Larundel

In early 2001 I was driving along Plenty Road. Past La Trobe University. On a whim l turned right into a minor road. New development gave way to empty land. I drove slowly. I was puzzled. Empty land and yet there were physical signs of past development, missing buildings, a community – roads pot holed and stopping at walls, paths leading to where dwellings should be, paved courtyard areas, wooden seats, mermaid mosaics on brick walls. And many signs. Chapel this way, Laundry that way, Building One, Building Five I came across a large information sign. It showed a map. A map of a hospital complex. Huge, almost a suburb on it’s own. I walked along the abandoned roads, turned a corner and came across enormous brick buildings four stories high. Empty.

l had stumbled on the ruins of Larundel Psychiatric Hospital.

I was to revisit Larundel several times in the next few years. With my camera. Foliage grew wildly, reaching up to the windows. The windows gradually lost their glass, which was replaced by corrugated iron. Arsonists set fire to one of the buildings. I saw a father and his two boys throw stones at the last remaining glass. A group of giggling girls asked me what l was doing and then wanted me to photograph them against a wall, knowing l would never see them again.

On one journey l came across an overgrown brick paved area. I scrapped back the weeds. The bricks were covered with designs and inscriptions made by former patients. On another occasion l stumbled upon a series of clumsy clay masks tied around a pole. Forgotten. All was forgotten.

l eventually found out that the grounds of Larundel were being redevelopment into a new housing estate. I felt that one history was being bulldozed and making way for a new history. And l wondered what the new history would make of the old history.

Past History

Larundel Hospital was conceived in 1938 to replace the outdated Kew mental hospital. By 1940 work was well underway when the Second World War intervened. For the next five years various uses were planned for the buildings. It was considered as a U.S. military hospital or for housing the Children’s Welfare Depot. In the end the R.A.A.F. took it over in 1942, using it as a W.A.A.F. training depot. Part of the existing complex was also used as a R.A.A.F. hospital.

In 1946 Larundel was given to the Department of Housing for emergency accommodation. The wards were hastily converted to flats. By 1948 there were 109 families living at Larundel.

By November 1949 the last of the families had moved out and thirty male patients were transferred from Mont Park Hospital. Despite this, large parts of the hospital remained unfinished and a low government priority. However a fire at Beechworth hospital forced a change in thinking and additional funds were located to open wards at Larundel for Beechworth’s patients.

It was not until 1953 that Larundel was officially opened as a mental hospital. It had 387 patients, a quarter of which were women. Two years later eight additional wards opened, allowing for another 360 patients (270 of which were female).

- 1 -document.doc George Mifsud 20/05/23

By the early 1970s Larundel had a number of wards operating dealing with a wide range of psychological illnesses. These included acute psychiatrics, chronic schizophrenics, chronic psychotics and geriatric patients. A clinical laboratory was also added.

During the late 1990s there was a strong move away from institutional care of psychiatric patients and towards community based care. As a result of this a number of Victoria’s mental hospitals closed, including Kew and Larundel. May patients were transferred to Austin Hospital.

Sources:Bircanin, Iliya and Short, Alex. Glimpses of the past. Mont Park, Larundel and Plenty. Melbourne. 1995

Present History

The land formerly occupied by Larundel Psychiatric Hospital was sold off to developers. By 2001 work had commenced on clearing the site and in 2002 the first new residential dwellings were constructed. The larger administrative hospital buildings are protected under the National Heritage and will be converted to ???

- 2 -document.doc George Mifsud 20/05/23

Exhibition details.

Title: Larundel Group/solo Solo exhibitionMedium: Black and white photographsSize: 18 x 18 cmFrame size: 43 x 33 cm portraitNumber: Approximately 20 (note Titles (as per submission only): Untitled 1, 2001

Untitled 2, 2001Untitled 3, 2001Untitled 4, 2001Untitled 5, 2001Untitled 6, 2001Untitled 7, 2001Untitled 8, 2001Untitled 9, 2001Untitled 10, 2001Untitled 11 2001Untitled 12, 2001Untitled 13, 2001Untitled 14, 2001Untitled 15, 2001Untitled 16, 2001

Any special equipment required:NoWork previously exhibited: No

Cost covered by artist: Film, film processing, printing, matting, and framingPotential future costs: $220.00 for hiring of exhibition space, signage, listingsFunding: Self-funded

- 3 -document.doc George Mifsud 20/05/23