AIDS Memorial Garden Tour & Reflections
THU
27
Nov
Join community elders to hear anecdotes and reflections of their time at the at the old Fairfield infectious diseases hospital.
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Fairfield Hospital, opened in 1904, was Victoria’s specialist infectious diseases hospital and cared for the majority of people living with HIV/AIDS until its closure in 1996. Despite community efforts to save it, the hospital became the last infectious diseases facility in Australia. The garden, once a space for patients and loved ones, is now a sacred place of quiet reflection and an active learning site for Melbourne Polytechnic horticulture students.
This World AIDS Day, with the theme “No One Left Behind”, we honour the women and community members who shaped this history. Hear stories from living legends Bev Greet, David Menadue, and Jenny Hoy, including the founding of Positive Women Victoria in the Matrons Cottage on the site.
The evening will feature:
- 5:30pm – Free BBQ hosted by Thorne Harbour Health volunteers
- 6:00pm – Storytelling with guest speakers, followed by a guided walking tour through the garden and hospital grounds, including rare access to areas not normally open to the public.
Free parking available on campus. Accessibility parking is closer to the garden—please advise security on arrival.
Follow the red ribbons from the campus carpark to The Chapel to find us.
Presented in collaboration with City of Yarra, Yarra Libraries, Thorne Harbour Health, and Melbourne Polytechnic.