History of larundel psychiatric hospital
Although Larundel is commonly known as an abandoned mental asylum, with some spooky tales about it, the history of Larundel is hardly known. During 1938-1943 Larundel was being built to replace the Kew Mental Hospital, as The residents of Kew were complaining about the closeness of the hospital to the residential area. Construction was very fast in the first 3 years and then slowed down due to the outbreak of the war. Did you know that Larundel was used for other things besides housing psychiatric patients? That Larundel was not just a mental hospital?
On January 19th 1943, Larundel was taken over by the air force as a training place for women who were providing support to the Australian Air Force. This continued until the end of the war.
From April 1946, Larundel was used as a place to provide housing for 109 homeless families. There was a severe housing shortage for returning soldiers and immigrants. During this time two rooms at Larundel were used as a school.
On January 19th 1943, Larundel was taken over by the air force as a training place for women who were providing support to the Australian Air Force. This continued until the end of the war.
From April 1946, Larundel was used as a place to provide housing for 109 homeless families. There was a severe housing shortage for returning soldiers and immigrants. During this time two rooms at Larundel were used as a school.
after the war
In February 1948 it was decided that Larundel was needed as a mental hospital. A lot of the homeless families had not left Larundel, so they were transferred elsewhere and instead patients from Kew Mental Hospital were transferred to Larundel. Larundel was officially opened in 1953. The patients that attended Larundel should not be feared as they were seeking help for the problems they faced and Larundel helped with that process, which really is a positive thing. The patients of Larundel contributed their labor to the running of the hospital. This included such work as growing food and tending to animals, which was a form of treatment for their mental health problems and a way of making up for the shortage in staff. In this way all the staff and patients were fed from the Larundel farm.
from ruin to renovation
In 1990s government policy changed away from institutional care to community based care and so several mental hospitals including Larundel were closed down. The buildings rapidly degenerated into vandalized ruins.
Some Larundel buildings have now been renovated to house university students and families.
Some Larundel buildings have now been renovated to house university students and families.
Remembering Larundel
Used with the permission of Leader Publishing
News clippings used with permission of Leader Publishing