For nearly 28 years, I have lived across from Woogaroo Creek, near the site of the original Asylum. My interest in history dates back to my senior primary school days at Camp Hill, and it continued at Redbank Plains & Bundamba high schools, where I took an interest in politics and local history/geography. I have always enjoyed learning about history, collecting and purchasing historical items, and donating them to museum collections. As a young kid in the late 90s the stories of Wolston Park were the stuff of legends with old women's always known being the haunted house, I remember North Dam being fully fenced and jumping over the fence to retrieve golf balls and then cleaning them and sell for a $1 and going to buy soft drinks from the Royal Mail Hotel, The staff sitting outside McDonnell house having a cigarette, The patients help cleaning the Wolston Park Golf Club outdoor dining area when it was located up in the complex, to exploring the empty chapels. 

After so many years of forgetting about this complex 2019 was very difficult for me and always needed a quiet place to reflect and follow on over the years seeing the buildings and the odd, fascinating piece of history myself and Nathan began the Facebook group "There Was Once an Asylum" when we started the search was on to find everything related to the complex historically wise.

The years of studying this complex and its surroundings have been a fascinating journey of learning, but in the later years, learning about the patients of the complex has been the most personally difficult.

I want to thank those who support the group and, at times, have even stepped up to protect it, as they know it has a significant history not only for Queensland but also on a human level.

With the recent review called by the Queensland Government, I hope this will be the final review regarding this complex, which has been scrutinised since its first inquiry in 1867.

 

I was recently asked what I would like to see. I have a few projects in mind:

• A Memorial Garden located between the original and current site 

• FREE History walking tours on the original site, and showcasing the older buildings on the current site from a safe, legal distance.

• Each Cemetery Site is to have a form of identification and honour, as remains may still be present.

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Apart from studying this site in my spare time, I am doing a fair bit out of Goodna. I am the founder of the emergency radio communications group SEQUEST South East Queensland UHF Emergency Service Team.

In 2016, Shane was awarded the City of Ipswich Medallion in recognition of my valuable contributions to the Ipswich community.   In 2019, Shanereceived the Queensland Emergency Service Volunteer Pin from the Queensland Government and assisted with its design on the Emergency Volunteer Advisory Forum.  Certificate of Appreciation for 5 years of loyal and valued service to the community through Marine Rescue Brisbane as a radio and rescue crew member. Former QLD/NT  Division committee member and member of the Australasian Institute of Emergency Services (AIES) and Australian Radio Communications Industry Association (ARCIA), and currently serving on the Eastern Suburbs Rugby League Past Players and Officials Association as assistant secretary.

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