By Goya Dmytryshchak
The history of Altona’s beloved former hospital has been captured in a book to be launched this month.
Altona Hospital operated in Pier Street in 1932-1938, before moving to the corner of Queen and Sargood streets where it ran until 1996.
Titled A Bush Hospital by the Bay – Altona Hospital 1932 to 1996, the book has been meticulously researched by Altona Laverton Historical Society members Ann Cassar, Jim Hevey, Maureen Lane and Graeme Reilly.
Ms Lane said the hospital grew out of the community need.
“Dr Louis Joel and Matron Ivy Weber started the hospital in Pier Street first, in a double-fronted wooden house that they rented, but the demand was so great that they had this idea that they would apply for some money and build a hospital by the people and for the people, so they did it on a subscription basis.
“It ran like a bush hospital – the nurses and the matrons ran the hospital and the doctors visited.”
Ms Lane said there were many attempts to close the hospital but each time the community vigorously resisted.
“The government of the time wanted it gone so they kept raising the bar all the time, trying to make the hospital close on its own,” she said.
“Every time, the board rose to the occasion.”
“Eventually it was just too much and they … had to close its doors.
“Then the government tried to take the land that the hospital was on … and so the community fought again to keep that property … and that’s why it’s the Louis Joel centre.”
A Bush Hospital by the Bay – Altona Hospital 1932 to 1996 will be launched at the Louis Joel centre, on August 21 at 7.30pm.
