Toggle search box search Open main navigation menu Menu Close menu

Library

The 123rd Australian Special Hospital

123 HospitalThis hospital was located on the corner of Maryvale and Addison Roads, Athelstone in what is now known as Wadmore Park.  Although it operated from 1942 until 1946, little is known about the hospital.  Its primary purpose seems to have been to treat soldiers returning from overseas with contagious venereal diseases.1

Friends and relatives were only allowed to visit on Sundays and the patients had their own Anzac Day services rather than join the public marches in Adelaide.2 It was a temporary hospital made up of nearly 20 prefabricated huts and nearly 100 tent sites.  The hospital did have its own colour patch which would have been worn by the staff.

A garden was started and with patients and staff assisting it was well established by 1943.  It became quite substantial, including a rockery, fish ponds and an avenue of 45 Chinese elm trees leading off Addison Road.3

Even though the Second World War had ended in 1945, the hospital was still operating in 1946 when it had a Vice-Regal visit from the Governor, Sir Willoughby Norrie.  By year’s end though, it had closed.4

123rd Australian Special Hospital Original StoneworkIn 1947 the entire camp was sold off at public auction and the site abandoned.  Newspaper reports indicate that the auction was attended by over 1000 people with spirited bidding and reserve prices being quickly reached.  The Zinc Corporation at Broken Hill was a principal purchaser.5

In 1947 several articles from a former staff member were published in the Advertiser.6

Although the Chinese elms have long gone, the Campbelltown City Council has worked with the Campbelltown Landcare group and the Campbelltown Historical Society to develop an Avenue of Honour using Indigenous tree species along the original access road from Addison Avenue to the hospital site.

This information has been taken from an article by Max Slee and other articles held in the Local History Room at the Campbelltown City Council Library. The article has been researched and compiled by Geoff Burton, a volunteer with the Campbelltown Library “Digital Diggers” group.

If you have any comments or questions regarding the information in this local history article, please contact the Local History officer on 8366 9357 or hthiselton@campbelltown.sa.gov.au

References

  1. From a Campbelltown City Council pamphlet held in the Local History Room.
  2. 1944 '[No heading].', News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954), 25 April, p. 3, viewed 24 June, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page11040361
  3. 1947 '[No heading].', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 1 February, p. 7, viewed 24 June, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page2664823
  4. 1946 'GOVERNOR VISITS ARMY HOSPITAL.', News(Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954), 16 April, p. 3, viewed 24 June, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129986788
  5. 1947 '[No heading].', The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954), 5 April, p. 12, viewed 24 June, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page46450241947 '[No heading].', The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954), 12 April, p. 8, viewed 24 June, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4645049
  6. 1947 '[No heading].', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 1 February, p. 7, viewed 24 June, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page26648231947 '[No heading].', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), 7 June, p. 10, viewed 24 June, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page2663055