By popular demand the much loved history week is on again this year with a Callan Park and Broughton Hall tour followed by a forum and afternoon tea. Bookings are essential. Full details below.

TOUR - Callan Park and Broughton Hall… violence and scandals

Echoing amid tranquil sounds of bird life on the slopes of Callan Park or Broughton Hall’s horticultural riches, are stories of violence and conflict in hospital wards and a timeless crime – the scandalous neglect of public resources. Learn about the contentious history of this great and complex site.

11am - 12.30pm at the Cane Room, Callan Park. Bookings 0413 733 218 . Cost $10.00

FORUM - Callan Park … conflict; public space & Museum Madness

Scandals and violence at Callan Park have generated government enquiries and wide publicity. Speakers explore Callan Park as a site of violence and conflict; how its public space is lived and constructed; and in Museum Madness, hear volunteers discuss their work creating Kenmore Hospital Museum – and that potential here.

• Zoe Baker Callan Park, a shared space in a developed world

Zoe spent much of 2008 researching ways in which public space and place is lived, understood and constructed - particularly at Callan Park.

• Jen Hawksley “No Way Out”: Callan Park as a site of violence & conflict

Jen discusses her PhD research into Callan Park’s closed patient files examining how violence manifested itself within the asylum and the response of authorities.

• Leoné Morgan Museum Madness

Hear how a dedicated (commited?) group of staff formed and developed the Kenmore Hospital Museum and what has been achieved by the Friends of ‘Kenmore Hospital’s History Inc’ in 9 years. Leoné trained at Kenmore Hospital and is Museum Secretary.

2pm - 4.30pm Cane Room (at the end of Wharf Road), Callan Park. Bookings 0413 733 218. Cost $10.00
Callan Park History Week 2009 Flyer

Callan park - History Week Map

Both the war memorials in Callan Park - the Sydney Harbour Bridge (located on the southern end of the main oval) and the Spanish-styled architecture (a curved structure closer to the Cecily Street main gates) - are increasingly at risk of destruction.

The kangaroo head which was the central decoration of the “Spanish” memorial has long gone.

The Sydney Habour Bridge continues to suffer from the impact of children who appear to regard the structure as a jungle-gym - as do their parents. Because there is no interpretive signage to remind the community of the significance of the structure it continues to be at risk - even though it is plain to any adult that this fragile structure is not designed for children to clamber over.

A regular walker in the park was not sure who they could report the condition of the Bridge to and had made a sign and placed it in the Bridge struts. SHFA’s Security have been very helpful when called but unfortunately due their limited funding and number are unabe to continually cover all the park.

The area was cordoned off for a Saturday sporting event but was not permanently left in place.
The above pictures show the horizontal strip of metal on the north side of the “road” was torn off a week ago.

Since these picutues were taken the other half is now hanging loose. Concerned residents have linked cable ties to at least keep the metal in place, but unfortunately anyone with scissors or a sharp knife will soon remove those. Those people who walk through Callan Park are asked to please keep an eye on this important structure.

24 HOUR CALLAN PARK SECURITY NUMBER - 0402 696 321

Leichhardt Council deserves a big ‘pat on the back’ for organising the Callan park Mental Health workshop last Saturday at Balmain Town Hall.  They invited people from interstate who were able to put forward views that gave those in attendance a fresh perspective on mental care issues.

Once again, Jamie Parker, Mayor of Leichhardt, as MC for the day, showed the class and leadership this society needs when dealing with Callan Park.

There were speakers who tended to divide into two camps. Prof. David Copolov ( from Victoria where he has strong policy and administrative responsibilities and is a practising psychiatrist and attached to Monash University) and Sue Steedman ( director of the homeless support grouping Sydney) were strong in advocating a psychiatric hospital be established at Callan Park. Steedman is ‘hands on’ in that she runs a unit that deals with people with mental problems every day.

Prof. Alan Rosen a Sydney based psychiatrist working in areas basically funded by the state. His attitude reflect the 1970 and 1980’s arguments against institutionalised mental health care.  A paper he distributed praised the mental health care in Victoria and was incorrect to the extent that Prof. David Copolov (from Victoria) stated it to be ‘out of touch’. Rosen in his paper says “A coherent plan is needed to close all remaining stand-alone psychiatric hospital sites…..” and that would include Callan Park. Even Dr. Eli Rafalowicz ( an administrative psychiatrist from Adelaide) stated that hospital beds were necessary for mental health and new hospital beds were being planned and built in Adelaide.

Prof. Copolov in his talk quoted internationally accepted figures of 50 beds per 100,000 population as a basic guideline for mental health beds. NSW currently has only 33 beds per 100,000. Community care beds which Rosen states should fill the gap require funding and trained staff. Neither are available. Training of psychiatric nurses need hospital facilities - Callan Park could do that.

The workshop clearly showed the need for both hospital bed care and community care. The day finished with Prof. Rosen and Dr. Rafalowicz disagreeing with Prof. Copolov and Sue Steedman.  The attitude of the Leichhardt Council to work for the reintroduction of a mental health hospital at Callan Park is the correct path. One got the feeling that the Rosen community care group were still stuck in the emotive arguments of the 1970’s and really should ‘move on’.