Mt Druitt Paediatrics Nursing Unit Mgr Mildred Villason.
Mount Druitt Hospital's Director of Operations Rhonda Loftus with a photo of the hospital under construction & The Queen & Premier Neville Wran at the opening as the Hospital gets ready to celebrate its 30th anniversary.pic b =The Queen & Neville Wran at opening.pic c= construction.pic d = construction site.
Mount Druitt Hospital's Director of Operations Rhonda Loftus with a photo of the hospital under construction & The Queen & Premier Neville Wran at the opening as the Hospital gets ready to celebrate its 30th anniversary.pic b =The Queen & Neville Wran at opening.pic c= construction.pic d = construction site.
Mount Druitt Hospital's Director of Operations Rhonda Loftus with a photo of the hospital under construction & The Queen & Premier Neville Wran at the opening as the Hospital gets ready to celebrate its 30th anniversary.pic b =The Queen & Neville Wran at opening.pic c= construction.pic d = construction site.
Mt Druitt Paediatrics Nursing Unit Mgr Mildred Villason.
Mount Druitt Hospital's Director of Operations Rhonda Loftus with a photo of the hospital under construction & The Queen & Premier Neville Wran at the opening as the Hospital gets ready to celebrate its 30th anniversary.pic b =The Queen & Neville Wran at opening.pic c= construction.pic d = construction site.
Mount Druitt Hospital's Director of Operations Rhonda Loftus with a photo of the hospital under construction & The Queen & Premier Neville Wran at the opening as the Hospital gets ready to celebrate its 30th anniversary.pic b =The Queen & Neville Wran at opening.pic c= construction.pic d = construction site.
Mount Druitt Hospital's Director of Operations Rhonda Loftus with a photo of the hospital under construction & The Queen & Premier Neville Wran at the opening as the Hospital gets ready to celebrate its 30th anniversary.pic b =The Queen & Neville Wran at opening.pic c= construction.pic d = construction site.
OCTOBER 11 in 1982 will always be remembered as the day the Queen came to Mount Druitt.
Thousands lined the streets to glimpse the Queen and Prince Phillip who were in town to officially open Mount Druitt Hospital.
A week-long celebration is under way to mark Mount Druitt Hospital's 30th anniversary.
Up to 400 people will attend Rooty Hill RSL Club on Thursday night for a dinner to mark 30 years to the day since the official opening.
Everyone is invited to the hospital on Saturday for a community celebration.
Mildred Villason has worked there for 29 years — 15 as paediatric ward nursing-unit manager.
"It was a small community where everyone knew everybody," she said.
"It's still like that today. Every staff member from the top to the bottom is treated equally.
"Many of my staff have been here almost from the beginning. I get about just one resignation every year."
She said this week was important not just for the hospital but for also the community.
"People around here are getting very excited," she said. "Some thought the hospital would never get to 30 years. There was talk 10 to 15 years ago it would close. But it's still here and doing better than ever before."
Mount Druitt MP Richard Amery was on the hospital board alongside former Chifley MP Roger Price at the time and still remembers it like yesterday.
"The whole community turned out in large numbers," he said. "I can't imagine anyone being anywhere else that day. It was a quite an experience for someone who hadn't been in royal presence before. It was an important day in my life."
The community fun day is on this Saturday, 10am to 3pm, in the hospital grounds.
Ita Buttrose will be MC and Damien Leith will perform at Thursday night's anniversary dinner. Tickets are selling fast and cost $70, including a three-course meal and beverages.
Details: Rooty Hill RSL Club, 9625 5500.