20 years ago

These were turbulent times twenty years ago, the few years that led to the closure of the Willow Court Training Centre had brought a lot of pain and shame to the hospital’s staff, administrators and the Board of the Royal Derwent Hospital. All were to blame, including the Government of the day, if you were to have read and listened to the media, even staff were spat on in the streets leading up to the closure of the Willow Court Training Centre.

Two nurses had blown the whistle and alerted the media of conditions for the residents in the hospital, the Government called for a investigative report as did the Parents and Friends of Willow Court.

Ree Pettifer a Nurse investigator was appointed and produced a report (Full Report https://willowcourttasmania.org/2018/01/10/full-ree-pettifer-report-1989/) The 61 page report added weight to the whistleblower’s claims and the Hospital’s future was announced.

Notice in the press

Morale plummeted at the hospital according to the Board’s Chairman and staff felt helpless to respond to the media attacks. An announcement by the Mental Health Commission stated that “there would be no job losses” as the Hospital and the Government adopted the Principle of deinstitutionalisation. The announcement was stated by the then, Minister for Community Welfare and the Elderly, Judy Jackson. It wasn’t long before this was a political issue with all sides raging at the conditions and living arrangements.

Letter’s to the Editor

The Board invited the media in to view the conditions and meet the residents. Some of the media stayed the whole day while others couldn’t stand the sights and sounds of people they had been so protected from that they left soon after arriving. Families were confused and worried for their family members that were residents, and started to organise and write to the Minister and the News Papers.

Letter’s to the Editor

Although this all happened 20 (plus) years ago some of the pain is easily brought to the surface of individuals who were involved. Raw emotions have been captured in audio interviews, denials, accusations and stories of retribution have all been told and recorded. Some interviewees have requested that their audio not be released while they are still alive, while others want the anger felt in the public domain.

Perhaps it’s still to early too remember and relive all these thoughts for some people, however for the previous residents the slow deinstitutionalisation process brought an new hope and most residents moved with some fear into what was a huge social change. Most residents never looked back, but some wanted to live in the town that they had known all their lives and this is why New Norfolk has one of the highest populations of Group Homes in Tasmania today.

Barbara’s Story

This again is all changing as we see the roll out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, reported to be one of the biggest social changes in Australia’s history. But for many people living with disability, social changes are only just starting to bring access and equity too those that this has been denied for so long.

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Education, skills development and recreation

Taken from the “Monthly Report” written by the Hastings Hostel Staff in June 1987 this report shows the type of activities that were being provided and arranged for the Hostel Residents at Willow Court Training Centre. Each Ward would supply a similar report which would contain operational, medical and health matters of the residents, after all it was still a hospital.

The residents in Hastings Hostel were semi independent and active in skill development, educational and recreational activities while living at the centre. The Hostel was above Lyeprenny and the Clinic and is now in the privately owned section of Willow Court. It was the only building that had a lift.

Bowling has been a great staple of the recreational activity opportunities and is still popular today with people participating in competition bowling most Sunday afternoons and training for high level competitions. 

 

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Back in the office after 20 years

IMAG0690 It’s been twenty years since Tony Nicholson has returned to his old office on the second floor of the Administration building at Willow Court Training Centre. While we had a tour hosted by Ruben Cortes about the current state of the building and its restoration and repurposing, Tony was able to tell the Friends of Willow Court Committee and representatives of the Willow Court History Group about who occupied each of the rooms and their uses during his history as an employee of the hospital. It was a very insightful tour and it was interesting to see Tony as he entered this room after twenty years.

Like many staff the place was filled mostly with good memories, funny stories and struggles with consecutive Governments for the basics needed to support the many people that called Willow Court Training Centre\Royal Derwent Hospital home.

Since the closure, Tony has had a passion for the site and it’s history. He has wished only for a honest recording of history and has conducted many tours to educate people from historic societies, educational institutions and the general public. He has remained on the Friends of Willow Court special committee of the Derwent Valley Council. The Derwent Valley Council are the current owners of the Heritage Precinct area.

Tony has been a valuable historic consultant to this Willow Court History Group, our website and has helped many people who have contacted me through the facebook page and website in an attempt to find out information about the history. His knowledge of the early history of convicts and the military presence is second to none.

He has also been a part of the Derwent Valley Historic Society and has been a co-author of many historic books and articles that the group produce. Because Willow Court\Royal Derwent Hospital was a large employer for over 174 years most historic books have something about the hospital and how it fitted into the fabric of the community of New Norfolk and surrounding areas.

He also has been involved in cataloging many of the artifacts that came out of the hospital after it’s closure in 2000. He has, along with the Derwent Valley Historic Society manage many general community and hospital memories through artifacts, papers and displays.

Last year we revealed that the Friends of Willow Court Member, Mr Anthony David (Tony) Nicholson, of Lachlan, has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to local government and to the community of the Derwent Valley. Tony had served as Mayor on the DVC for a number of years.

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