Monday, February 8, 2010

Is anyone else interested in this place or what?

Hey guys, I live down the road from the place that has had so many names, Woogaroo Lunatic Asylum, Goodna Asylum, Brisbane Special Hospital but I think most people know of it as Wolston Park.
I first found out about it's existance when I moved to brisbane from Melbourne in 2006, when I found out I lived 5 minutes away from an abandoned mental asylum I was intrigued to say the least. It actually ended up taking a few drives to figure out exactly where it was but once I found it, I just had to know more about it, something that has proved more difficult than I thought.

Around this time my mum was doing some research into the family tree, and I was blown away to find out that my Great Grandfather, was a patient at the hospital from 1917 till his death in 1965, currently i'm trying to find out more about him and also anything at all about the hospital, feel free to comment and I will add pics, links and other updates overtime,
Cheers,
Matt

49 comments:

Anonymous said...

Matt, I am... I work there in Anderson House. I've found some interesting stuff on the work computers, which may be suitable to release anonymously...The cleaners there claim to have seen vividly an aboriginal patient dressed in blue attire, stalking them early morning reguarly in Anderson House and these people were sceptics. Keep up the research buddy, and I'll see what I can release safely.

Matt said...

Great stuff! Keep us posted on how it's going, that's an interesting little story, cheers
Matt

Anonymous said...

hey matt i am very interested
i am keen to go exploring to the other buildings, but every time i go security always ruins it

cant wait to see more photos

Matt said...

Hi, if you want more info just mail me at mephisto265@hotmail.com I can give you a few tips
Cheers,
Matt

Anonymous said...

You might find this article from The Brisbane Courier dated 26 November 1869 about the Woogaroo Lunatic Aslyum interesting....
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/1302530

Anonymous said...

This seems to be photos from the Goodna Insane Asylum taken around 1913 and 1938.
http://aussietruscott.blogspot.com/2009/09/mary-ann-truscott-nee-whitford-death.html

Anonymous said...

have you looked at this , http://www.judywebster.gil.com.au/casebooks-a.html you can go in and click the links and then find the names and order copies of their papers .... hope this might help :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Matt, i visited the Mental asylum just the other night for the first time. it was really interesting although very hard to walk around in because there are no floor boards... My friends and i managed to get to the top level and walk around in there on the beams. it looks as if it has been cleaned out a fair bit and my friend told me that he went there a few years ago and found a box of patient records and a lot of wheel chairs they had left in there. We were also very lucky to not get caught by the security even though we were making a hell of a racket! But i would really love to know more about the place.

Ms Loco said...

Hey Matt, thanks for this blog, its fascinating. Interesting how mental health treatment appears to have progressed...but as one who works in the field I feel its purely aesthetics. Do you know anything about an alleged boat ramp under one of the buildings? Chhers.

Anonymous said...

Are you able to get inside there during the day?

Anonymous said...

I am visitng and would like to take some pics of this place.. is it easy to enter? does anyone know?
Bec

Anonymous said...

Hey guys, a group of my friends and I are keen to visit the asylum on New Year's eve this year (work committments and such have limited us to this night strangely enough). If anyone is interested in coming with, feel free to email me and we can meet and greet before hand to ensure no scary axe-weilding maniac tendancies of anyone (jokes, guys, jokes. Well, you know, hopefully): peresteridis24@hotmail.com. I figure safety in numbers is always good :)

-Leah

Anonymous said...

I recently went into the asylum with my friend whos a photographer and we got some awesome photos if ur looking to get in u have to go round to the back and there is a hole in the fence which u have to climb through once ur through there then walk round to the front and walk in the doors its quite amazing and interesting to walk through i loved it :)

Julie said...

Hi, Did you come across the Catholic chapel on your adventures? I was a patient at barrett centre in 1996. There was a stained glass window of strong female with sword, who I learned was St. Dymphna - guardian of mentally ill and I have since read there was a statue there too.
Any info or pics?
I am writing a bit about my experience in the family history.

