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History

The site of the current Princess Alexandra Hospital has a rich history of health care spanning over one hundred years.  The hospital now has an on-site museum, open to the public, which collects and documents key artefacts relating to the history of the hospital.

A brief history of PAH

  • 1883—Diamantina Orphanage
  • 1893-97—Residence for quieter patients from Goodna Asylum
  • 1898—Reformatory for boys
  • 1901—Diamantina Hospital for Chronic Disease established
  • 1909—Dispenser's House built
  • 1909—Two wards for epileptics opened
  • 1910—One ward for one open-air tent for consumptives opened (known as huts and tents and later as pavilions)
  • 1917—One ward for male cancer patients opened; capacity now 164 beds
  • 1920—Electricity connected 
  • 1942—The hospital prepared as a mjor World War II casualty hospital 
  • 1943—South Brisbane Auxiliary Hospital 
  • 1947-48—Two brick blocks, S7 and S8, completed 
  • 1952—Foundations laid for the new acute hospital 
  • 1956—The new South Brisbane Hospital opened on August 26 
  • 1959—The hospital becomes independent from the Brisbane Hospital (later Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital) 
  • 1960—The hospital is officially re-named to Princess Alexandra Hospital following her visit in May 
  • 2001—Official opening of the new main hospital building
  • 2001—Centenary of health care on the site 
  • 2006—Golden jubilee of the Princess Alexandra Hospital's opening in 1956.

A brief history of PAH in images

History of PA Hospital in images

Oral histories

Histories of Our Hospital was an oral history project undertaken by Sue Pechey on behalf of the History and Archives Committee of the Princess Alexandra Hospital. Transcripts of all interviewees involved with the project are below:

Last updated 17 May 2015
Last reviewed 17 May 2015