Larundel Mental Hospital history in brief
At the beginning of the Second World War, in 1939, Larundel was built to replace the Kew Asylum. During the war it served various uses, primarily a training complex for the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force and then as temporary emergency housing.
In 1951, a fire at Beechworth Mental Hospital (Mayday Hills) meant accommodation was urgently needed for Beechworth’s male patients.
At that time Larundel had nine wards. Five other wards (known as “the farm workers’ block”) were situated close by and incorporated into Larundel, bringing the total beds up to 650.
In June 1953, Larundel Mental Hospital was proclaimed.
In 1955, eight new Type A rehabilitation wards were added, each with 45 beds: six wards for females and two wards for males. Two new nurses’ homes were also built. The two admission wards were reorganised to enable the sexes to mix. One of the two wards was used for young patients, mostly people diagnosed with schizophrenia (male and female) who were receiving insulin treatment.
A separate part of Larundel became a rehabilitation hospital for patients who needed further care but who had a good prospects of discharge and community rehabilitation.
Larundel's psychiatric services were successfully reorganised, giving Melbourne another receiving house. Many patients who would previously have gone to Royal Park went instead to Larundel. Patient numbers admitted to Larundel the next year increased by a thousand, and numbers admitted to Royal Park decreased by a thousand.
In May 1959, part of the site was proclaimed as the Receiving House, Larundel.
Larundel hospital was decommissioned in the 1990s.
Until c.1994, the hospital facilities on the former Larundel site continued to be used for mental health patients as part of the North Eastern Metropolitan Psychiatric Services.
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. For more information on the history of child welfare in Australia, See Find and .
Disclaimer
Please note that 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.
Sources
E. Cunningham Dax: Asylum to Community: The Development of the Mental Hygiene Service in Victoria, Australia [F. W. Cheshire, Melbourne, 1961]
Rachel Tsoumbakos: The History of Larundel: Part 1 (1938–50) [Wikipedia]
Victoria Government Gazette Issue 49 page 1612, 3 June 1959
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Reviewed 02 May 2019