Northern NSW Local Health District is inviting the community to attend a week of celebrations at Murwillumbah District Hospital (MDH) to acknowledge 120 years of providing healthcare to the local community.
From Monday 9 September to Saturday 14 September, there will be a range of activities on site including displays of staff stories, volunteering through the years and historical photos.
A BBQ for current staff members and their families is being held on Saturday 14 September, where staff will also recreate an iconic photo from 1939.
MDH Executive Director/Director of Nursing Tracey Lea said the week was a chance to celebrate the many local connections and long history of the hospital.
“I am thrilled to celebrate this remarkable milestone that reflects our long-standing commitment to providing exceptional healthcare to our community,” Ms Lea said.
“This anniversary is not only a celebration of our history but also a tribute to the many generations of healthcare professionals who have worked tirelessly to serve our community with compassion and excellence.”
Murwillumbah District Hospital has been providing healthcare since 1904, and celebrated its 120th birthday in May this year.
Murwillumbah District Hospital provides key services such as emergency department, medical inpatient care, palliative care, chemotherapy, renal dialysis, low complexity day surgery services and a range of outpatient services. The hospital is also the dedicated location for rehabilitation services, welcoming patients from right across the Tweed Valley.
Since 2018, the hospital has received more than $3 million in upgrades and renovations which have delivered a new satellite renal unit, improved the emergency department and medical imaging unit, and provided a new palliative care room.
A brief history of Murwillumbah District Hospital
Information sourced from ‘A Potted History of Murwillumbah District Hospital’ by Millie Higgins.
From a community meeting in 1899, two committees and a Board of Trustees were formed, and an application made to gazette a 15 acre site for the hospital.
A government grant of $500 was received towards the total building cost of $1614, with the community funding the balance.
The Tweed Cottage Hospital, as it was originally named, was officially opened on 20 May 1904 with a three-bed ward for males, a two-bed ward for females, a matron’s room, wardsman’s room, laundry and offices.
A total of 44 patients were treated in its first seven months of operation, however demand grew quickly, with 224 patients treated during 1908, and a new Isolation Block was opened in 1909.
Strong public support for the hospital included many community fundraising activities, such as an annual hospital ball.
In 1910, the hospital was renamed the Tweed District Hospital, and serviced patients from Mullumbimby to southern Gold Coast. The Hospital Auxiliary was formed in 1926.
After continued community advocacy for an extension, the new brick building, designed to accommodate 93 patients, was opened on 27 August 1939. The three-storey building was the largest in the district and included a rarity at the time – an electric elevator.
A feature of the hospital’s history has been the highly dedicated and committed staff, and enormous contributions of volunteers, particularly during the war years when there were medical staff shortages.
The hospital overcame a series of natural disasters over the years, including storms, heavy rains, flooding and a cyclone. On Christmas Day 1953 a severe hailstorm caused significant damage, shattering more than 90 windows and damaging the roof.
On 29 December 1972 the hospital was renamed Murwillumbah District Hospital to avoid confusion with the newly opened Tweed Heads District Hospital in Tweed Heads.
A new wing was opened in 1975 providing emergency, x-ray, pathology, physiotherapy, extra theatres, intensive care, recovery and a central sterilising department.
The new Assessment and Rehabilitation Ward, Urliup, was opened in 1997.