Mayday Hills Art Society

History

The Mayday Hills Arts Society is situated in the central wing administration offices, which include an airing court featuring a central water fountain. This area once provided access to the female patients’ wards on one side and the Bijou Theatre on the other. Originally, patients’ outdoor access was strictly supervised and limited to the enclosed airing courts. However, with the adoption of the ‘open door’ policy in the 1950s, patients were granted greater freedom of movement.

In the 1970s, the building was renovated to accommodate a modern occupational therapy unit on the ground floor and the new nursing education unit on the first floor.      

In 2017, the Mayday Hills Arts Society was established and includes 14 studios, two galleries, a classroom, a library, sitting areas, the Mayday Hills archive, a printmaking room, the Upstairs Playhouse theatre and a cinema. 

Visit the MaydayHills Arts Society website

The launch of this virtual tours website was held at the Mayday Hills Arts Society in 2022

The images below are a small collection of archival materials held by Mayday Hills Art Society and visitors are welcome to look through their holdings

Engineering plans of water supply system with main wards and cottage wards enclosed within Ha-Ha walls.
Images from Palace of Broken Dreams, Cohesion Press 2017. https://www.amazon.com.au/Palace-Broken-Dreams-History-Beechworth/dp/1925623238
1900 postcard of asylum, Beechworth. Men’s wards in front, women’s wards in distance. In front are the Ha-Ha walls enclosing the laundry complex.

Cricket XI team at mental health hospital Mayday Hills Beechworth Victoria, Australia.. The group is posed in a garden, against a background of bushes. 1912-1913 cricket XI premiers with trophy in front. Staff officers in suits behind.

Nursing and administration staff, and some general staff in Kepis dated 1914. Photo also published in ‘Punch’ magazine 18 June 1914.

Hand drawn, aerial view plan of Beechworth Mental Hospital, Victoria, Australia showing location of oval, vineyard, orchards, vegetable garden, administration, and hospital areas. Circa 1920. Plan has been coloured by hand using coloured pencils. Registration No. SH923138 Original drawing of the asylum and farm before Ha-Ha walls were removed. Dated pre-1956 at top but most likely ca1930s.

The Asylum cricket team dated 1930 with a small cricket trophy in front. Two administration officers in suits.

The arch built at the front gate beside the Gate Lodge (Gatehouse) to celebrate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (later The Queen Mother). Coronation date 12 May 1937.

Visit the Mayday Hills Art Society.
Some of these images are included in the Collections Exhibition

* Explore the Beechworth Cemetery Virtual Tour
* Explore the Mayday Hills (formerly the Beechworth Asylum) Virtual Tour

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2 thoughts on “Mayday Hills Art Society”

  1. Jack Mcneilly

    Can you please tell me why it was called Mayday Hills. Was it from the French Help me ? Or the English public holiday.

    Reply

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