In 1965, fifty women began their nursing training at Royal Perth Hospital (RPH) as intake 1/65. Sixty years later, 17 of that original cohort returned to where it all began – reuniting not just as former trainees, but also as lifelong friends.
Retired nurses travelled from Italy, the east coast and across Western Australia for the reunion. Rosalie Roberts from Busselton had been eagerly awaiting the occasion.
“When class 1 of 1965 get together, we’re instantly back to those days, reminiscing about the fun times we had in the nurses’ quarters, running up and down the corridors, sneaking in at night. We got up to mischief, but the bond has never faded,” Rosalie declared proudly.
The driving force behind the union, retired nurse Dianne Pearce, said it was wonderful to be back where it all began.
“It’s fantastic! We’ve had reunions before, but to mark our 60thanniversary, visiting the Royal Perth Museum and touring the hospital with Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery for EMHS Dori Lombardi as our guide has been very special,” she explained.
“Back in 1965 we were introduced to the wards from the beginning of our training, with one day each week, devoted to lectures and studying. At the end of the third year, we sat for the Australian Nursing Federation State Exams and graduated as Registered Nurses. We then spread far and wide – some stayed in WA, but others went to the eastern states or the other side of the world.”
Dianne said the nurses’ lives had entwined over the decades.
“I was living in the north-west in the 1970s and flew to Perth to give birth. Imagine my surprise when the midwife who appeared was Kerry Weaver – a fellow nurse. She delivered my baby!”
Times they are a-changin’…
After the museum visit and lunch, the class of 1/65 toured the hospital with Dori Lombardi, Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Patient Support Services at Royal Perth Hospital proving to be the most gracious guide. They saw how modern systems now manage patient flow, explored innovations like remote monitoring through our award-winning Health in a Virtual Environment Service, and visited the Intensive Care Unit which opened in 2022.
Along the way, they asked questions and reflected on today’s challenges in health care, from student training to complex patient needs.
Touring the museum stirred memories for Jenny Baker who went on to work in fertility. She was struck by the old medical equipment on display.
“Medicine has advanced so far. These old endotracheal tubes on display look tortuous,” Jenny reflected.
“I entered fertility when it was just emerging and was cutting edge. Back in the 1970s we’d be placing four or five embryos into ladies and now there are so many private fertility clinics.”
Revisiting the good old days!
The 1960s were a decade of change. Man landed on the moon, fashion broke new boundaries and world events like the Vietnam War made frontpage headlines. But for these young nurses, the defining moment was starting a journey that would shape their lives.
The reunion at RPH was a beautiful opportunity to share stories, celebrate friendships and to relive those training days. Helen Benniger laughed as she recalled the strict curfew.
“We all lived in during training. There was an 11pm curfew and if we missed that we’d get locked out. Luckily, we had a good rapport with the police – they’d hoist us up the balcony to let us in,” Helen remembers.
Kerry Weaver admits they were far from compliant.
“It was the 1960s. At the start of our training, our uniforms hung well below the knee. We cheekily turned the hems up, forgetting they’d go through the Royal Perth laundry. Of course, the matron noticed.”
While there were some nurses from the cohort of 1/65 who couldn’t make it because of distance or health reasons, many sent notes and messages of support.
The special visit coincided with the WA Government’s announcement of a brand new six-storey building for RPH, complete with a two-floor emergency department.
If you’d like to visit the Royal Perth Hospital Museum which is open Wednesday and Thursday from 0900 to 1400 and is free to visitors, go here for more information: Royal Perth Hospital – Museum
