Monash Health Historical Collections

Welcome

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the place now called Victoria, and all First Peoples living and working on this land. We celebrate the history and contemporary creativity of the world’s oldest living culture and pay respect to Elders — past, present and future.

Please be aware that this website may contain culturally sensitive material — images, voices and information provided by now deceased persons. Content also may include images and film of places that may cause sorrow.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website may contain culturally sensitive material — images, voices and information provided by now deceased persons. Content also may include images and film of places that may cause sorrow.

Some material may contain terms that reflect authors’ views, or those of the period in which the item was written or recorded but may not be considered appropriate today. These views are not necessarily the views of Victorian Collections.

Users of this site should be aware that in many areas of Australia, reproduction of the names and photographs of deceased people is restricted during a period of mourning. The length of this time varies and is determined by the community.

Reuse of any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander material on this site may require cultural clearances. Users are advised to contact the source organisation to discuss appropriate reuse.

About

Monash Health is the custodian of the largest multi-hospital historical collection in Victoria.

The bulk of the material relates directly to the history, community interactions and culture of our predecessor organisations. The collection is a valuable reference and research resource for the people of Victoria.

The collection covers several areas of significant international historical interest – the first hospital for women by women, the first women graduates in Medicine in Australia, and the history of homeopathy. In addition many have particular local significance or State-wide interest. The Collection was formed in 1987, coinciding with the opening of Monash Medical Centre Clayton, and amalgamating the historical collections from the:

• Queen Victoria Medical Centre

• Prince Henry’s Hospital

• Moorabbin Hospital

Covering a wide timespan in the history of Melbourne’s hospitals, the collection provides an overview of past hospitals including the:

• Melbourne Benevolent Asylum from 1850-1912 (today known as Kingston Centre)

• Homeopathic Hospital from c.1869 to c.1934, the precursor of the now defunct Prince Henry’s Hospital that operated from 1934 to 1992)

• Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital (1896-1987).

The collection also includes material from Monash Medical Centre Clayton (opened in 1987), Monash Medical Centre Moorabbin (opened in 1975), Dandenong Hospital (opened in 1942), Kingston Centre (opened in 1911), McCulloch House (opened in 1888), Jessie McPherson Hospital (opened in 1931) and Casey Hospital, which opened in late 2004.