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Baby Health Centres

On 12 October 1943 Council recognized the need for Baby Health Centres. While prevalent in the higher density living areas near the city, the outlying suburbs were neglected in this regard.

The Benevolent Society had contributed their knowledge gained from the Renwick Infants hospital at Summer Hill established in 1921. The Tresillian group founded in 1918 and Karitane Mothercraft Society founded in 1907 in NZ and 1923 in Australia have been around for many years but again their assistance was more readily available for the inner city dwellers until a mobile unit was made available under the control of Sister Dorothea Pietsch in 1951.

The mobile clinic was to operate in the Hills District including Baulkham Hills five days a week from 10am to 3.45pm. On 23 March 1954 the council’s Baby Clinic Committee referred to a site approved by the Lands Department to be made available in Baulkham Hills Park for a health centre.

It was also one of the projects of Pharmacist and Councillor, Bernard Mullane. When surveying the possibilities of opening his first chemist shop on Seven Hills Rd opposite the back entrance to the Bull and Bush Hotel he took into consideration the facilities that were and were not available to the residents and set about lobbying for necessary changes.

No subsidy was available from the Health Department at the time but council decided to go ahead and request subsidy (about 75% of costs) once the building was complete. Hon. W. F. Sheahan, QC, MLA. Minister for Health officially opened the building on 13 April 1957. It was the second baby health centre erected by The Hills Shire Council under the New South Wales Subsidy Scheme.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/The-Hills-District-Historical-Society-1445260695728124/

Baby Health Centre

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