Members of the City of Canada Bay Heritage Society were pleased to be invited to the opening of the new EM Lane Concordians’ Museum at Concord Hospital. The new museum replaces the older smaller Museum which closed during the Covid 19 pandemic.
A large crowd gathered in the chapel to listen to a number of speakers, including curator, Holly Williams, who gave an insight into the project and its curation which had been assisted by a number of enthusiastic volunteers. The project had financial support from the City of Canada Bay Council, a number of RSL Clubs and the Department of Veteran Affairs, many of whom were represented at the opening.
The crowd then moved to the Museum where a Welcome to Country was given, followed by a smoking ceremony. The ribbon was cut and the Museum opened its doors.
The museum is named in honour of Ethel ‘Stalky’ Lane AM, OBE, who did her nursing training at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, then in 1942 enlisted in the Australian Army Nursing Service and served at in WW2 at Concord Repatriation Hospital, Dubbo and Tamworth before going to Morotai in Indonesia. Post war she dedicated herself to looking after war veterans and war widows (she was one herself), through a number of organisations. Many retired Concord trained nurses were present at the opening of the Museum and reminisced on their days at the hospital.
The Museum collects, preserves, displays objects and materials related to Australian Military Nursing and the history of the Concord Repatriation General Hospital. The Museum has an interesting collection dating from the Boer War through to the Vietnam War, including diaries, personal papers, photographs, artifacts, memorabilia and a display of nurses’ uniforms.
The Museum is located adjacent to the Hospital Green, and you enter via Gate 2.
The Museum is open Monday – Thursday, 10am – 2pm.
Menna Davies
