Ruins of Willow Court Lunatic Asylum Tasmania

Built in 1827 Willow Court in New Norfolk predates the more famous Port Arthur Penitentiary. Since closing in 2000 much of the site has been demolished or fallen into ruin.
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There is much more to be known about Willow Court. Valuable information can be found here.
www.willowcourttasmania.org/
Also see Willow Court History Facebook page.
/ willowcourttasmania
Although exceptionally hard to track down I can recommend the book Troubled Asylum by RW Gowlland published in 1981.
Willow Court can be visited by anyone and it is free. Far more to be seen in person that what I have attempted to cover here.

[@angusthornett]

Everyone should visit Willow Court. It's interesting and free.

[@ellenwitte4679]

It's so intriguing! It still has such a presence in New Norfolk.

[@SteveMack]

Don't know how I missed this one at the time, but was roaming through your videos last night, and found this gem! - Very sombre reminders of how society USED TO do things! - I used to work next door to a former 'mental facility'; I worked in that field also, but this classicly built area, certainly brought home the stark changes of days gone by...

[@JimmerofOz]

I have several times, I'm 47 now but remember walking past the place still functioning in the mid 90s at night.. to say the atmosphere was unsettling is an understatement. Great video. probably check out a few of the places youve visited next time im up that way.

[@wizzkid051960]

I did a ghost tour there and also visited the morgue. Was a bit creepy but interesting. All part of our history, the good the bad and the ugly.

[@angusthornett]

Thanks for tuning in everyone. This video was particularly difficult to make for a variety reasons.

[@ausparanormal]

something we know all too well about! looking forward to watching. 😊

[@davidcarr2649]

Thanks for your dedication to quality content. I always appreciate your uploads.

[@angusthornett]

@@davidcarr2649 Thanks for watching, David.

[@angusthornett]

@@ausparanormal Thanks again, mate

[@CraigFenton181]

A great production as always Angus. Thanks so much for sharing a lot of things about Hobart and surrounds I didn’t know about.

[@AVMamfortas]

I had a hand in Willow Court's closure. The penultimate patients were not treated well. Dispersed mainly into remote places with little or no support. I fought for the last of them in a 'Committee' of the great and the good, driven by an unwilling Government 'servants' . I did manage to have a small, well supported village built with 24 hour medical and social support for the most vulnerable.

[@beautifulbuds]

Thank God for your effort. The Lord sees your heart and you tried your best. I salute you.

[@EpiicxFuziion]

One of the worst things to happen to the mentally ill and their families was the closure of the ONLY place (apart from the prison) for the severely mentally to go. My late husband is dead due to there being nowhere safe for him. He spent years on and off at Willow Court and it kept him and US safe.

[@AVMamfortas]

@@EpiicxFuziion You have my sympathy, m'dear.

[@galaxygamer3322]

my maternal grandmother was put in Willow Court for 'nerves' after the death of her husband :( she lasted until February 1979, my parents had on numerous occasions arranged for a doctor to see her, in her last days apparently she was so dehydrated & starved, my parents called for the dr again, on the day she died, they passed an ambulance on the way up to see her, only to be told on arrival that she was in the ambulance, she died 14th of February 1979

[@angusthornett]

That's horrible.

[@gonerustic]

Really interesting - I did an artist residency a few years ago at one of the Willow Court buildings, owned privately and being restored. I don’t know that mental illness treatment and care is yet what it could be though; people I know personally who suffer from this are still falling through the gaps because of our state’s broken health system … we have come a long way but there is still much to be done …

[@angusthornett]

Thank you. Health care in Tasmania is wanting. Despite everyone knowing this it remains unaddressed.

[@andrewjessop8816]

My mum worked there for a couple of decades. Her stories always scared me. A sad history. Thanks for telling it in your usual incredible way.

[@angusthornett]

Your Mum would know much more about the place than I do. That would have been very challenging work. People who work in the field do so under great pressures. This must have been especially true in the past.

[@Guvna947]

The state is spending the money on a stadium instead.

[@vk7hch]

I went on a tour about 15 years ago when I was studying aged care. We were shown the way things "used to be". We went through Ward C, the most secure unit there, the wire protected servery and dining area, we saw the "cells" that residents had as bedrooms. Doors 100mm thick, with deep gouges from finger nails on the inside, the exterior concrete wall with its inward curve at the top to stop residents "leaving". It left us glad that that model of care no longer existed. Unfortunately a lot of the staff took that mentality and model of care out into external sites where they worked.

