

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.
We may never know some stories, but this site uncovers history, revealing the layers of understanding that underpin the present.
It is done in a way that honours the patients, clients, and the people.


Wolston Park Golf Club
The Wolston Park Golf Club was originally the Hospital Sports Club, which combined golf, cricket, bowls, and tennis.
The Wolston Park Golf Club was formed in 1961 by Dr Clive Boyce, then Medical Superintendent, and the late W. K. Hynd, a Head Male Nurse. W. K. Hynd and the late Norm Campbell, Male Nurse, designed the first 9 holes; Bob Howard served as Treasurer. When first formed, the nine-hole golf course was used only by hospital staff and patients. The club was affiliated with the B.D.G.A. in 1970 and opened to non-hospital staff. The 120 members, made up of staff and patients, used the facilities of the Gailes Golf Clubhouse, although there was no other affiliation with that club. Wolston Park Golf Course was also built by patients and staff of the said Hospital, again being a therapeutic activity. It was then called the Golf Sports Club for the recreation of staff, patients and relatives. In August 1971, an annual inter-hospital competition between three hospitals, namely Wolston Park, Challinor Centre, Ipswich and Bailie Henderson, Toowoomba, competed for the Dr Noble Cup and the Dr Ellerton Shield by the staff and patients (patients who played the game of golf were automatically made Honorary Members, whilst a patient of Wolston Park Hospital). The Dr Noble Cup was presented to the best single event; the Dr Ellerton Shield was for the best six players from a Hospital. Lauric Howard, then of Challinor Centre, won the Dr Noble Cup with 35 points. The winning team for Wolston Park Hospital for the Shield was Doug Henshall, Kevin Halls, Dr Raoul Daniels, Dr John Waller, Terry Hughes and Jack Paddock, with 122 points. In 1971, the Club was also registered with the Brisbane District Golf Association, and membership opened to non-staff members. The present officials of the Club are: Dr Orme Orford (President), John Jenkins (Captain), Ray Whyte (Treasurer), and Doug Henshall (Secretary). The first Club Champions and Mixed Foursome Champions were: Laurie Howard (handicap - 3) for members and Mrs Patsy Daniels (wife of Dr Daniels, a medical staff member) (handicap - 2), for the associates. A few discharged patients returned each day to work on the course and received a nominal wage, which speaks for itself as a proven therapeutic area over the years. The Clubhouse sat behind the Canteen and was built with funds accumulated by the Club. The old clubhouse had a colourful history: it was first a canteen at the Redbank Army Camp during World War 2, then moved to Wolston Park Hospital and was used as a hairdressing salon. The late Dr Clive Boyce (past Medical Superintendent of Wolston Park Hospital, then called Brisbane Mental Hospital) won the Ellerton Cup in 1950, and his son, Pat Boyce, handed it back to the club in October 1982 for all to view.
Wolston Park Golf Club History Update
The first European to walk Gailes Golf Course was John Oxley.
In 1823, Oxley discovered the Brisbane River.
Oxley walked to Dingo Hill, which now accommodates the main building of Wolston Park Hospital.
Gailes Golf Course had one founder — Dr H. Byan Ellerton, an Englishman of rare quality.
Dr Ellerton took up an appointment at Wolston Park Hospital, the then Brisbane Mental Asylum, in 1909. A cricket fanatic, he soon had first-class cricket facilities at the Hospital and a wicket prepared by no other than Jack Farquhar, the future famed Gabba Curator.
When Dr Ellerton turned to golf, he found the travel to the Brisbane Golf Club so irksome that he decided to build his own course. And so Goodna Golf Club (later Gailes) was born on Monday evening, February 4th, 1924.
In the era of the horse and buggy, most members travelled by train to play golf. Unfortunately, trains rarely stopped at Dingo Hill Station, as it was then called. So the club secretary approached the Railway Department and secured a commitment to stop certain trains from May 1st, 1924, so members could pursue their sport.
The station changed its name to Gailes on September 10th, 1925, and the golf club followed suit in March 1935. The Ellerton Cup was established in 1929 to celebrate the opening of the second 9 holes and to permanently acknowledge Byan Ellerton as the club founder.
The Wolston Park Golf Club was originally the Hospital Sports Club, combining golf, cricket, bowls and tennis.
The Wolston Park Golf Club was formed in 1961 by Dr Clive Boyce, then Medical Superintendent, and the late W. K. Hynd, a Head Male Nurse. W. K. Hynd and the late Norm Campbell, Male Nurse, designed the first 9 holes; Bob Howard served as Treasurer.
When first formed, the nine-hole golf course was used only by hospital staff and patients. The club was affiliated with the B.D.G.A. in 1970 and opened to non-hospital staff.
The 120 members, made up of staff and patients, used the facilities of the Gailes Golf Clubhouse, although there was no other affiliation with that club.
Wolston Park Golf Course was also built by patients and staff of the said Hospital, again being a therapeutic activity. It was then called the Golf Sports Club for the recreation of staff, patients and relatives.
In August 1971, an annual inter-hospital competition between three hospitals, namely Wolston Park, Challinor Centre, Ipswich and Baillie Henderson, Toowoomba, competed for the Dr Noble Cup and the Dr Ellerton Shield (the staff and patients who played the game of golf were automatically made Honorary Members, whilst a patient of Wolston Park Hospital).
The Dr Noble Cup was presented to the best single event; the Dr Ellerton Shield was for the best six players from a Hospital.
Laurie Howard, then of Challinor Centre, won the Dr Noble Cup with 35 points. The winning team for Wolston Park Hospital for the Shield was Doug Henshall, Kevin Halls, Dr Raoul Daniels, Dr John Waller, Terry Hughes and Jack Paddock, with 122 points.
Also in 1971, the Club registered with the Brisbane District Golf Association, and membership opened to non-staff members. The present officials of the Club are: Dr Orme Orford (President), John Jenkins (Captain), Ray Whyte (Treasurer), and Doug Henshall (Secretary).
The first Club Champions and Mixed Foursome Champions were: Laurie Howard (handicap - 3) for members and Mrs Patsy Daniels (wife of Dr Daniels, a medical staff member) (handicap - 2) for the associates.
A few discharged patients returned each day to work on the course and received a nominal wage, which speaks for itself as a proven therapeutic area over the years.
The Clubhouse sat behind the Canteen and was built with funds accumulated by the Club. The old clubhouse had a colourful history: it was first a canteen at the Redbank Army Camp during World War 2, then moved to Wolston Park Hospital and was used as a hairdressing salon.
The late Dr Clive Boyce (past Medical Superintendent of Wolston Park Hospital, then called Brisbane Mental Hospital) won the Ellerton Cup in 1950, and his son, Pat Boyce, handed it back to the club in October 1982 for all to view.
The staff and patients of Wolston Park Hospital built Gailes Golf Course, which was a rewarding activity. Currently, only one ex-patient is employed at Gailes Golf Course. A private enterprise now runs the club.





