Liv said...

Hey Matt. Is this place still abandoned or is it hard to get in now with the Police making renovations? Some gals and I are looking at coming for a day trip for photography next weekend!!

Tips from anyone about a time of day to go without being seen by security would be helpful

Unknown said...

Someone very close to my heart has just admitted herself to this mental health facility. I am trying to find any information I can about this place in terms of quality of treatment. Do you have any suggestions where I can get this type of information. I have been looking at everything I can find. She cannot have any contact for 3 months, and I need to find out about the quality of this place. It's history is a bit scary. I can be reached at george.jenereaux@carefusion.com
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
George in Seattle, Wa

Unknown said...

A close friend of my mine has just admitted herself to this facility. She cannot have any outside contact for 3 months. I am trying to find everything I can about the quality of care, outcomes, etc. Can you help me find any information about this topic. I have been all over the internet. What I find is a bit concerning and I am worried. Please contact me if you think you can be of any assistance.
Thank you,
George Jenereaux in Seattle, Wa. You can use my gmail account or directly contact me on my blackberry at george.jenereaux@carefusion.com

Julie McNeill said...

@ George - I have been a client of Queensland Health Mental health services for ten years, and I would say that the medical professionals will treat your friend with care and expertise.
If you contact Queensland Health/Bell Street Health Plaza, Ipswich on the web, you could e-mail and ask how to check she is ok. Good luck,
I'm sure she will contact you when she is well and able.

Stephanie said...

Hey Matt, I am also very interested in the wolston park asylum. I was just wondering if anyone knows what happened there and why it shut down, that would be awesome. I went there the other night with my sisters and a few friends, we could only get into one building (the big white one, i think)but all the rest were boarded up. So, if anyone knows anything please email me, at your_worst_nightmare1234@hotmail.com

Stephanie said...

Hey Matt, I am also very interested in the wolston park asylum. I was just wondering if anyone knows what happened there and why it shut down, that would be awesome. I went there the other night with my sisters and a few friends, we could only get into one building (the big white one, i think)but all the rest were boarded up. So, if anyone knows anything please email me, at your_worst_nightmare1234@hotmail.com

51DLY said...

i went there a couple weeks ago best time to go is at 10:30pm-4am on a weekend.During the week there's to much traffic n is Best to go at night plus more creepy there ALOT of kangaroos round there to but the weirdest part of the kangaroos is they don't hang round the buildings just on the big field first we went to the buildings n a row we experienced some weird stuff that night with the first big white building as soon as we walked n where the stairs are we heard this sound like a woman crying or humming sound didn't think much of it at first thought it was just the wind.But then when i clicked on to the sound 20 seconds later it had stopped and i could still hear the wind out side n didn't hear the same thing again after it there is a hospital as well well use to be one rite at the back down explores walk there still is a out door chess set up n paths on the ground still where it use to be there's a few different ways to get in side the property make sure u park somewhere a bit hid-in because of the security we ended up looking for the other old part to it where all the floor boards are gone and explored that area with was pretty interesting and bit creepy we ended up going out the back of it n we noticed there was a glowing on the bottom corner of the window which was bit weird after been all through the place but if ya like a bit of spooky stuff good places to go and its really interesting researching bout the place on what happened there there's a recording 1-3 recordings of people that use to work there and that lived there.there is story's about the place you'll be able to find on abc radio i think it was under "the park mental asylum"

Bob & Joyce Tuxford said...

Would 51 DLY please contact us on mbromushrooms@iprimus.com.au as we would like to discuss the contents of their post of 21 March 2011 with them. Thanks!

Nae said...

