The history and heritage of the Goulburn Health Service is an essential element of the Government’s $150 million Goulburn Hospital and Health Service Redevelopment.

_{Pictured above. Hypodermic Needle Sharpener. When hypodermic needles were first invented in the 1850s, they were not disposable as they are today. Instead, hypodermic needles were reusable tools that were washed and sanitized between uses. As a result the needles would require maintenance, such as sharpening}.

 

During August 2020, Goulburn Health Service staff and community members were invited to complete an online survey to share feedback about their memories of the health service.

With responses received from across the district, three key themes and areas of interest emerged from the survey:
1. Then and now, contrasting images of the past and future at our hospital.
2. Goulburn Base Hospital through the decades.
3. Rural Hospital – servicing the Southern Tablelands.

The survey has revived many rich memories of Goulburn, and the Goulburn Base Hospital, including the dedicated staff, the care for loved family members, the two rocking horses, inter-departmental softball, concerts and reviews, and the Baptist choir singing on Sunday afternoons.

The community would like to see the uniforms, devices and equipment used throughout the decades, photographs of the buildings and facilities that make up the Goulburn Health Service, recognition of staff, and newspaper articles which told the stories of what was happening in Goulburn and the surrounding region over time.

The results will help shape the way heritage items are displayed in the new four-storey Clinical Services Building.
The heritage program is being delivered as part of the Arts in Health program which is designed to guide the integration of arts into the NSW healthcare system.

As part of the Goulburn Hospital Redevelopment the program aims to reflect the local community, instill strong cultural connections and a sense of ownership in the new facility.

As part of the Arts in Health program the Redevelopment is also conducted a community photography competition. The winning photographic images will be incorporated into the new health facility. The competition has now closed with many excellent entries received from across the community.

Visit the Goulburn Hospital and Health Service Redevelopment website for more information about the redevelopment, Arts in Health, the Heritage Survey and the photographic competition.

The $150 million Goulburn Hospital and Health Service Redevelopment builds on the NSW Government’s extensive investment in health facilities across the district. The Government has allocated $18.6 million for the Cooma Hospital Redevelopment and $8 million for the redevelopment of Yass Hospital. The new Braidwood Multipurpose Service, currently under construction, is part of the Government’s $304 million Multipurpose Service (MPS) Program. The NSW Government has also committed $200 million to deliver the new Eurobodalla Health Service.