The Lunatic Asylum at the Wahu

The Lunatic Asylum at the Wahu publication is an insight into the past of the old psychiatric hospital that we now know as Unitec’s historic building one on Carrington Road. While studying at Unitec, I kept hearing old stories of events that happened within the building when it was a hospital, and with my grandma being admitted there also in the early 90s, I had a natural interest in finding out more about what went on when it was open. I researched all I could, from old archives to old floor plans, to old patient magazines (Oakley news), interviewed past staff and patients even met with family members of victims of mental patients. Researched how it has transformed over the years from 1853 to today, which led me to create my own photography research to showcase the now versus then. The Publication was featured in the Best in Show 2010 exhibition and is yet to be published.