Delving into significant history

An intriguing account of the former Mayday Hills Mental Hospital windup will on Saturday, 30 August be delivered by its last manager at a ‘Heyday of Mayday’ event. Beechworth’s Michael Evans will be part of a cohort of three guest speakers who worked at the mental health facility talking about its rich history. Former employees Beechworth’s Sandra Davidson working as a social worker and Max Wellstead as a psychiatrist, will be also presenting talks. Mr Evans' position at the time was manager for psychiatric services in what was then called the Department of Human Services in the Hume region with an office at Mayday Hills. His talk will include background reasons on the hospital’s closure including mainstreaming to bring its service into both general and hospital health management. “I was part of the windup with my job to hand the facility over to hospital management,” he said. Among topics will be the changes in practices and attitudes for people with mental as well as de-institutionalisation happening around the world causing the closure. “People remember Beechworth’s gold rush heritage but the main reasons why the town is still here is because of the Mental Hospital, the prison (Old Beechworth Gaol) and the Benevolent Asylum eventually becoming the Ovens and Murray Hospital for the Aged,” he said. “The Mental Hospital’s history is often overlooked and is an interesting part of the town's heritage." Mr Evans said Victorian legislation in 1986 set the groundwork and legal framework for places like Mayday Hills. “It also had provisions that would enable mainly nursing staff to be transferred out of government into hospital employment in the future which is what happened when the facility closed,” he said. “The complex formally closed on the 30 June 1995 when the handover to management took place.” He said some of the background factors running at the time were not always well understood in the town. Friends of the Burke Museum has joined forces with Mayday Hills Society for the ‘Heyday of Mayday’ event supported by Bendigo Bank. The event is part of the group’s ongoing fundraising efforts for the museum to help with maintenance. Cost for members is $30 and for non-members is $40 with afternoon tea and beverages included. Bookings are essential as seating limited to a 60-seat capacity. RSVP is needed by 25 August to the Burke Museum on 03 57288067 or by email at or friendsburkemuseum@gmail.com.

Delving into significant history

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