Bundoora Repatriation Hospital in brief
In 1917, during the First World War, development of the Mont Park and adjoining /Bundoora facility for military mental health patients began. The Mental Treatment Act 1915 had allowed for ex-service patients to obtain mental health treatment voluntarily.
In April 1920, the Commonwealth bought Bundoora Park – 600 acres with a substantial homestead and various cottages, sheds and stables. The combined facility became Mont Park Military Mental Wards – a halfway house between treatment and discharge.
In 1923, the property was transferred to the Repatriation Commission and in 1924 the Bundoora Homestead (initially known as Bundoora Convalescent Farm, sometimes the Bundoora Park Curative Farm) was opened as Hospital Ward 2.
In October, 1924 the Mont Park facility was named Repatriation Mental Hospital "A", and the Bundoora site named Repatriation Mental Hospital "B". In 1933 all the military patients from Mont Park were transferred to the Bundoora Repatriation Mental Hospital. Over the years eight more wards were built, giving the hospital a capacity of 291 beds by 1968.
In 1950 the hospital had 200 patients. Only patients who had an entitlement for psychiatric disorder due to war service were admitted. Many patients were admitted and discharged more than once, some up to 15 times over a period of years. Bundoora Repatriation Hospital benefitted from active volunteers, especially from the Red Cross and Returned Servicemen's League.
From approximately 1984–93, the Bundoora Repatriation Hospital was jointly funded by the Office of Psychiatric Services and Department of Veteran Affairs under a State/Commonwealth agreement. Returned servicemen with mental health issues were cared for at the Bundoora Repatriation Hospital until its official closure in October 1993.
Warning about distressing information
This guide contains information that some people may find distressing. If you experienced abuse as a child or young person in an institution mentioned in this guide, it may be a difficult reading experience. Guides may also contain references to previous views, policies and practices that are regrettable and do not reflect the current views, policies or practices of the department or the State of Victoria. If you find this content distressing, please consult with a support person either from the Department of Health and Human Services or another agency.
Disclaimer
Please note that the content of this administrative history is provided for general information only and does not purport to be comprehensive. The department does not guarantee the accuracy of this administrative history. For more information on the history of child welfare in Australia, see Find & .
Sources
- Department’s agency history files
Patient information
PLEASE NOTE: Patients could be admitted to a Receiving House for short-term treatment and care, but were not permitted to remain longer than two months.
Patients still needing treatment after two months could be sent to a Psychiatric Hospital, in the same institution/complex or another. Hence, there could be more than one set of records for any one person. Please check each location for former patient records.
List of records held by the department
For information relating to the central management of care leavers and wards of state, please consult the guide to Central department wardship and out-of-home care records. These collections date back to the 1860s and include ward registers, index cards and ward files.
Collection Guide download
Reviewed 10 August 2016