Kenmore Mental Hospital
| Kenmore Mental Hospital | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Established | 1879 |
| Opened | 1895 |
| Closed | 2004 |
| Current Status | Closed |
| Building Style | Echelon Plan |
| Architect(s) | Walter Liberty Vernon |
| Location | Goulburn, NSW |
| Alternate Names |
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History[edit]
On 31 July 1894 the buildings on the Kenmore Estate, Goulburn, were appointed a Hospital for the Insane, on a site purchased for the purpose in 1879. By the end of 1894 temporary accommodation for 140 patients was ready, with hospital wards to be completed. Personnel were appointed to positions at Kenmore Hospital on 1 January 1895. Upon opening, 152 patients from other hospitals were transferred to Kenmore, with 146 male patients resident in the Hospital at the end of 1895. Although some wards were already occupied, it was anticipated that the hospital would be completed by June 1897, to provide services to the southern region of the State. By 1901, Kenmore Asylum had been completed, although small additions were expected in the future.
In 1909, tenders were received for the erection of two convalescent wards, one each for males and females. A new admission block and doctor's quarters was also proposed. The accepted tender involved a new admission block and a new administration block, costing £10,995. The asylum suffered considerable damage in 1912, where a fire broke out at 2 o'clock in a drying room. All of the clothing in the dryers was destroyed, and furnishings of the room were burnt; in addition, the value of this loss was considerable. The cause was unknown.
During World War II the facilities at Kenmore Hospital were made available for the psychiatric treatment of military personnel, with the Hospital under the control of the Commonwealth Government, Department of the Army, during 1941-1945 (known as 114 AGH Kenmore or 114 AGH Goulburn).
In June 1962 Kenmore Hospital had 1,107 patients resident, and operated as the acute psychiatric admission centre for the southern region, with services also provided to inebriate patients.
The property was sold to Australia China International Pty Ltd in March 2015 and it is planned to restore the once derelict building as Kenmore Gardens with likely uses to include retirement living, government services, or educational facilities. However, as of 2021, no work had been done.
