IT’S 30 years since the Royal Canberra Hospital closed its doors and every year since a reunion lunch has been held to reminisce about life on Acton Peninsula.

But the catch-up luncheon this year is to be the final one, say organisers Jon Darvill, Claire Bell and Wanda Lawler, who are encouraging former staff to come along, one last time

“They were certainly amazing days. I still consider nursing as the best career I’ve ever had and it’s something that is with you for life, especially the amazing friendships that have been continued,” says Claire.

The hospital was opened in May 1914 as the first hospital in Canberra and  between 1940 and 1947 it was used to treat wounded soldiers and Army personnel.

In later years it dealt with the polio epidemic and between 1959 and 1989 the hospital received high praise as a nursing, teaching and community institution. It was controversially closed on November 27, 1991, to make way for the National Museum of Australia.

An estimated 100,000 people lined the banks of Lake Burley Griffin on July 13, 1997, to watch the implosion of the hospital’s main block. However, the day turned to tragedy when the building exploded, with flying debris killing 12-year-old Katie Bender and injuring nine others. 

Former nurse Wanda Lawler remembers when nursing in Canberra moved from apprenticeships and living in the nurses’ home to being a university course. She was in favour of it, but believes the camaraderie was lost.

“We formed very close friendships during that time because we lived together and we ate and drank coffee together and we debriefed together about things that were quite disturbing. It was a much more intimate environment, we were like a family through the bonds that we forged and we’ve all kept in touch,” she says.

The annual lunch organising committee has never limited who should be invited, but found that usually it’s nurses that make up the majority of attendees, with the occasional doctor or technician.

“There used to be a low number of people coming, it used to be 50 and now it’s gone up. In 2019, we had 125 people come and this one we’ve booked for 150 people and spaces are filling quickly,” says Claire.

“It’s just getting a little bit difficult, we’re all getting on a bit now, it’s just getting too hard and we’ve decided it might be an appropriate time to call a halt to it,” says Wanda.

The reunion had to be postponed earlier in the year, but in an unexpected and “absolutely perfect” coincidence, the Woden Southern Cross Club’s next available day for functions was November 27, which is the exact date that the hospital doors closed for the last time in 1991.

“It was a lovely way to start professional life. We’ve all gone on and done other things and we haven’t all just been stuck in the old rut. It was a happy time and I think everything has got to move on, I think it’s time for us to move on as well,” says Wanda.

Claire feels a bit sad about it this time, and is sure many others feel the same, but it was a decision that had to be made.

“A lot of it is just word of mouth. We have a database that we’ve put together but people change their names, get married, change their address or email account so it’s hard,” says Claire.

“A lot of the older people aren’t computer literate and they find it very difficult, some of them can’t get around as well,” says Wanda.

Claire also wants to acknowledge the huge role nurses are playing right now, the care and support they are giving and the stress they have had with covid.

“I think the community really appreciates and values nurses,” she said. And Wanda agrees, with that sentiment saying: “I think we’re very privileged in the experiences we’ve had.”

Reunion details at rchreunion.squarespace.com