Morisset Hospital facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Morisset Hospital |
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| Location | Morisset Park Road, Morisset, Greater Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1906–1959 |
| Architect | NSW Government Architect's Office |
| Owner | NSW Department of Health |
| Official name: Morisset Hospital Precinct; Ward; Medical Records; Ambulance Training; Psych. Rehab Building | |
| Type | state heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 827 |
| Type | Hospital |
| Category | Health Services |
| Builders | NSW Department of Public Works |
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Morisset Hospital is a historic hospital located in Morisset, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by the New South Wales Government Architect's Office. Construction began in 1906 and continued until 1959. The hospital was built to help people with mental health challenges. Today, it is recognized as an important heritage site. It is owned by the Department of Health.
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History of Morisset Hospital
Morisset Hospital is named after James Morisset. He was a soldier who lived from 1780 to 1852. He was also the second leader of a prisoner settlement on Norfolk Island.
In 1900, the government set aside a large area of land. This land was on the shores of Lake Macquarie. It was planned for a hospital to help people with mental health conditions. A law passed in 1901 allowed the hospital to be built.
Building work started in 1906. At first, staff and patients lived in tents. They worked together to clear the land. The first things built were a jetty and a dam. Building materials arrived by boat across the lake.
In 1907, George Edwards became the first manager. He oversaw the land clearing. Arthur John Wilson helped build roads for access. One of these roads is now the main road to Morisset.
The first patient ward and a recreation hall began construction in 1908. The first patients arrived on May 9, 1909. Ward 1 officially opened on September 6. There were 78 male patients at that time. More buildings were quickly being built.
By 1910, the hospital had 157 male patients. Temporary dormitories were set up. These were made of wood frames and canvas. The manager's house was also built.
In 1911, a cricket oval, poultry yards, and gardens were finished. The number of male patients grew to 243 by 1912. Most of them lived in the canvas wards. By 1914, there were 375 patients. Dr. Samson became the first full-time doctor in 1912. Before that, a doctor from Gosford visited once a week.
Building slowed down during World War I. However, the hospital got a fishing fleet in 1916. The main store building was also completed. By 1918, there were 484 male patients. This was more than the hospital could comfortably hold. Even with a new ward in 1920, overcrowding was still a problem.
In 1930, land was set aside for a special hospital unit. This unit was for patients needing higher security. It opened in 1933. By then, 672 men were at Morisset Hospital.
The first female patients and nurses arrived in March 1934. New wards for male patients needing more support opened in 1938. World War II caused building work to stop again. This was due to a lack of money. A severe drought in 1939 caused water shortages. An emergency water supply was built.
The hospital chapel opened in August 1957. A dairy farm opened in July 1962. By 1963, the hospital had 1490 patients.
In 1965, male and female wards started to mix. More patients were able to leave the hospital. This helped reduce overcrowding. Large wards began to have fewer beds.
By 1970, patient numbers were decreasing. This was because of better medications and treatment programs. Also, community attitudes towards mental health were changing. In the early 1970s, some patients from other islands moved to Morisset. Patient work groups stopped in 1974.
In 1985, the hospital was split into two parts. One part focused on mental health. The other part focused on developmental disabilities. Some wards were closed. In 1992, a new, modern security unit was built.
The new Morisset Multipurpose Centre opened in November 2004.
What Morisset Hospital Looks Like
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The Morisset Hospital site is very large. It covers about 1,244 hectares (about 4.8 square miles). It has almost 100 historic buildings. The hospital is about 3 kilometers southeast of Morisset town. It faces east towards Lake Macquarie.
The hospital grounds have two main parts. There is a large area for the general hospital. This part is beautifully landscaped. It slopes down to the lake. The other part is smaller and more isolated. It was for patients needing higher security. This area was like a walled city.
The hospital farms are north of Duck Hole Creek. The site stretches from the railway line in the west to Charles Avenue in the east. It goes north to Fishery Point Road. It also extends about half a kilometer south of the security wards. Lake Macquarie forms the natural eastern boundary.
The eastern side of the grounds is next to the Lake Macquarie State Recreation Area. This area is managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. The eastern side also borders the Koompahtoo Local Aboriginal Land Council.
The main hospital area includes many important buildings. These include:
- MS-12 Wards 5 & 6
- MS-13 Ward 9, Clinical Department
- MS-14 Ward 10
- MS-15 The Chapel
- MS-16 Recreation Hall, built in 1909
- MS-17 The Main Store
- MS-19 Residence no.1
- MS-20 Ward 17, General Psychiatry
- MS-23 Ward 12
- MS-24 Residence no.3
- MS-26 Cottage Row Residences (numbers 16 to 21)
The hospital site is close to suburban areas. It has a lot of natural bushland around it. Some native trees are still present. Near the lake, Casuarina trees are common. Other old trees like Forest Red Gum and Rough-barked Apple Gum are also found. These trees might be older than the hospital itself. Scribbly Gum and Bloodwood forests grow on higher ground.
The site has been planted with many different types of trees and palms over the years. There are about 80 different species. The oldest planted trees are around the Recreation Hall and Chapel. They are also along Palm Way and Waratah Way. Some very old trees on the northern side of the Recreation Hall might have been there before the hospital was built.
The site has many mature trees. These trees are found near buildings, staff areas, and open spaces. They are also along roads and walking paths. A total of 745 trees have been checked.
Hospital Cemetery
There is a cemetery linked to the hospital. It is located off Nentoura Road in Morisset. It is in an isolated bushland area. The Anglican part of the cemetery has a special gate called a lych gate. The oldest gravestone there is from 1911. The Lake Macquarie City Council has managed the cemetery since about 1974.
Older parts of the cemetery are divided into sections. These sections are for General, Catholic, Anglican, and Uniting (Presbyterian/Methodist) burials. Many patients from Morisset Hospital are buried in unmarked graves. These are mostly on the eastern side of the cemetery.
The cemetery has a Memorial Wall. It is made of grey granite. A large black granite plaque on the wall honors the former Morisset Hospital patients. These are the patients buried in unmarked graves. The wall also has spaces for families to add individual memorials for their relatives.
Heritage Listing
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The Morisset Hospital Precinct was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999. This means it is recognized as a very important historical site.