[@angusthornett]

Very difficult situation. Aged care and care in general is an underfunded part of Australian life.

[@blackdogRexy]

It was a wild place having visited a relative there a few times in the 70s. I always remember a staff member telling me about the three second rule where a psych nurse would not be held accountable for striking a patient if they did it within three seconds of the patient striking them first.

[@angusthornett]

People who worked in the sector then did so under great pressures. The patients and everyone had a hard time.

[@sandrahealey6385]

Dear Angus, it's so sad the govt like us to think there is no money to preserve this history. Australia is rich, the govt push the narrative of lack, we neglect our seniors etc. Citizens don't enjoy the profits of exported iron ore and gas. Australia is rich, but many of us came here to serve the few. And we tend to believe there is no money until this day. Love your content, thank you 👍

[@angusthornett]

Thank you for watching and for sharing your views.

[@roadrocket1100]

My cousin was there in late 1960s and tragically passed away there. She was severely disabled. It was all very sad and hopeless at the time. Thank god we’ve moved on…

[@angusthornett]

Hear, hear.

[@roadrocket1100]

She was just 12 years old and the treatment she received was diabolical...

[@angusthornett]

@@roadrocket1100 I honestly cannot imagine.

[@allegrosotto2126]

Have we really?

[@rodcornelius9474]

Felt really sombre watching this one. I remember you could just drive through there in the early nineties. Also recall seeing a coroner's hearing in Hobart about a patient who meet a gruesome accidental death at Willow Court. It really was a case in those times of out of sight, out of mind. I'm glad we have moved on as a society. Many thanks to Dog and Angus - a tough subject presented in a professional, informative and most importantly, honest manner.

[@angusthornett]

Cheers, Ron. It's a complicated subject. One that I don't know enough about. The entire site is massive. And the period is centuries long.

[@fixxundfertig]

My pop has told stories of how staff members at the Royal Derwent Hospital would sell food meant for the patients. Truly horrible.

[@angusthornett]

Geez. I hadn't heard of such a thing.

[@johnbladesmusic7997]

Our history has many dark stories that need be told. Well done Angus.

[@angusthornett]

Thank you, John.

[@leandabee]

I started in the disability sector as willow court was closing, so I have worked with many people who came out at that time. So many awful stories💔, and you have told this story with respect. The way you narrate is superb, so dignified and measured. Drone work is great as is Dogs input. 👏👏👌

[@angusthornett]

High praise coming from someone far more connected to the site than I. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@leandabee]

@@angusthornett I'm never worked there, but in the group homes the people moved to when it closed down. A lot of people couldn't come to grips of freedom. Some people still hid their food or wore layers of clothes just on case they were taken away. I can't believe that it was only 23 years ago that things changed for the better 😳.

[@phillipebrall9930]

I am really glad you made this video nearly a year ago. It is excellent background for today’s conversations about Willow Court. This is an amazing value of your work. Thank you.

[@angusthornett]

Thanks, mate.

[@user-un8qs1pt2e]

Absolutely brilliant work Angus. I think this is your best. But I have to declare a bit of a bias because I ran 2 archaeological excavations at Frascati House in 2017 and 2018 and I know the place well. You captured its essence exactly. It’s a very dark and sad place but fascinating nonetheless. You should enter this into a competition.

[@angusthornett]

High praise. Thanks a lot. And thanks for the research that you did. Fortunately Frascati House is still there.

[@tabitha.studio]

Don’t know if you’ve read it for this, but The Royal Derwent Hospital; the First Ten Years 1968-1977 by Lyell Wilson is a really great, well researched and informative reference book for the later years of history at the site. 👍🏼

[@angusthornett]

I have not read that book. I've been told that it's good.

[@ianmynard431]

I decided to become a psychiatric nurse in the early 80s. I applied there as I was going serious with a lady from Hobart, however there was, I was told a policy of the time, they would only employ people from Tasmania... I was Victorian.. Well I think I dodged a bullet there... I went to have great career in psych nursing in Vic, SA, Qld..

