St Vincent’s Hospital celebrates 100 years of caring for people on the Northern Rivers

We take a look back on the incredible impact a decision 100 years ago had on a town and its people.

In 1920 four Sisters of Charity travelled by train from Sydney to establish St Vincent's Hospital in a two-storey timber house in Dalley Street, Lismore.

In 1920, four Sisters of Charity boarded a train in Sydney destined for Lismore – their purpose was to establish a hospital to cater for the needs of people on the Northern Rivers.

Within a year, the Sisters were caring for their first patients in a two-storey timber house in Dalley Street, Lismore.

The hospital was St Vincent’s Hospital, which this year celebrates 100 years of providing better health care to people in the region.

It’s come a long way since its humble beginnings, and now employs 550 staff, with 130 accredited specialists and five operating theatres.

And the two-storey timber house has changed a lot in that time as well.

In 1926 an epidemic of dengue fever stretched the little hospital to its limits, sparking an appeal for a bigger and brighter future.

By 1932 the hospital had doubled in size with the opening of the Ryan wing.

St Vincents Hospital Lismore nurses on a rehab bike in the 1970s.

St Vincent’s chairman, Damian Chapelle said: “In our 100th year there is no doubt St Vincent’s has a special place in the story of the healthcare of our region.

“What strikes me about St Vincent’s history is the resourcefulness of our founders. Across the decades the hospital has kept pace with medical advances and our community’s healthcare needs.

“Our region’s rapidly expanding population means demand for the hospital’s services will continue.”

St Vincent’s CEO, Steve Brierley said: “A century on from our beginnings and St Vincent’s is now an acute surgical, medical, rehabilitation and palliative care hospital providing wide ranging services”.

“Our history is defined by the spirit and selfless contribution of our doctors, nurses, support staff and volunteers. It is the extraordinary care that our staff exhibit each day that is the hallmark of St Vincent’s.”

In its 100th year St Vincent’s supports the community with additional medical services including pathology, radiology, pharmacy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy. The hospital also expanded its geographical footprint with the opening of its Ballina Consulting Suites and the St Vincent’s Private Day Surgery in Uralba Street, Lismore.

The campus includes a nursing home, St Joseph’s, which has 130 beds across four wings offering permanent and respite care.

It supports the most vulnerable regardless of their personal circumstances.

As part of the celebrations the hospital has created a centenary online hub – 100 years.svh.org.au, a 100 Years in Motion video and an historical display on the hospital grounds.