My ex had told me of his stories of going to the asylum with his friends and how it was interesting and all that, and me being interested in the paranormal, decided I wanted to check it out. This was probably the worst idea I've ever had. From the moment I got there I had the worst feeling, as though there was something inside of me. I don't know how to explain it. Anyway, there were kangaroos everywhere and instead of running away you could get really really close and they'd just stand there and stare. This is like 9pm mind you. So we approached this giant white building, and there's like 3 massive hedges.. They seemed probably 2 or 3 stories high. This was probably the court yard or something for the patients. It was only my ex, myself and my friend and we began to walk towards the building and we heard this screech. It sounded like a bat screech, but as though it was human, just higher pitch. My ex walked towards one of the broken windows and this guy is a huge huge sceptic, and every other time he'd been there he heard nothing. So he's walking towards the building and I go after him and we heard that same horrible pitch again, although this time it screamed out help me. So my so called sceptic then boyfriend craps himself and bolts, leaving me and my friend behind. But that walk back to the train station was the most terrifying thing I've done. He later showed me photos from when he went, and there's a picture of a birthday written on the wall in there. 6/12/74 and underneath "evrey year" is written. 6/12 is my birthday and I later found out we were in the women's ward near the disturbed ward. Thought it was weird it only happened when there was 2 girls and a guy instead of a bunch of guys. And that's my story.

ricia said...

i work with people that have resided at Wolston park and basil stafford next door to the park. Went there one day to have a look but couldnt stay long as i have heard too many bad stories it upset me and angered. They lived there many years ago. Basil stafford was shut down due to ill treatment of patients and if you could meet my clients you would see why. The ones who can tell their story about this place never do when i ask them and just say it was a bad place and the staff i have asked that worked there in the past also wont speak about it when i asked two of them???? any of the government web sights seem to cover this by saying it was a nice theraputic place......i have heard that it is run alot better than in the past. Am unsure if this is true but have heard there used to be a tunnel off the river into the old building to transport people????

Anonymous said...

hey there,we had gone in the Women's Ward 1..went though the holes along the fence..was scared gonna get caught so took quick shots and hoped out..Has anyone ever got caught by security? am thinking of goin in again sometime.

Anonymous said...

Hi everyone. This is a fascinating blog. I was wondering I would go about getting permission to go in for a location scout. We are shooting a film and I would like to get good reference pictures. Cheers guys.

Anonymous said...

I've been twise.

Firstly if you stand in front of the building the hole to get in is on your left hand side. This will take you near the underneath park of the building. if you head towards the front again and make your way to the right side of the building you will find stairs and an entrance. If your afraid of heights i suggest you don't go in. walking along these beams is very dangerous and should be done one at a time. Do be stupid.

I have been caught. Funny this was i got away with it during the day but second time it was night. We had a group of people who acted like idiots and tho i told them to move away from the right side of the building. well they didn't and we got told to move along or the cops would be called.

They gave us a lecture and said these area's aren't a good place to be at night because of the prison. I think there might have been cases of in mates hiding there. So be careful.

Going again soon but i havent yet been able to get to the baths.

Anonymous said...

Hi there.. can anyone help to find out if there was a graveyard in the Park. A relative died in '36 and they were an inmate at the time.

Mhor said...

Are you able to just wander in? Isn't it all fenced off?

I would love to go and do a photo shoot here

Anonymous said...

I was a patient of wolston park for most of the 80's. Still to this day iam disturbed by some of the things i experienced during my time as a patient. I would warn anyone before going to this place have an open mind strange things happen within the walls everyday.
Today it is knowen as the park for metal health allott of the buildings have been re done and are being used as a active mental health hospital it has 24hr/7day
(on site security/police)
Over my time in wolston park i was often told of stories of how past patients were treated,some stories were pushing on human torture the history of this place in not good and the truth is hard to find. They want the world to forget about the past hense the new name and image they use today.
My treatment was bad enough (medication being forced upon me, one on one nursing i had someone with me 24hr 7days including showers toilet and everything else i had no private time for 5 years and had forced electric shock treatment and keeping me in a locked ward to only see outside threw a window)for years. i hate to think what others went threw years ago.
I was kept awake threwout my time by various paranormal activitys which staff put down to my mental health. I know this is not the case. i saw alott of things and the place is so dead quiet at night that any noise stands out like crying from the old womens building. whispers in your ears while sleeping, faint scream from bathrooms in my ward, showers and toilets being used when no one is out of rooms, walking figures in hallways waking to figures not doing anything but staring into nothing and the feeling which overwelmes you from the time you enter til the day you leave just to name a few this place was/is my nightmare i will never get over the things i saw and experienced at wolston park. Really bad things happened in wolston park please respect that the patients past and present are people and should be respected. Anonymous patient

Anonymous said...