[@angusthornett]

Curious.

[@jessicahalliday22]

Incredible research and storytelling here, Angus. I learn so much from every one of your videos. Keep up the brilliant work!

[@angusthornett]

Thanks for the support, Jess. Huge help.

[@phillipebrall9930]

Thank you for the effort you invested in this outstanding, heart-rending yet optimistic narrative. The most poignant scene is the piano on the verandah. It many respects this is the story of Tasmania, as you inferred, something better is always close but never quite happens. My great-great-grandfather was a ‘magistrate’ based at New Norfolk in the early 1820s. You have helped me better understand the hell in which he lived, worked, and raised a family.

[@angusthornett]

It must have been so difficult. I actually can't get my head around it.

[@jonrodman2128]

Well done once again. It is a sad place. My great great grandmother spent the last 20 years of her life at Willow Court.

[@angusthornett]

Very difficult situation.

[@denisesavage2382]

Yeah wow. It’s certainly a place I’ve heard stories about in relation to New Norfolk. I had reason to connect with folk living there who’d been staff in its day. They were very caring people. They talk about how the dynamic of New Norfolk as a town changed once the hospital was closed.

[@noelerbs388]

Angus, FYI I have marvelled at and enjoyed all your other productions. Given the topic of this one, it has taken a while to be in the right frame of mind to view it. It is a truly amazing piece of work, a real tribute to your talent, and commitment, for researching, assembling and scripting valuable presentations to go on the public record.

[@angusthornett]

Thank you Noel. It was a large production. Hopefully it finds a wider audience over time.

[@toddyboy73]

A man and his dog with an interesting and fascinating story to tell of the history of a place and people that once where. Thankyou

[@Rex_Stuph]

Most excellent production, mate. Really well told and produced.

[@angusthornett]

Thanks, BMT

[@jennifernorris7723]

Very interesting unbelievable that a place like this existed. The place needs to be preserved for history

[@PiousAugustus]

Awesome production mate, I really enjoyed this one. Well done.

[@angusthornett]

Thanks, dude.

[@selbycooper9240]

Great Doco. As someone who is presently working and doing up a part of one of the old royal derwent buildings it is great to hear so much about the history of the place. They are all extremely well built buildings and it is a shame that many are crumbling away.

[@angusthornett]

Glad you enjoyed it. There's so much going on up there.

[@TrekkerPaul]

Always an instant 'Click to watch' moment when I see a video from you. Keep it up you are a super storyteller and historian.

[@angusthornett]

Thanks, mate. Good to hear you liked it.

[@missmollydex7163]

Another fascinating video about forgotten history of our beautiful state. The research and time you must put into these mini documentaries is impressive, really enjoy seeing the old photos too. It's sad to think these buildings are falling into disrepair. Thank goodness you are making sure this part of Tasmanian history is recorded, sad as it was. Keep up the good work.

[@tonimason8737]

That was very well done. I visited New Norfolk some years ago and thought it was a tragedy to let these historic buildings just be left to ruin. You shone a light on the people and buildings and now it won't be forgotten.

[@angusthornett]

It's a difficult situation on all levels. Good to hear you enjoyed it.

[@user-nd6yn2co2p]

Thanks Angus, i appreciate your work.

[@angusthornett]

Thank you.

[@cloudstreet8214]

The amount of work you put into this is amazing, respect Angus.

[@angusthornett]

Thank you, yes, it's a lot of work. But it's interesting to me and I'm glad that people watch the videos I make.

[@julzdalton1746]

Another great video. I find this place sad, yet fascinating. I wish it wasn't in such decay. I had a relative who spent time at Lachlan Park as a teenager. Thank you for sharing this story with us all.

[@angusthornett]

Yes, it is those things. Thanks for watching.

[@janieoak9920]

I live over the road from Willow Court 😊

[@blackdogRexy]

I was hoping someone could help me. On Angus' episode where it shows the rusty old boat at Old Beach it brought back childhood memories from the 70's when we would go and look at the old hull which was borderline seaworthy compared to its current state. On those trips we would also go to visit this old uncompleted mansion that was near there. My memory tells me the guy who was building it was European and had run out of money and unable to complete it. I would ask my father who took us there but he died over 20 years ago. The video brought back strong memories and I cant seem to find anything on line that refers to it in any way. If someone has any information on the old mansion and its builder I would be appreciative as it fascinates me as much now as it did 50 years ago.

