This account of the official opening of the Westernport Memorial Hospital at Koo Wee Rup on Sunday, December 4, 1955 is transcribed from the Koo Wee Rup Sun of December 7, 1955, p. 1. The Westernport Memorial Hospital replaced the Fallen Soldiers' Memorial Hospital which had opened May 23, 1923. You can read the report of the opening of this hospital, here, and the post also includes information on George Burhop and Margaret Hamilton, both instrumental in establishing the first hospital.
Westernport Memorial Hospital - Officially Opened by Dr J.H. LindellDespite inclement weather conditions there was a large attendance on Sunday afternoon to witness the official opening of the new 23-bed Westernport Memorial Hospital, costing £200,000, excluding furnishings, and erected in Kooweerup. The ceremony was performed by Dr. H. J. Lindell, chairman of the Hospitals and Charities Commission. Fortunately rain held off during the afternoon. Music rendered by the Pakenham Brass Band was greatly appreciated. Cr. W. R. Greaves president of the hospital committee, officiated as chairman.
Proceedings opened with the band playing the National Anthem.
Cr. Greaves on behalf on the committee, expressed his pleasure on witnessing the attendance of so large a gathering and extended a cordial welcome to all. He then called on Cr. L. J. Cochrane, M.L.A., (1) to unveil the memorials removed from the late Kooweerup Memorial Hospital and placed on a memorial wall erected at the entrance to the new hospital at a cost of close on £1000.
Cr. Cochrane said his duty was pleasant in one respect and in another a sad one. He then summarised the district’s past history in connection with nursing and medical activities from the foundation of the employment of a bush nurse under the jurisdiction of the Bush Nursing Association in 1919. Shortly after a cottage was built for the accommodation of the nurse and then a small Bush Nursing Hospital known as the Kooweerup Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital adjoining the cottage. All this had been accomplished under the direction of the late G. R. Burhop as manager-secretary and who had carried on up to the time the Westernport Memorial Hospital Committee took it over.
The Hospital under construction, February 5, 1955.
Photographer: Margaret Robertson
A fallen soldiers’ memorial listing the names of the district men who had fallen in the First World War had been erected, also a memorial as a tribute to the late Mrs Margaret Hamilton, who had done outstanding work in every local organization and much good for the community and the benefit of the hospital. These memorials had been removed to the new hospital and in unveiling them it brought back to mind the achievements of district fallen men, and may we as successors prove worthy of their sacrifice.
A minute’s silence was then observed in memory of the fallen, followed by the Last Post being sounded by a Pakenham bandsman.
All assembled then adjourned to the front entrance of the hospital, where the opening ceremony was conducted. Among those present were Dr Lindell and Mr A. J. McLellan, of the Hospitals and Charities Commission, and their wives; Major Lindsay, M.H.R.; Cr. L.J. Cochran, M.L.A.; Cr. G.G. Knowles, Cranbourne Shire president; Cr. C. Greaves, Berwick Shire; and representatives from the Berwick, Pakenham, Wonthaggi, Warragul and Frankston Hospitals.
Cr Greaves read a number of apologies for unavoidable non-attendance, and said many more would have been present if weather conditions had been more favorable. He then gave a resume of activities in connection with the establishment of the Westernport Memorial Hospital from its inception in 1945, when after a survey of the district the Hospitals and Charities Commission recommended a district public hospital in Kooweerup. Ex-Cr. J. Thwaites, of Yannathan, was president of the first committee appointed, which in 1947 raised £7000 towards the project. After much unavoidable delay, in 1953 Messrs Bates, Smart and McCutcheon were appointed as architects to proceed with building plans, and the Trusteel Corporation was the successful tenderer. The district’s quote towards the cost of the hospital was £20,000, plus part cost of furnishing. The public had supported the committee’s appeals most generously, also local bodies and district shire councils. The committee was still receiving money and still more was needed. Cr. Greaves paid tribute to the medical and nursing staffs over past years. At present, he said, they had an excellent staff, headed by Matron Laird. He paid tribute to the district politicians and thanked the Hospitals and Charities commissioners, whose guidance and help, he said, had been unselfishly given. He then called on Dr Lindell to officially open the hospital.
Dr Lindell said he was deeply touched at the memorial ceremony and paid tribute to Cr. Cochrane for the way in which he had performed it. The memorial wall was, he said, quite fitting as a memorial serving the community. He was pleased to see such a number of hospital representatives present who has seen fit to take part in this new era of the establishment of more hospitals. It was not the Kooweerup or Westernport Memorial Hospital he was set to open, but one of a team in a whole team of hospitals and therefore it could not function on its own. A base hospital was to be established at Dandenong and the local hospital would be a member of that base hospital.
Success could only be achieved by hard work, a lot of money and full public support. All hospitals had many problems, especially in acquiring full nursing staffs. In this respect Kooweerup was most fortunate mainly due to having such an excellent matron. The public should stick behind the committee, doctors and nurses because it is their hospital – the committee is their democratic representatives. He hoped they would have better conditions than in the past and they had his sincere good wishes. He paid tribute to the architects responsible for the building and said the commission had found them to be co-operative, able and always willing to help.
He said they should now look forward to the day when they could enlarge the hospital. There are always at least 200 hospital beds occupied by children as the result of accident and illnesses which could be prevented, also many diseases which are preventable. Hospitals are now not only treating the sick, but acquiring knowledge how they can stop these things happening. They are in a new era and he hoped it would be a golden one. He considered it to be an honor in being asked to declare the Westernport Memorial Hospital open and hoped that it would long serve the community. Dr Lindell then unlocked the entrance door.
The cover of the 1981 Annual Report - it's the only photo I can find of the Hospital, apart from construction ones.
Image: Koo Wee Rup Swamp Historical Society collection
Owing to the wet condition of the ground surrounding the nurses’ home owing to recent rains, the official opening of this building was performed by Mrs Lindell on the same dais as the opening of the hospital. Mrs Lindell thanked the committee for their invitation to be present and in having the privilege to open such a lovely nurses’ home and said she had much pleasure in declaring it open.
On behalf of the committee and architects, Dr A. B. Hewitt presented to Mrs Lindell a very nice silver water jug. He said the commission was endeavouring to improve medical facilities in the State and that the committee greatly appreciated the attendance of the commissioners. Mrs Lindell suitably expressed her thanks for the gift.
Cr. Knowles thanked the committee for their invitation to be present on such an important occasion. The hospital, he said, bore a most appropriate name, as it bordered a district around Westernport Bay and one that was rapidly developing. He congratulated the district on possessing such a fine hospital and hoped that it would continue to prosper and serve their requirements.
The chairman then invited all present to inspect the hospital and nurses’ home, after which many partook of afternoon tea in a marquee erected on the ground and dispensed by the ladies’ auxiliary at a small charge.
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My two sisters, my brother and myself were all born at the Westernport Memorial Hospital - in 1957, 1959, 1960 and 1964. Here we all are at the Hospital in 1966 - Dad was having a hernia operation and we were visiting - I don't think we were allowed into the Ward to see him, as we were kids, but Grandma came with us and looked after us and took the photo.
Rouse kids visiting our Dad at Westernport Memorial Hospital, 1966
Image: Veda Thewlis
Footnote
(1) Leslie James Cochrane (1894-1972) - I have written about him here - https://kooweerupswamphistory.blogspot.com/2014/05/leslie-and-ivy-cochrane.html
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