court Senior Project Officer, Mr Brett Noble.

These pipes throughout the Heritage area detract from the current restoration process by both the private owners and council owed properties and clearly shows TasWater’s lack of thought or communication.

A recent short documentary by film maker, Victoria Acuña showed the work that Mario Cortes has put into the old Administration Building, but the picture below shows how these pipes have detracted from the efforts of Mario to create a renovated art-deco beauty. View film here

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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

Local

The Barracks west wing extention

November 26, 2013 No Comments

I am attempting to find out what the lean-to (pictured below) which was attached to the outside wall of the Barracks was used for. I have a photo which is of the heavy security steel door on the inside which lines up with this 1981 photo of the side of the Barracks. What did it store and why such heavy security on the inside and on the outside it looks like a garden shed type construction? Any help would be appreciated.