Our History
History of Yea & District Memorial Hospital
In 1928 the Fernley Private Hospital opened in Mary Street, Yea. In 1939 the name of the Hospital was changed to the Yea Bush Nursing Hospital. The Hospital and Charities Commission assumed responsibility for the hospital in 1948 and took the current name of Yea & District Memorial Hospital.
A Public Appeal was commenced in the same year to fund the construction of a new ten bed hospital building. Building work commenced in 1956 and the new acute beds were first occupied in 1958. In 1972 funding for an additional three acute bed wing was provided by the Apex Club of Yea.
Funds provided by the Yea community and the State Government enabled further development in 1990/91 when the Accident & Emergency area was rebuilt and again from 2001 – 2003 when the acute section of the hospital was renovated and a significant landscape project was undertaken for the entire site.
During the 2001 – 2003 capital works program of the hospital, Rosebank Nursing Home and Hostel were rebuilt as connecting wings to the Yea & District Memorial Hospital. On 1 July 2004 the Yea & District Memorial Hospital and Rosebank Extended Care Centre were amalgamated.
In July 2004, at the direction of The Department of Human Services, Murrindindi Community Health Service was dissolved and Yea & District Memorial Hospital assumed responsibility for the provision of community health services in the western side of Murrindindi Shire while Alexandra District Hospital took over service provision in the eastern side of the Shire.
In 2003/04 the original hostel building was renovated to accommodate Community Health, Yea Medical Centre and a range of Allied Health services. The refurbished building was renamed “The Grace Bennetts Centre” in recognition of the contribution made by Mrs Grace Bennetts to the development of residential aged care facilities in Yea.
History of Rosebank Hostel and Nursing Home
Planning for Rosebank Hostel commenced in 1973 when property in Miller Street was purchased and approval obtained to build the Hostel. Rosebank Hostel was first occupied by residents in 1979.
In 1985 the ten-bed Rosebank Nursing Home was completed and the first residents accepted. The Hostel and Nursing Home were managed by a Committee of Management separate to the Hospital Board of Management until they amalgamated in July 2004.
During 2001 – 2003 the Nursing Home and Hostel were rebuilt utilising funding provided by the organisation and the State Government.
