The New Maitland Hospital project team is desperately keen to keep a tangible link to the current hospital's past, and also the local Wonnarua people's stories, in the development of the new building.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The project team held a community information session in The Levee on Saturday to provide an update on construction of the new $470 million hospital and discuss a number of art and heritage initiatives.
Representatives from Health Infrastructure, Hunter New England Local Health District and the builders Multiplex were joined by Wonnarua artist and designer Saretta Fielding to discuss the installation of the arbour and the consultation and scope of works which is bringing Wonnarua stories to life through her design.
Art and Heritage consultants for the new Maitland Hospital, Janis Wilton and Joe Eisenberg were also on hand to discuss what is being labelled the Collected Memory Project.
"The Collected Memory Project is a joint initiative of Health Infrastructure, Hunter New England Local Health District and Maitland City Council, and seeks to preserve and celebrate community memories, as told through The Collection from the existing hospital," a Health Infrastructure spokesperson said.
"Objects and artefacts forming The Collection are in the process of being identified and evaluated, with some on display at the information session."
For historian Ms Wilton, it has been a fascinating project.
"We're putting together a collection that speaks of the importance of a 140-year-old hospital to the local community," she said.
"I believe this is the oldest regional hospital on the one site in NSW, and as you'd expect, it has some stories to tell.
"The first stage of Maitland Hospital was finished in 1849, and we have artefacts going back as far as 1859.
"We have found some wonderful things ... an old rocking chair for example, old surgical instruments, administrative records. It's all very eclectic.
"We've been working on putting it together for a couple of years now, and the plan is to display them around the new hospital.
"We believe some will act as inspiration for some of the artworks that will go into the new hospital too."
Items from The Collection will be on display in the new Maitland Hospital when it opens and will also form part of an exhibition at the Maitland Regional Art Gallery in August, 2021.
MRAG is developing a website as part of the exhibition for the community which will allow the community to share their stories of the hospital and also upload any relevant images. These digital stories and images will eventually form part of The Collection.
The new Maitland Hospital project team encourages members of the community with stories, items or questions to contact them through the project website newmaitlandhospital.health.nsw.gov.au or the project email address newmaitlandhospital@health.nsw.gov.au.
The project team will hold more consultation events in early 2021 to continue engagement on the Collected Memory Project and provide project updates to the community.
IN THE NEWS
