Liverpool City Council has officially launched Handle with Care: Looking after Liverpool, a new exhibition at Liverpool Regional Museum that explores more than two centuries of healthcare in the city.
The exhibition highlights the people at the heart of Liverpool’s health story, from early colonial practitioners working in makeshift conditions to the dedicated nurses, doctors, carers, volunteers, and community organisations who continue to serve a rapidly growing and diverse population today.
Mayor Ned Mannoun said the exhibition is a powerful tribute to the individuals and institutions that have shaped healthcare in Liverpool.
“Handle with Care reminds us that healthcare is not just about buildings or systems, it is about people caring for people,” Mayor Mannoun said.
“From the earliest days of a tent hospital on the banks of the Georges River, Liverpool has always responded to challenge with compassion and ingenuity.
“Those early practitioners faced epidemics and hardship with limited resources, yet their commitment laid the foundations for the world-class health services we see today.”
The exhibition traces the evolution of healthcare in Liverpool, including the establishment of the town’s first formal hospital under Governor Lachlan Macquarie and convict architect Francis Greenway, through to the opening of Liverpool Hospital in 1958, which has since grown into one of the largest health facilities in New South Wales.
Today, South Western Sydney Local Health District delivers care to more than one million people across one of the fastest-growing and most culturally diverse regions in the state.
Mayor Mannoun said the exhibition comes at an important time, as the Liverpool Health and Academic Precinct continues to transform healthcare delivery in the region.
“This once-in-a-generation investment will expand services, drive innovation and support the next generation of healthcare professionals,” he said.
“As we look to the future, it is important we also reflect on the journey that brought us here.”
Liverpool City Council has curated the exhibition through Liverpool Regional Museum, with a range of free public programs including talks, workshops and educational activities for all ages.
Handle with Care: Looking after Liverpool is now open to the public.
Timeline of Hospital Facilities in Liverpool
1790s (The First Tent Hospital): Likely started as a temporary tent hospital by the river shortly after the colony’s expansion.
1810 – 1813 (The First Brick Hospital): Following the founding of Liverpool by Governor Lachlan Macquarie in 1810, a permanent brick hospital was ordered. Completed in 1813, this three-room building housed up to 30 patients and a residence for an assistant surgeon.
1822 – 1830 (The “Old Liverpool Hospital”): Construction of a much larger, stone-and-brick facility began in 1822. Designed by renowned architect Francis Greenway, this “Block B” building was completed in 1829/1830.
1851 – 1958 (Asylum and State Hospital): During this period, the facility underwent several name and function changes:
1851: Reopened as the Liverpool Benevolent Asylum for aged and destitute men.
1862: The NSW Government took over management from the Benevolent Society.
1866 -1874: Significant wings (Blocks A and C) were added, designed by Edmund Blacket.
1913/1918: Renamed the Liverpool State Hospital and Home.
1958: The convict-built site closed as a medical facility. It continues as a heritage-listed site as the Liverpool TAFE Campus. A new Liverpool District Hospital opened adjacent to the old site to meet the needs of a booming population.
1978 – Present: The facility dropped “District” from its name in 1978. It has since undergone massive redevelopments, including a $390 million project in the 1990s and current multi-billion-dollar upgrades scheduled for completion by 2027.
Today, Liverpool Hospital is the largest hospital and tertiary referral centre in New South Wales.
