Mont Park Asylum

Mont Park Asylum was a public psychiatric hospital located in MacLeod, Victoria, Australia. It was operational from 1912 to 1999 and was a significant institution in the history of mental health services in Victoria.

History[edit | edit source]

Mont Park Asylum was established in 1910 and opened its doors to patients in 1912. The hospital was built on a 185-hectare site and was designed to accommodate 1200 patients. The hospital was initially intended to serve as a Farm colony for patients from other hospitals in Victoria. However, it soon expanded its services to include treatment for acute mental illness and chronic mental illness.

The hospital was known for its progressive approach to mental health treatment. It was one of the first institutions in Australia to introduce occupational therapy and recreational therapy for its patients. The hospital also had a strong focus on rehabilitation and reintegration into the community.

In the 1980s, the hospital began to downsize as part of a wider trend towards deinstitutionalization in mental health services. The hospital officially closed in 1999, and the site has since been redeveloped for residential use.

Facilities[edit | edit source]

Mont Park Asylum was designed as a self-sufficient community. The hospital had its own farm, orchard, bakery, butchery, and dairy. The hospital also had a cricket ground, tennis court, and golf course for recreational activities.

The hospital buildings were designed in the Federation style, with large verandas and high ceilings to provide ventilation and natural light. The hospital also had a number of wards, each designed to accommodate different types of patients.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

The closure of Mont Park Asylum marked the end of an era in Victoria's mental health services. The hospital's approach to treatment and rehabilitation had a significant impact on the development of mental health services in Victoria and Australia.

Today, the site of the former hospital is a residential area known as Springthorpe. Some of the original hospital buildings have been preserved and converted into residential properties.

See also[edit | edit source]

Mont Park Asylum Resources
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