Hey guys, I have been to the female ward a few times to take photos and such. This place really intrigues me but I can't find the other part. Could anyone tell me where the other abandoned buildings are? Thanks.

Anonymous said...

If you haven't already, maybe contact Jack Sim, he's done a lot of research - http://www.ghost-tours.com.au/

Anonymous said...

I've been to the asylum twice, I've never had a paranormal experience but I have had to runs and hide from security.
If you're going, just make sure you're quiet as the new asylum is right behind it. So out of respect for them and not to get caught shhhh!
The large white building Ive gathered was a research centre, so it's not that scary.
There's a picture I've seen on the Internet of a bathroom with tree roots growing through it. I've been twice and am still unable to find it. Does anyone know how to get to it? :) thanks, enjoy your exploring! It's a great experience

Anonymous said...

Matt i have yet to go there but i am very interested in what really happened there does anyone know some of the stories there or know of a map or plan on the set out of the asylum, Please email me on christopherjames91@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

I've been a few times to Wolston Park. The first time we went with about five of us, but one of the girls didn't really want to stay too long or look around, just got creeped out I guess. For the limited time we were there though, we did get a heap of photos. There's quite a few that have people in them clear as day...people we didn't go with. The one that had our jaws dropping was a picture of a lady at the end of the hall we'd just walked down. She was dressed in some sort of uniform...like an old nursing uniform with the floor length dress and the hat. We zoomed in and out quite a few times thinking it surely has to be bullshit (excuse my frech). As we were leaving we took yet another photo. It was the far left end of the building...closest to the road. There were what looked like cells underneath, so we shone a torch at this little opening and took a photo. Now I was the one who was shining the torch into the opening and all I could see was pitch black behind the light. When we scrolled through the pics though, in that very photo, was a mans face, again clear as day, staring straight back at us! Any skepticism I may have had in the past...GONE! I returned a second time with my brother and a friend, unfortunately as we were pulling up a group of people came running out chased by security....sooooo we just turned around quickly and left haha. However, the third time I went with a girlfriend from school who is really interested in this sort of stuff (same as myself) we had a really good look around. For some reason I felt extremely calm inside the asylum. I was so nervous walking up to it, mainly because going with just two girls isn't the safest thing to do at night, but I just had this complet calm settle over me the second I stepped inside. My friend said she was a bit on edge but but calmed down almost immediately after walking into one of the main rooms with fireplace. The history of this place just intrigues me and angers me at the same time. It is nice to see how treatment and medicine has progressed over the decades (thank God) but the fact that there is so little information readily available in regards to this place, makes me all the more curious about it.

Anonymous said...

Do u know about the 2 levels under ground of the house that thay filled with cement. But me and a few mates went there when we found out about that and we wanted
To find the cement filled stair wells and we did see a few outta shap things but there was also 2 double doors on the out side leading into the ground it's was pad locked we are planing to go back and go thro the doors

Sinead jackson said...

Hey I am very interested in the history of this place if you have anything, anything at all, please let me know via email - my email is Sinead.jackson@hotmail.com

Unknown said...

Keep posting. I live in washington state. I was looking for someone and it led me to this place.

Unknown said...

Keep posting. I live in washington state. I was looking for someone and it led me to this place.

anonymus said...

if anyone knows anything about this place could you please email them to me at lilzy983@gmail.com cos im trying to compile a heep of stuff ive found to peice together the mystery

emilypark1234 said...

