Twenty years before work commenced on the building of Wodonga Hospital in January 1953, there had been discussions that a Bush Nursing Hospital would meet our requirements.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In 1934, a questionnaire was distributed to residents, and later, lack of attendance at a public meeting took the idea off the agenda.
Wodonga residents and council continued to provide financial support to Albury District Hospital.
In 1947, Shire President, Cr Pollard, was urging the council to make an effort to raise money for the Albury Hospital equipment appeal.
The Wodonga and Towong Sentinel in February 1947 reported that a committee had been working for many months to provide Wodonga with a hospital, the first essential being a place to put it.
In 1948, a Queen Carnival was a major fundraiser for the cause. Costumes and all queenly attire was hired from Melbourne.
The Inspector of Charities was invited to visit and inspect the sites.
Immediately following his departure, the committee met and decided on the one acre offered as a donation by Mr J Lindsay, with another four acres to be purchased at a price decided on by a sworn valuer. A later report stated that three acres of the five acre block were promised as donations.
A public meeting was called and again resulted in a poor attendance.
The chairman, Cr. C. Pollard, criticised the poor attendance and said if more interest was not shown, the movement to finance the hospital would be long and drawn out.
There was a turnaround in March 1947, when 60 residents attended a meeting to hear of the plan to build a hospital of 25 to 30 beds at an estimated cost of 30,000 pounds. The Charities Board would subscribe two-thirds of the total leaving the town to provide 10,000 pounds. A total 2200 pounds was raised on the night.
In 1948, a Queen Carnival was a major fundraiser for the cause. Costumes and all queenly attire was hired from Melbourne. Miss Joy Hewitt, Queen of Sports, was the winner, raising 820 pounds, Miss N. Mulqueeney, R.S.L. Queen, raised 705 pounds and Miss F. Fulford, Queen of Markets, raised 590 pounds. Each of the three candidates was presented with a silver dish as a souvenir of the occasion. The one given to Fay Fulford is in the Wodonga Historical Society collection.
