A cohort of like-minded history buffs worked together to mark the 100-year anniversary of the Bush Nursing Hospital in Yackandandah.

The group has delved into the history archives led by local researcher Doug Westland with Yackandandah and District Historical Society to host an exhibition at the town’s museum.

An official opening night will be held next Thursday evening 23 April at the Senior Citizens Centre followed by a 9am event on Friday morning at the Yackandandah Museum.

Friday’s public opening is for people from local and surrounding communities to commemorate the Bush Hospital’s opening a century ago on 24 April to the day.

Mr Westland said bush nursing became a significant component of healthcare in isolated bush communities in the early 20th century.

“A movement all over Victoria and further afield applied to small communities like Yackandandah with inadequate healthcare and it was a way to set up bush nursing care,” he said.

Mr Westland said the role of nurses stretching back to the time of the Bush Nursing Hospital being established is at the heart of the exhibition.

“Its purpose is to take the community back to the circumstances that led to the establishment of the hospital in 1926 and prior to that period,” he said.

Mr Westland said Dr Mueller had established a hostel around 1870 that became known as the Yackandandah Sanatorium for patient accommodation opposite his High Street surgery.

The then Yackandandah Shire Council bought the premises after his death for the health service to continue.

“Local government had responsibility of providing healthcare in areas where there was no organised healthcare or hospital type care, as there was in Beechworth,” he said.

“The Yackandandah Sanatorium was managed by the community and operated by a succession of nurses until changing compliance requirements in the 1920s brought about the formation of the Yackandandah Bush Nursing Association to take on the operation as a Bush Nursing Hospital.

“The association provided some money to undertake essential upgrades and for a viable governance structure and that’s what took place in 1926.”

Mr Westland said the Bush Nursing Association was a fascinating story as the State Government provision of healthcare in regional areas was in its infancy.

History group member Geoff Simmons and Wellbeing Advocacy Yackandandah (WAY) president said Yackandandah Health is also holding an Open Day session at its health facility to mark the anniversary.

Mr Simmons said people with different skills had brought the exhibition to fruition highlighting community reconnection with the hospital.

“The Bush Nursing Hospital has been an important part of this community for families with fundraising undertaken over generations,” he said.

Another working group member Karen Keegan said exploring the Bush Nursing Hospital’s history had been fascinating with its pre-Federation healthcare development.

She said doctors and nurses in various establishments had led to cottage hospitals and sanatoriums for infectious diseases.

“One of two sanitoriums in Yackandandah became a cottage hospital and then the Bush Nursing Hospital,” she said.

“One of the things that struck me over this journey has been the resourcefulness of communities back then, particularly women wanting to make a difference.

“Other stories emerged about specific events that happened to local people with some of those stories in the exhibition.

“We wanted to paint the picture of people living here or around these parts in those days as well.”

The hospital opened in 1926, moving to a new site in 1931 and rebranded as Yackandandah Health in 2014.

The service is now operated as a member of the national Apollo Care Alliance.

An opportunity to visit Yackandandah Health’s event from 10am to 11.30am at 20 Isaacs Avenue on Friday 24 April will follow the public opening.

The exhibition at the museum will run until August.