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Sunbury Mental Hospital

The Sunbury Mental Hospital was opened by the Victorian Government at Sunbury in 1879 on the site that had previously been used as the Sunbury Industrial School. It was initially known as the Sunbury Asylum, then from 1905 to 1934 as the Sunbury Hospital for Insane, then Sunbury Mental Hospital until 1962, then Sunbury Training…

Beechworth Mental Hospital

The Beechworth Mental Hospital was opened by the Victorian Government at Beechworth in 1867. It was initially known as the Beechworth Asylum, then from 1905 to 1934 as the Beechworth Hospital for Insane, then Beechworth Mental Hospital until 1967, and finally as Mayday Hills Mental Hospital & Mayday Hills Psychiatric Hospital until its closure around…

Larundel

Larundel Mental Hospital was officially established by the Victorian Mental Hygiene Branch in 1953. It was located on the same site as the Mont Park Mental Hospital, and had been constructed to ease overcrowding there and at other Victorian hospitals like the Kew Mental Hospital. Larundel was primarily a hospital for short and long-term adult…

Cram Foundation

The Cram Foundation was established in 1932 as the Wollongong and District Society for Crippled Children. In 1964 it changed its name to the Illawarra Society for Crippled Children. As the Illawarra Society, it opened and operated Cram House, a disability institution for children which ran from 1975-2003. It also opened Bellambi Group Home, a…

Cram House

Cram House was established in 1975 by the Illawarra Society for Crippled Children, as a residential facility for children with intellectual and physical disabilities. The Illawarra Society had existed since 1932, and was bequeathed the Cram House property in 1965. After the property was used for a variety of activities run by the Society, it…

Mont Park

Mont Park Hospital for the Insane was opened by the Victorian State Government in April 1912 . It provided short and long term residential treatment for patients with mental illness and intellectual disability. While Mont Park was primarily a facility for adult patients, it is known to have also treated children. At its peak in…

Department of Health, State Government of Victoria

The Department of Health, also known as the Health Department of Victoria, was established in 1985. It replaced the Health Commission of Victoria, and assumed its responsibilities for the management of public health providers in Victoria, including hospitals. In 1987 the Office of Psychiatric Services was added to the Department of Health, which was responsible…

Lunacy Department

The Lunacy Department was established in 1905 as a department of the Victorian State Government, and part of the Chief Secretary’s Department. It replaced the Hospitals for the Insane Branch of the Chief Secretary’s Department. The Lunacy Department was responsible for the treatment of people deemed to have mental illness or intellectual disability. It had…

Fairbridge Village

Fairbridge Village provided accommodation and training for homeless and disadvantaged youth. It was established by Jesus People in 1983 on the former site of Fairbridge Farm School, Pinjarra. Funding difficulties meant that the project did not realise its aims to accommodate up to 250 young people at a time, and it closed in early 1985….

Health Commission of Victoria

The Health Commission of Victoria was established in 1978 by the Health Commission Act 1977. It took on the responsibilities previously administered by the Mental Health Authority, Department of Health, Commission of Public Health, and the Hospitals and Charities Commission. The Health Commission had three divisions: the Public Health Division, the Hospitals Division, and the…