[@angusthornett]

I'm clueless on this.

[@cathykilleen2716]

Great work - thank you for posting

[@angusthornett]

Cheers, Cathy. Thanks for watching.

[@catherinelindsay.sculpts]

A fantastic coverage of one of the saddest of places. Your sensitive telling of this story will always be remembered. Those poor souls going there in a Tasmanian winter in an open boat… As an 11 year old in 1960s Norfolk I still remember the darkness that exuded from that place. Thank you for showing us all its story.

[@maryelizabeth8839]

Fascinating Angus thank you! Love Harry's stone alter ego.

[@angusthornett]

We all deserve a statue.

[@Kyzoh]

Such an interesting and insightful video. Watching a show lately randomly jogged my mind of when I lived near here for a few years. This is more than I thought I would find on the place and left me feeling something I can't really explain. Great video! Thank you for sharing.

[@angusthornett]

Glad you got something out of it. The place is unique.

[@hawthorngrove3629]

My English ancestors were some of the Convicts that were transported from Norfolk Island to New Norfolk. Many were married in the beautiful white church and later settled in Gretna and Back River. The Bush Inn was operated by one of their many descendants. On the other side of my family (the Daniah side), my grandfather and his sister were placed in The Royal Derwent, sometime in the early 1920's. I was never told any of the sad but surely fascinating stories of our past, but I like to imagine that it wasn't all bad.

[@angusthornett]

Few things are all bad. You have an interesting family history.

[@davidhague3270]

In Adelaide the government shut all the mental asylums and just turfed everyone out on the street to live in the city streets and surrounding Parklands and all this sort of thing. The care and housing of the mentally in firm is still hundreds of years out of date but if you are rich or a criminal or both you get treated like royalty. What a world.

[@wizzkid051960]

Great commentary and history lesson. Thankyou.

[@basicallywellfed3453]

If a better system of care was introduced, then all well and good. However - maybe not in Australia - in many western nations the closure of the asylums was replaced by poorly funded third rate community care.

[@angusthornett]

Health care in Australia is not funded properly. This is especially true in Tasmania.

[@traceyabbott5825]

My aunt was moved from there to Elim house in West Hobart run by the Salvation Army. She did so well there.

[@ErgonBill]

Well researched Angus. Sadly, during the history of Willow Court, mental health facilities in urban areas were limited to patients who were not considered a danger to themselves or others. If a crime had been committed, then they would be sent to Risdon prison hospital . If not, Willow Court was the only option as they had secure facilities. I've worked in psychiatric hospitals and escorted patients to Willow Court. They hadn't had either of the afore mentioned problems, but were just extremely disruptive to the rest of the ward. In other words, they were in the 'too hard' basket, and taken to a place which was conveniently out of sight, out of mind.

[@craigprocter1232]

Thanks Angus, another great article. The falling into disuse and being decripid hit me hard as that is how I felt the past few times I visited Hobart. I love the place but it severely depressed me with how run-down everything was and how the poverty remained (one of the reasons I left in the 1990). Driving through Lutana, Moonah etc. it was like nothing had changed, sure there were some shiny new housing estates on the other side of the river but the disparity between Tranmere and the 'other side of the hill' Claredon Vale and Rokeyby just made me even sadder. As you say the state just doesn't have the money to improve things and that makes me sad.

[@angusthornett]

The main thing keeping the northern suburbs poor are the pokies.

[@michaelgraham808]

Thanks

[@angusthornett]

Very generous donation to the channel, Michael. Thank you so much. It's a big help.

[@waratah5422]

Well done, a great reminder of our not so great past

[@angusthornett]

Thank you

[@JamezKelly]

Looking forward to it. :)

[@lukechristmas7209]

Willow Court would have to be one of the trickiest places to convey a story of, but I strongly believe you've captured the essence of it all, and for that I say Well Done Angus 👏 😊 My family had moved there from NSW in the late 80's to 2000. I still remember hearing about the horid conditions that patients and staff endured there during that time, practices that even family friends whom worked there, were ashamed of. Most of them left before the shut downs, either stress related or breakdowns. Too many stories and facts to share here though. Once again, well done on the content you produce, and keep up the great work 😎

[@angusthornett]

Cheers, Luke. You’re right. It’s a complicated site.

