Mental Health Photograph Collection

The Mental Health Photograph Collection previously available at Royal Park Psychiatric Hospital Library contains around 3,000 items. These date from the mid 1800s to 2002, with most pictures taken in the 1960s.

Access Conditions

Access to the materials is for non-commercial use only. Library users may not use or have access to the photographs unless the library user satisfies certain conditions contained within the Request Form (including, if relevant, signing a copyright licence).

Records

The images depict special events with key political or mental health figures, or feature promotional shots of everyday life in Victorian mental health institutions. Patients, staff, furnishings, equipment, activities and buildings are shown.

Some of the institutions represented in the photograph collection include:

• Aradale Hospital
• Ararat Hospital for the Insane
• Ballarat Mental Hospital
• Beechworth Mental Hospital/Asylum
• Box Hill Occupation Clinic
• Carlton Lunatic Asylum
• Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital
• Heatherton Sanatorium
• Hobson Park Hospital
• Janefield Colony
• Karlyn
• Kinkora Hostel
• Kew Asylum / Kew Cottages
• Lara Sanatorium for Inebriates
• Larundel Mental Hospital
• Marillac House
• Mont Park
• Montdoora Mental Colony
• Moorakyne Hostel
• Oakleigh Special School
• Pleasant Creek
• Royal Park Psychiatric Hospital
• Sunbury Asylum/Mental Hospital/Training Centre
• Traralgon Mental Hospital
• Travancore Clinic/Special School
• Trelowarren Rehabilitation Base
• Willsmere Hospital
• Yarra Bend Lunatic Asylum

Formats range from negatives, glass and photographic slides, to colour or black and white prints. There are also a small number of site plans and sketches. Sizes vary from 3 cm. to poster.

The online database does not contain actual images, only descriptions of the items available in the collection. The collection is in the process of being digitised.