Sunbury Asylum

Sunbury Asylum is a sprawling complex of roughly twenty separate buildings scattered across a hillside in Victorian-era style. The entire site is enclosed by high walls and surrounded by extensive grounds.

The facility began operations in October 1879 and initially received patients transferred from other asylums in the region. It ceased functioning as a psychiatric hospital in 1985.

The layout reveals how people with mental illness were categorized and housed in separate buildings for different patient groups. The physical design reflects beliefs about treatment and care that were common in that era.

The site is not generally open to the public as it is protected heritage property with restricted access. Information about the location can be found through historical archives and heritage documentation.

The grounds hold records of patient experiences that reveal harsh isolation practices once considered standard medical treatment. These archival details demonstrate how dramatically psychiatric care has evolved since that era.

Location: Victoria

Location: City of Hume

Inception: 1879

GPS coordinates: -37.59630,144.72900

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:58