Former Bangalow District War Memorial Hospital

The former Bangalow District War Memorial Hospital opened on 11 April 1953. On the outside it featured this gateway and a new brick fence. The gateway consists of two brick pillars, joined at the top by a decorative iron panel. The panel incorporates the words 'War Memorial Hospital'. A single iron gate spans the pillars, which includes the word 'Bangalow'. Attached to the back of the pillars are two plaques that record the official opening of a building at the hospital on 12 December 1961, as well as the establishment of the complex as a Health Service Centre in 1986. On the interior of the hospital was a timber board featuring a dedication to service and providing details of the original opening. 

The gates and board are now located at the Bangalow Heritage House Museum.

History of the hospital

The Byron Private Hospital was built in 1908 and was located in Granuallie Road, Bangalow. It was due to be closed around 1952, until the residents of the Bangalow district formed the Bangalow Hospital Retention Committee. The committee planned to make the hospital a public facility and numerous fund raising activities were held throughout the district to support the project. 

In mid-1952, the Bangalow War Memorial Committee used some of its funds to purchase the hospital, for it to become the Bangalow War Memorial Hospital. It was to be handed over to the retention committee, with the remaining funds going towards renovations, which eventually included the gate and fence (Northern Star, 18 August 1952).

The hospital was opened on 11 April 1953 by the Governor of NSW, Sir John Northcott. The event was announced in the Northern Star on 2 April and the article included a detailed history of the committees' work. 

Bangalow War Memorial Hospital was added to the Public Hospitals Act, 1929–1943 on 7 January 1959, under the corporate name of The Bangalow District (War Memorial) Hospital (NSW Government Gazette, 23 January 1959).