05/06/2026
PORTLAND DISTRICT HOSPITAL – A PROUD COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENT
1901 – 1911 saw great expansion in Portland, the population growing from 545 to 2,570 and occupied dwellings from 170 to 525. A resident doctor had been in Portland in private practice and in 1901 the Cement Company supported a scheme ensuring a regular income for that doctor. At that time, the building known as the Casino in Williwa Street which was owned by the cement company (originally a nursing home) catered to sick and injured patients. It was staffed by nurses with volunteers acting as auxiliaries but with the outbreak of typhoid in 1911 which saw tents set up in Saville Park and nurses brought from Sydney to treat the sick, the need for a hospital with trained staff became critical. Accidents at the cement works were frequent.
A united effort by Commonwealth Portland Cement Company (CPC,) trade unions, businesses and residents saw the foundation stone for the new hospital laid on May 11, 1912 by Dr. Scheidel, Managing Director of the Portland Cement Co. Employees of Portland Cement donated one whole day’s wages as did miners and other workers in the district. Gifts of building materials and labour were received from CPC. Other fundraising was by way of race meetings at Piper’s Flat, raffles, the Crystal Theatre donated the entire picture show takings for one day and residents sponsored bricks at 1/- per brick. The hospital would cater for four male and four female patients with an operating theatre included in the plans. The hospital would initially be staffed by a Matron and two nurses.
On a 5 acre site in Kiln Street facing Kremer Park, the hospital was officially opened on August 30, 1913 by the Hon. H. Flowers, MLC. It catered for approx. 5,000 residents in the area from Meadow Flat to Glen Davis with 3,500 living in Portland. The cost of the project to date was £3,602 plus £500 for furnishings and £1,000 for medical equipment.
£1,041 had been raised by the community with the balance funded by government.
Matron Shelley, in 1913 reported that she had received gifts of old linen, eggs, flowers from private gardens, books and magazines. The hospital groundsman planted a vegetable garden to supply the hospital which was tended by townspeople and Walter Tweedie provided a cow which was milked by the handyman. Fruit was donated by local orchardists, coal for the furnace from local mines and other provisions such as bread ordered from local businesses. Maintenance at the new facility was carried out by the cement company staff. A horse-drawn ambulance wagon had been donated and was driven by Mr Verney.
Three years later in 1915, plans for the nurses’ quarters and a laundry were drawn up.
When visiting in 1920, Mr J. Dooley MLA reported that the hospital would benefit from pine trees to provide shade and subsequently the hospital received a donation of 50 trees from the Botanical Gardens. During this time, the Ladies’ Auxiliary in Cullen Bullen voluntarily assisted at the hospital.
There was a need for an X-Ray Plant and in 1926, Joe Roberts and Bill Baston launched a fund to purchase the equipment. It cost 550 Pounds and was financed wholly by district residents with cement company workers and miners contributing threepence per week to the fund. X-rays were performed by ‘honorary’ x-ray technicians until 1947 when the Hospitals Commission took over the running of the hospital and the first paid secretary was employed. Until then administration was performed on an honorary basis.
On March 4, 1949, a meeting was conducted by Miss Fraser from the Hospitals Commission calling for the community to support herself and the board with the formation of a hospital auxiliary. This came to fruition and over the years, the hospital benefitted greatly from the efforts of the
Portland Hospital Ladies Auxiliary which raised funds for essential equipment and assisted in the hospital.
1953 saw the retirement of the much-loved Matron Coleman who had faithfully cared for her patients and had served the hospital for thirty years.
In 2023 awards were bestowed on Portland Hospital Auxiliary members Mrs. Edna Walton for 50 years-service, Mrs Joan Taylor for 30 years-service, Mrs Yvonne Sharp for 20 years of service and Mrs Suzanne Rose for 10 years-service. The Auxiliary is still functioning today in the capable hands of those ladies and many other volunteers.
NSW Health managed the hospital until closure in 2006 to make way for the Portland Tabulam Health Centre. The former hospital site was sold to a developer in 2016.
(Written by Kaye Whitbread)
