Ever wanted to see an operating iron lung (hyperbaric chamber)? Or what about an original diphtheria kettle steam vaporiser? Take a guided tour of the Nursing & Medical Museum, operated and maintained by The Prince Henry Hospital Trained Nurses Association in a restored 1914 WWI ward at the hospital.

Prince Henry Hospital came into existence in 1881 during a smallpox epidemic and the government of the day established a ‘camp’ on Little Bay Beach for relatives of the infected, and a hospital on the coast adjacent to the beach, miles from any significant population.

The hospital became famous as an infectious diseases centre in the following 122 years until the site was closed and sold for housing development in 2003. The leprosy ward only closed in the 1960’s. Australia’s first kidney transplant was done here, and the medical team were leaders in research into infectious and other diseases. Prince Henry was the first teaching hospital attached to the newly formed UNSW Medical School in 1960.

The visit to the Museum and associated War Memorial Chapel will be followed by lunch on the waterfront at La Perouse.

The outing is on June 18 and we catch the 8:38am train from Epping to Central to connect with a bus to Little Bay.

Cost for the day is $14, plus fares.