Historic hospital roses find new homes

As the doors closed on Footscray Hospital and the site is prepared for redevelopment, staff and the community have found small ways to ensure parts of the historic grounds live on. 

From the hospital’s gardens, six roses were carefully salvaged and gifted to significant community members and locations. These were not just any roses, originally, they were donated by Footscray Rotary and planted on the grounds of the hospital. 

Each rose was accompanied by a plaque bearing these words: 

‘This rose is one of six roses kindly donated by Footscray Rotary and planted on the grounds of the original hospital. Planted, nurtured and cherished by staff and community. May the legacy live on.’

The rose preservation project was undertaken by the Western Health Foundation (WHF), honouring the hospital’s legacy and recognising individuals whose service, leadership and community contribution are closely connected to both the hospital and the broader Footscray community. 

Rose recipients were: 

• Graeme Thompson, a long time rotary member and former Western Health surgeon,
• Darcy Brennan and Debbie Galbraith, a long-standing Rotary Footscray member who helped establish a trust benefiting the Footscray community and beyond,
• Dr Robert (Bob) and Cath Newman, the former Head of Clinical Cardiology at Western Health and Honorary Senior Lecturer in the Department of Medicine at the University of Melbourne, and
• Val Skinner, whose grandfather helped provide the land for the original Hospital Movement. 

The relocations places were: 

• The babies garden at Sunshine Hospital, symbolising the continuation of care, compassion and renewal within Western Health, and
• Venerable from Quang Minh Temple, in recognition of the spiritual support and community connection provided to patients, families and staff. 

Val Skinner attended the new Footscray Hospital open day earlier in February and shared the story of her grandfather, who helped provide the land for the original Hospital Movement. She brought with her a copy of the original deed/land transfer. 

The Hospital Movement raised £2,000 in community donations to purchase the Eleanor Street site, a five-and-a-half-acre plot on the highest part of Footscray, and organised a building fund.  

Val said the rose would take pride of place in her garden, a special reminder of many memories of Footscray Hospital.