Photos of the Old Bega Hospital 2017
This page has a set of photos of the Old Bega Hospital main building taken in October 2017 in part to document the state of the building at that time. Because the building interior is a demolition site, public access is limited to escorted visitors, and many people will only have seen what is visible through the security fence. The interior was cleaned up after the fire, and now presents a patina in part from the original finishes, in part from the fire, and in part from subsequent exposure to the elements. The loss of render from the walls in places has exposed the underlying brickwork, which tells its own tale of episodes of construction and reconstruction to meet changing needs.
Click on the small images to see a larger version (typically around 0.5 MB).
Steel electrical conduit was cut unceremoniously into the bricks and render
Fireplaces. The chimneys, bar one, survive
The verandah outside the men's ward, at the northwest corner of the building
Fencing excludes public access
The building has two main axes, north-south and east-west. This is the east-west axis looking west, from the women's ward through the centre of the building to the men's ward
The shorter, more minor, north-south axis looking north to what was the main entry. It lacks the arches of the east west axis, but has a fine prospect, now obscured by vegetation, across Bega to Biamanga, Mumbulla Mountain. The southern end of the axis was the service entry, going out to the laundry, operating theatre, morgue and kitchen
Detail of the corners of the intersection of the N-S and E-W axes: the corner brickwork was protected by timber, almost totally burnt out in the fire. There were cornices at picture rail level
Ceilings were generally 4.5m above the floor. High level small windows provided light and ventilation
Remains of tiles above a basin, and a built in bookshelf in the matron's office
The matron's office had a large, north facing bow window, and an ornate tiled floor
Door to the matron's office from the men's ward verandah, decorated to reflect its later use for family day care
A good deal of the render has peeled off after the fire. What remains has rather wonderful patinas from fire and weather. Which raises the question of whether it should be retained as is, like walls of a Greek or Roman ruin, or restored. What looks wonderful in the full light of day may be less wonderful under a roof, or might be great raw material for a lighting expert
Spiders have a fine life in sheltered corners
Weather has taken its toll on softwood flooring. The verandahs and part of a corridor have hardwood flooring, which has fared much better. Skirting boards are rather larger than their modern equivalents. The green paint is from the 1988 restoration, or perhaps later
Parts of the less fire damaged eastern end of the building
Some upper level windows had transfer patterns on the inside. Most glass in the building is damaged
Toilets are utilitarian
Evidence of the 1988 restoration: heritage colours. Loss of the roof has allowed a couple of arches to spread, requiring props for the time being
The ground under the floors was coated with bitumen, probably to help manage damp. In most areas exposure to the elements has now allowed vegetation to grow through it
Lights, telephones and plumbing reflect varying generations of services
The roof structures make stark contrasts with the blue sky
Some vegetation has grown to the point that it threatens the brickwork and will have to be removed
Window between the women's ward and its adjacent verandah
Patterns of fire and weather on internal and external surfaces. One architect suggested a glass roof to highlight the vibrancy and changing patterns of light and colour
Arches form stark curves against the sky. Bricklayers' art is displayed beneath the render
Render has detached in random patterns. It would be great to keep them: stabilising the loose sheets presents a technical challenge
Brooding blackbird and streaking fairy wren enjoying quiet spaces away from public gaze
The original architects made good use of tall narrow windows and openings. Bricks maintain a precarious hold
The east-west axis looking east, from the men's ward to the women's ward
Safety directions didn't save the building
There is more than one generation of door openings
In some cases, new doors have been hammered through the brick, and older doors are regognisable only by arches in the brickwork exposed when the render has flaked off
Chimneys are a feature of the building's skyline. All but one have survived, and the one that is missing is thought to have gone long before the 2004 fire
The arches theme extended to the verandahs, where cast iron inserts filled corners between posts and beams. See photo Two women with boy for the original look
There are several generations of bricks in the building. Sections through the oldest show how they were made
Fire got into the roof at the western end of the building, but was extinguished before the roof collapsed. Electrical wiring has been cut short
Upper level windows provided light and ventilation. They were operated by long handled winders
Generations of brickwork. Slate is used as a damp proof course in older brickwork. Joins between generations are often less than subtle. A section of hardwood flooring has survived both the fire and the weather
Generations of doorways. Lintels include brick arches, timber beams and steel sections
Toilet roll holder installed as part of the 2017 toilets project.
Historic photos: