One hundred years ago the Mont Park hospital site sometimes enjoyed entertainment and lighter moments for the staff and patients.
Two papers reported the annual Christmas party for Mont Park residents in 1929:
- Table Talk (Melbourne, Victoria 1885- 1939) Thursday 3rd January 1929 Page 54
03 Jan 1929 – GALA DAY AT MONT PARK SANATORIUM – Trove (nla.gov.au) - Advertiser (Hurstbridge, Victoria 1922-1939) Friday 18th January 1929 Page 2
18 Jan 1929 – GALA DAY AT MONT PARK SANATORIUM – Trove (nla.gov.au)
Several community groups remembered to help brighten up Christmas for the Mont Park Hospital area residents each year.
Merry Christmas to all, and best wishes for 2022 – from the Mont Park to Springthorpe Heritage Group.
Gala Sports Day – at the Mont Park Hospital Site, one hundred years ago.
Mont Park Hospital held regular Gala Sports Days to entertain the staff, the patients and their families. Besides the usual athletics events, which were hotly contested by the medical staff, there was a range of novelty events, popular always at community picnics at this time.
Events included:
Handicap sprints – for Staff/Officers/Patients
‘Sticky bun competitions’ which raised much laughter. These involved eating buns suspended from a string – resulting in treacle covered faces.
Threading the needle – a game for both adults and children.
The ‘Ladies Nail-driving competition’ – a hammering race for nurses, masseurs and VADs (WW1 Voluntary Aid Detachments – health care assistants).
In 1919 an exhibition of horsemanship was presented by local women and troopers, and this was warmly applauded. Often the day finished with prize giving at a Concert or a Dance, sometimes with a fancy dress theme.
Photos appeared in the Melbourne Press showing one of these cheerful occasions at Mont Park in 1919, see 29 Nov 1919 – ATHLETIC SPORTS AT MONT PARK MILITARY HOSPITAL – Trove (nla.gov.au)
The tradition of family parties for clients and staff continued into the 1990s, with many older Banyule and Darebin residents now still remembering these from their childhood.