This place is so interesting, i really want to know everything about it, how much can you explored once you get through the fence?

emilypark1234 said...

if anyone knows anything about this place, please email me, emily_park97@hotmail.com, im very interested and really want to vist it but unsure if i would still be able to get it, please someone email if they know anything :)

Unknown said...

do you or anyone know about security?? I am wanting to do a short horror film for my assignment

Angel said...

Has anyone got proof of paranormal activities there in the park?
I've had many a encounter there... The first time I went I saw a full bodied apparition in a window of a girl. That scared the shit out of me because the other 4 boys I was with saw it too and they were sceptic! (I believe I am in many ways psychic and hope to communicate with the spirits once I have honed in on my energy and understand it fully. I want to know their stories. This was 5 years ago and I still feel drawn). We walked around the women's ward and found nothing of real interest. This was when there were still floor boards. I wish I had known the history then so I could have read the records and such. We then moved on to the true 'insane ward' where the doors were boarded shut. We were unable to pry this open and instead listened in... We heard screams and then... The door became HOT! Like.. HOT HOT. We got scared and ran away. One boy had terrible lucid dreams of dead women in his bed for weeks.
The next time I went, I went upstairs to where I had seen the girl. It's the upstairs bathroom. There I heard voices, walked into that small room, found nothing and turned to leave. As I turned my back I got SCRATCHED on my forearm and felt a FIRM hand on my back. Safe to say I ran. I feel as if it was a woman.
Another time I went and walked around the golf course for a bit. Feeling shudders and chills up my spine in certain areas (near the drive way). I believe I have located the 'hidden graveyard' that I found out about when I went home to research... I shook off these vibes and went in, yet again. To my horror there was BLOOD on the walls. REAL BLOOD! (I touched it and smelt it, it smelt like blood anyway). I was with a friend this time. She didn't dare touch it. We very very briefly walk around before we leave. We get back to her car and THERES BLOOD ON IT. My friend then realises she has blood on her.
All the way home, I'm scared to look in the backseat and I'm getting visions of a blackened man with cracking skin. I believe he followed us to a certain point then vanished... It made no sense to me until today I thought of this place randomly, yet again. And discovered there was a fire there at one point...
Could anyone validate any of this? Or offer more history of the place?
Ps. I've never been caught and have been there more times than I've admitted to in this post.

Angel said...

Do you have these photos? Would you send them to me? I'm the most recent commenter here, I've had a lot of experiences.

Angel said...

This apparently no longer exists

Angel said...

Would you be willing to share your stories with me? I've had a lot of experiences there (as a visitor of the abandoned site) and would like to correspond any TRUE evidence with my experiences... There was a lot more information on this place a few years back but now it seems to have vanished. Even ABC news reports link to a page that 'cannot load' etc etc. I believe they are trying their best to cover everything up

Roll Cage Mary said...

Regarding the OP's grandfather who was a patient of
this psychiatric hospital from 1917-1965. It is very
likely the man served in WWI and suffered from the
then unknown PTSD (aka soldier's heart, shell-shock).

The ANZAC legend hides the real tragedy of the shattered
men with ruined bodies and minds being institutionalized
in asylums for want of more adequate facilities.

All you ghost-hunters and ghouls could put your curiosity
and energy to better use with researching how the veterans
of the Viet Nam, Gulf War, Iraqi war are currently fighting
to have their war-related injuries recognised.

May fruit-bats shit on your heads and knock some sense into
all of you.

Unknown said...

Hey guys, there is a boat ramp under one of the buildings and the tunnels where they brought the patients from the river to the asylum is also cemented off. The building is haunted by some patients who died in there due to the electric chair and torture. On the top level of the building in the corner window to the right is an old man who looks like he is of aboriginal enthencity who wears a blue colored uniform. I know this because I used to have the original documents to the place and police reports of it. I have given them away to someone who was doing an assignment on the building.