[@Alonsel3]

Truly such quite stories within the every day that stound out so far

[@angusthornett]

Cheers, mate. Thanks for watching.

[@wolfgangshmit7333]

We used to swim in the pool as young kids, and we had our school plays in the theatre. My mother worked in the hospital as a nurse untill it was closed In 2000. 25 year's later i ended up supporting two gentlemen that were in ward 10 when they were younger.

[@DaddyDepression]

Wow, great job as usual. Once again you sourced some wonderful images and facts. So good. Thanks mate.👍🦾

[@colin.mall3tt]

I really enjoyed that. It was well researched and produced. I can attest to the stigma that surrounded the place as I had two Great Grandparents and at least one cousin resident there. I visited recently and wish I'd watched this first!

[@angusthornett]

You can visit again one day.

[@CorstaDMack]

We moved there from Sydney when I was a teen, drive through the main gates, go down the hill over the bridge and first blue house on the right, had many creepy nights in those buildings 😂

[@20centurymodern]

Not sure they’re all equal now (your ending comments) and necessarily your opinion of such places closing down were an advancement for society. Mental health is now out of sight out of mind. Much like a lot of issues I society now the free market model means “personal responsibility” Perhaps as we can’t physically see mental health care now it’s assumed it’s all rosy, when in fact there is a long way to go. A great video production Angus, a shame you couldn’t have been there a decade earlier when all of the western ward wings stood, sadly trashed and vandalised. Keep up the good work with your insightful productions

[@pete3796]

You always do research. Great video Angus. Was emotional.

[@angusthornett]

Thank you, Pete.

[@tanethomas]

Filmography is increasingly polished bro!

[@angusthornett]

Thanks, Tane.

[@Guvna947]

I did find this very good, thanks for telling me what all of those buildings were

[@angusthornett]

There are many more buildings. I only covered a few. It's worth visiting in person. It's all free to just go and look. New Norfolk is actually quite a nice place also.

[@gawainwoolfrey6229]

This was an amazing video, just absolutely brilliant. I especially love how you let the landscape convey a feeling that supports your storytelling, just captivating. Also, it feels criminal that private ownership is allowed to let buildings become ruined. We have a bizarre property ownership system.

[@angusthornett]

Thank you. It's a complicated situation.

[@gregk7895]

Great video - thank you for the hard work

[@benjaminparkinson5255]

Love your work

[@grantreid8583]

When i was in high school on the north west coast we had people that came to the school from willow court and talked about the facility and demonstrated strait jackets etc.

[@grantreid8583]

I forgot to mention this was around 1976.

[@faithyo]

Love these videos about Tasmanian History, please give us more and more and more!

[@carlbennett2417]

LOVE the cut to the horse scratching its arse. "What?"!

[@angusthornett]

Ha. Yep.

[@MatthewHarrold]

I worked for 6 weeks in 1989 across the road at The Royal Derwent Hospital, a trial period for a possible Psych Nursing traineeship (just before nursing training became school based), my mother was briefly a patient at Willow Court a few years earlier (hence the stupid short-lived career blooper), and I played many dozens of gigs at the Bush Inn with my band Complex Minds in 1988. Great video Angus. I've been binge watching them. $0.02

[@HoganNerd]

Thanks Angus, this is one of your best vids

[@benjaminparkinson5255]

Well done mate so proud of you for making this

[@tristanpauljones]

Another excelent video Angus, and educational for many of us.....

[@angusthornett]

Thanks, Tristan

[@Deadshotaud]

As always remarkable content. Love it. Keep it up. Loving the history of the hobart region.

[@nikiharris2848]

Yay! So glad you are back with another one, I love hearing the stories behind all of the historic remnants that can be found all over the state!

[@melg1329]

I love the way you tell the stories. So unique 🙌💯🥰

[@cathykilleen2716]

Great work - thank you for posting.

[@angusthornett]

Thanks for watching.

[@ManiBatchelor]

Always wanted to know the history of this place. Every time time I would drive through New Norfolk I’d always feel an eeriness, especially around the asylum. Another brilliant upload, the particular vibe your videos bring are unmatched.

