The former maternity hospital Woodside, in Fremantle. Photo: Supplied
A rare piece of Fremantle history – and the birthplace of thousands of West Australians – is up for sale.
The former Woodside Maternity Hospital at 18 Dalgety Street, East Fremantle, is being sold by the Department of Health.
The last baby born in Woodside was in 2006, after a state government decision to close the facility and build the new Kaleeya Maternity Hospital. Health administration staff stayed on until 2015, when Woodside finally closed its doors.
The heritage-listed property has become a Fremantle landmark thanks to its unusual and impressive Victorian architecture.
The property is heritage listed and is on a one-hectare site. Photo: Supplied
“It’s an example of Italian-inspired architecture from an era that you don’t see much of these days,” Savills agent Barney Dear said.
The hospital was built in 1902 as a family home by William Dalgety Moore – himself a historic figure, best known for founding the company W.D. Moore and Co, from which well-known businesses Dalgety’s and Moore’s grew.
Woodside was purchased by Dr Edwin East in the 1926 and used as a private hospital. After being converted to flats in 1946, it was bought by the state government and opened as a maternity hospital in the early 1950s.
Wards and wings were added to the original house at this time.
The State Heritage register notes that the hospital was established to meet the demands of the local community, and went on to be a leader in the evolution of modern maternity practice in Western Australia, including the introduction of home-birthing and post-natal support services.
The property is zoned R15 (residential) and could suit a range of uses from residential development to aged care, continued medical use or even an education establishment.
“The scale of the size of this property is rare in a suburban location,” Mr Dear said.
“The property is surrounded by 800-square-metre sites, and here you have a huge one-hectare site. It’s impressive to see amongst the houses around it.”
Mr Dear said there had been strong levels of interest in the property from a wide range of buyers. The sale price has not been disclosed.
