There Was Once an Asylum
This site not only provides an overview of mental health history and its implications for Goodna, but also explores the complex relationship between memory and history.
There are stories we may never know, but this site uncovers the history, revealing the layers of understanding that underpin the present.
It is done in a way that honours the patients, clients, and the people.
Research Guide to Finding Asylum Information
Before separation from New South Wales in 1859, there were no facilities for psychiatric treatment in the Moreton Bay region. Persons with mental health issues, or mentally disturbed persons, were sent to Brisbane Gaol or possibly to an asylum in Sydney. Many of the mental asylum records at Queensland State Archives were created by the Public Trustee (formerly the Public Curator) and Queensland Health (and related agencies). Some records are subject to restricted access periods. Further access information is provided below. The records can be found in ArchivesSearch (the Queensland State Archives’ catalogue).
For those who have had family members pass away at the Goodna Asylum and been buried at one of the three asylum cemeteries that operated in the following years.
Cemetery Site 1 (1865 - 1894)
Cemetery Site 2 (1895 - 1912)
Cemetery Site 3 (c1913-1945)
Learn more here on our cemetery site page
Records from the Public Trustee History
The name of the Public Curator of Queensland changed to The Public Trustee of Queensland on 1 January 1979. It is responsible for the administration of deceased estates and trusts as well as other legal, financial and property services. Access to Public Trustee records, which are subject to a 75-year restricted access period, is granted at the discretion of the Public Trustee. Queensland State Archives has a process for applying for access to these records. Please get in touch with Queensland State Archives for details.
Protective Management Files Circa1/1/1865–31/12/1995 Series ID S334 Access: 75 years
This series consists of mental health patients' estate files for the Queensland institutions, including Goodna/Wolston Park (formerly Woogaroo), Sandy Gallop (Ipswich), and Willowburn (Toowoomba). Originally titled ‘insanity files’, the files may include forms, correspondence, personal details, date/s of admission and discharge, or dates of death, inter-departmental correspondence about financial, court and police matters, financial accounts such as statements of assets and liabilities, and property details. Search ArchivesSearch for the name of the patient; most protective management files are listed by the name of the patient. Not all protective management files were transferred to Queensland State Archives. If the name is not found in ArchivesSearch, you can search the open indexes to Protective Management files, Series ID S19469; you will need to apply for access permission to view closed indexes.
Indexes to Protective Management Files 10/1/1865–2/6/1982 Series ID S19469 Access: 75 years.
This series contains alphabetical and numerical indexes to Protective Management Files, where the Public Trustee and previously the Public Curator and the Curator in Intestacy and Insanity managed the financial affairs of a person (adult or minor) with decision-making disability. Details recorded include name, date of admission, year and file number, including any changes to a file number. Indexes were previously known as Insanity Registers, Indexes to Mental Hygiene Files and Indexes to Mental Health Files.
Note that the indexes may contain language that is now considered offensive and may cause distress.
Other Public Trustee records
Records from Queensland Health
Woogaroo Lunatic Asylum opened in 1865 with 69 patients. The hospital name changes included Woogaroo Asylum, Hospital for the Insane Goodna, Goodna Mental Hospital, Wolston Park Hospital, and Park Centre for Mental Health Treatment, Research and Education.
Case Books 5/11/1860–25/1/1951 Series ID S9051 Access: 100 years. To find case books, search the index to case books, Series ID S18202
Index to Case Books – Male and Female Circa 1/1/1909–Circa 31/12/1941 Series ID S18202 Access: 100 years. This index is used to find case books for patients in Series ID S9051
Registers of Patients and Admission Books 23/3/1861–18/3/1994 Series ID S19140 Access: 100 years Registers record patients at Wolston Park/Ipswich Special Hospital / Challinor Centre Ipswich, including admission date, name, sex, marital status, occupation, residence, religion, diagnosis, and date of discharge. Ward Book 1/1/1923–31/12/1923 Series ID S9063 Access: 100 years This volume comprises reports by the Charge Nurse on the first, second and night shifts in Female Ward 7 for the period 1 Jan 1923–31 Dec 1923.
Access to Queensland Health records, Wolston Park - Goodna (Park Centre for Mental Health Treatment, Research and Education) records are subject to a 100-year restricted access period. Queensland Health requires all applications for access to restricted records to be under the Right to Information (RTI) legislation. Access is granted at the discretion of Queensland Health. You can apply online, or download the application form and send it to is available from the Queensland Health.
Privacy and Right to Information Unit Queensland Health GPO Box 48 BRISBANE QLD 4001 Ph: (07) 3234 1735 Email: RTI-Privacy@health.qld.gov.au An application fee is applicable. The summary of fees is at http://www.rti.qld.gov.au/fees-andcharges
Other mental asylum records
Insolvency, Intestacy and Insanity Office, Brisbane,
Insanity Register of Patients 8/7/1899–13/8/1904 Series ID S7637 Access: Open This register records the following: date of admission, name of patient, age on admission, names and addresses of relatives, property, date of discharge and death, and remarks.
Supreme Court, Southern District, Brisbane
Insanity Files Circa 1/1/1885–Circa 31/12/1901 Series ID S15553 Access: Open Files may include a report from the Curator about the status of the patient, the estate, and judgment.
Reception House for the Insane, Townsville
Admission Register and Statistics Circa 1/1/1886–Circa 31/12/1891 Series ID S10349 Access: Open The register may include name, date of admission, age, social condition, number of children, occupation, nativity, residence, religion, mental disorder, and date of discharge.
Court of Petty Sessions, Barcaldine
Accounts of Estates in Intestacy and Insanity 6/4/1887–29/12/1911 Series ID S8795 Access: Open This is a ledger of accounts in intestacy and insanity. Details of the deceased person's property, proceeds from auction sales and disposal of the estate are recorded.
Other information: helpful sites
Archives Search Asylum Mental Patients
Ward Book 1922/23 Part 1 of 3
Ward Book 1922/23 Part 2 of 3
Ward Book 1922/23 Part 3 of 3
State Archives general notes from the year 1879
Misc Files | Goodna Asylum
Trove Research
Find a Grave
Best resource ever, Ancestry.com