[@angusthornett]

Thank you. It's an interesting town, perhaps the most interesting town in Tasmania.

[@GaryAguilera223]

Awesome video very interesting.

[@emilyjane2446]

Awesome video man! Thanks for all the interesting facts and information. Have long wondered wtf happened here after passing through a couple of times. Thanks !

[@RogerTCross]

One of your best yet. Thanks Angus!

[@angusthornett]

Thank you, Roger. Quite very generous, mate. It's a big help to me and to the channel's future content.

[@johntennant7821]

I really enjoyed your informative history of this wretched place. My mother worked there in the 50's, she was a registered nurse and said it was a very sad and brutal place. Only employed there for 3 years. She mentioned female patients were at times sexually abused by male staff members during her time she worked there.

[@angusthornett]

I am aware of such things. I was not informed enough to go into them however.

[@SirRamone]

Once again , Another brilliant video!

[@angusthornett]

Thank you, Zachary. Cheers.

[@dinoaustralia7752]

Appreciate these videos so much especially because I know it takes soo much work to put this all together. Thank you 🙏

[@angusthornett]

Thanks, mate.

[@NightmareR27]

Bloody love your work brother!! Awesome

[@angusthornett]

Thanks, homes.

[@Jescah777]

Been waiting for Willow Court to be done. Nice job.

[@angusthornett]

Thank you

[@cowofthemonth]

My mum had an older siser who never spoke a word, just smiled behind extremely thick glasses; how they knew she need those though.. She was with some apparently caring nuns through her teen years but about 1970 she went to WIllow Court aged 21. Three weeks later she was dead, pneumonia on the death certificate. Heartbreaking.

[@angusthornett]

One can't imagine.

[@nickwatson2217]

Looking forward to your ashley video in 20 years! Seriously awesome content mate. Thanks for all of it!

[@angusthornett]

Patreon exclusive content

[@jonathanhodgkin6546]

Lovely to see you back for another history adventure😊

[@angusthornett]

Cheers, Jonathan

[@nathansemmler4927]

brilliant mate thanks so much

[@angusthornett]

Cheers, Nathan

[@tims8305]

Thank you Angus, probably your best to date. Tells a sad and shocking account in your wonderful idiosyncratic style. When you visit Willow Court even now there is a strange and somewhat sad atmosphere even on a sunny day and you can just feel that some bad things happened there. Many of those bad things were still happening in our recent lifetime which is even more shocking.

[@stevetabley3984]

Thankyou Angus-that was done with great sensitivity and understanding. I lived and worked there in the 80's and loved it -many good things were happening and then it closed-so many memories and so many stories -unbelievable, sad ,good, bad, happy and ridiculous-so difficult to relate this recently bygone era of mental health care to others.

[@trevorsneath4665]

Really interesting content, an excellent documentary.

[@angusthornett]

Thank you, Trevor.

[@Meg0860]

very informative a great video once again, thank you, loved it 😃

[@angusthornett]

Cheers, Meggsie. Thanks for watching.

[@stripeyhorse]

what a great video. Well done mate. Loved it.. They just keep getting better and better.. Well worth being a Patreon to support you as well.

[@angusthornett]

K-Dog in the house! K-Dog in the house!!

[@richardayrton3608]

Hope to get over to Tasmania one day, you would make a great tour guide! Watch all your videos, interesting and informative cheers.

[@RetroTvVideos]

I am only getting mono sound on this video is it meant to be like that?

[@anthonysmith434]

Always look forward to your insight of Hobart and it’s surrounds. We visited New Norfolk yesterday and have visited some of the other locations in your videos since we have been here on holidays. Thanks for your efforts making these videos.

[@angusthornett]

Thank you, Anthony

[@matt948]

Another great video mate

[@angusthornett]

Thank you, Matt.

[@KatieIPratt]

This is so interesting! plus your voice is so relaxing. Subscribed ^_^

[@angusthornett]

Thank you, Katie.

[@peterclark1150]

Powerful video. Great stuff.

[@angusthornett]

Thank you, Peter.

[@joshberry8262]

My mother worked there for two years before the full shutdown! Crazy the heritage

[@chriswhite6529]

Surperb piece of work 💯

[@angusthornett]

Thanks you, Chris.