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About

History of St John of God Ballarat Hospital

The Sisters of St John of God came to Ballarat in 1915.

Photo of Baileys Mansion in 1915

The Sisters of St John of God came to Ballarat in 1915 in response to a call from Bishop Higgins to help care for people in the community who were suffering from infectious diseases such as diphtheria and typhoid. 

The Sisters have historically entered communities where they have been invited to do so. In Ballarat, while they were invited to establish a hospital by the Bishop, it took some time to establish due to the impact of World War I, and a reluctance to go to a hospital run by Sisters.

Over the years the hospital has seen many changes and progress. Thankfully, Bailey’s Mansion was retained through all this change and has recently been renovated to bring it back to some of its former glory.

Today, St John of God Ballarat Hospital today is a modern and vibrant health care facility, boasting some of the best equipment, facilities, doctors and staff in the country.

St John of God Ballarat School of Nursing

The School of Nursing operated from 1958 to 1990 and saw more than 800 nursing students through its doors. It closed in 1990 after the Australian Nursing Federation decision that all future nursing education would be university-based.

St John of God Ballarat Hospital still maintains a strong commitment to teaching our future nursing workforce, with nursing students still gaining their clinical experience at the hospital throughout their university degree.

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