Lock Hospital (fmr) and Burial Ground, Port Hedland

Statement of Significance

The place contains the only extant remains of a Lock Hospital in Western Australia and represent the consequences of colonial settlement on the population and health of Aboriginal people in North Western Australia, including the establishment of health care facilities to manage the catastrophic impacts of disease and illness on Aboriginal people;
the place is representative of the official government policy of treating Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal patients in separate medical facilities, which remained in place until the 1960s when the Commonwealth policy of
assimilation was adopted;
Lock Hospital (fmr) represents measures undertaken by the Western Australian government to deal with the spread and treatment of infectious disease, in particular venereal disease, amongst Aboriginal people in the North-West of the state
Moorgunya Hostel and Dormitories demonstrate changes in Western Australian government policy in the 1960s and 1970s towards assimilation and the provision of educational services and assistance to Aboriginal families.

Physical Description

Lock Hospital (fmr) and Burial Ground (1919-1967) is a complex of single storey timber and metal framed buildings clad in metal and compressed fibre comprising elements of the former Lock Hospital Quarters (1919), Matron’s Quarters (1950s), former Isolation Wards (1950s) and former Mortuary (pre-1962) together with archaeological deposits associated with demolished hospital buildings), and later community facilities (former Moorgunya Hostel (1967), and former Dormitories (1967))

History

Lock Hospital (fmr) and Burial Ground, Port Hedland comprises a complex of single storey timber and metal framed buildings clad in metal and compressed fibre first established in 1919 to provide hospital and isolation nursing for
Aboriginal people suspected of having venereal diseases, and later used as a hospital and nursing home.
In 1919 Reserve 17014, Lots 211 and 217 were gazetted for the purpose of a Lock Hospital. The site was located on the ‘outskirts’ of the Port Hedland townsite on an area known as Finlay’s Camp. The lock hospital was operating by April 1920. Patients who died were buried in unmarked graves outside the fenced area of the hospital. The graves were reportedly situated to the east of the hospital boundary where Mieklejohn Street now runs adjacent to St Cecilia’s Church and Primary School, and to the north of the boundary in the current location of Moorgunyah Hostel.
In 1949, administration of the four Native Hospitals at Port Hedland, Broome, Derby and Wyndham were handed over to the control of Department of Public Health. In the 1950s the Matron’s Quarters (now Community Radio Station) and a new ward, resembling a Nissen hut, (Former Isolation Ward/Nursing Home) were constructed.
In 1967 the function (and boundary) of Reserve 17014 was amended to include Lot 841 and reflect the construction of the single storey Moorgunya Hostel facing Sutherland Street. The government-run hostel for Aboriginal children was one
of several established in the North West region, which aimed to provide accommodation for children of Aboriginal station workers in order that they could attend high school in town.
In 1975 the facility was upgraded with some structures demolished, so by 1977, only three buildings remained from the Lock Hospital phase of the site’s history. The former Matron’s Quarters building (now Community Radio Station) was
known as Boab House and was used as emergency accommodation for Aboriginal families. The former Isolation Ward, later Nursing Home building, was in use as a drop in nursing home (now China’s Gym). The former Mortuary
building was in use as a store-room. A transportable unit was also present in the southern portion of the site, and in use as a Kindergarten building.

Archaeology

The archaeology of the place has considerable potential to yield information contributing to a wider understanding of the management of venereal and other diseases in the early to mid-twentieth century in the North West of Western
Australia. The archaeology of the place has the potential to comprise archaeological artefacts or deposits that may provide further information regarding segregation of males and females in a medical context in Western Australia.

Condition

Fair.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.