Rockingham General Hospital's 50th birthday

Last week we celebrated Rockingham General Hospital’s 50 years of caring for the community.

Asheila thanked everyone who helped make our birthday special.

“What a fabulous day and fabulous event that you have all contributed to. I can’t thank the planning team enough for what you have done and what a great achievement.

You should all be proud of what you achieved. The planning that has gone into this definitely showed.

I can’t thank you enough for your enormous efforts and how proud I am of what was a beautiful event.

We first opened our doors on 28 May 1976. The hospital began as a small district service established to support a growing local population. Fifty years on, it has grown into a major public hospital, continuing to evolve alongside the community it serves.

But we all here know that beyond the growth in services and facilities, the story of RGH is one of its people.

For generations of families across the region, the hospital has been part of life’s most important moments – welcoming new life, providing care during illness and recovery, and supporting people and families through times of loss.

Trust has been built over decades by staff and volunteers who have provided care day and night, often under pressure, and always with a strong sense of responsibility to their community.

RGH has developed a reputation for a strong, connected culture. Many staff have spent decades working at the hospital, in some cases spanning multiple generations of one family.

There is a shared sense of pride in the work, and a genuine commitment to looking out for one another as well as for patients.

This year’s milestone is also shared with the RGH Auxiliary, who celebrate 50 years of dedicated support to patients, staff and the broader hospital community.

South Metropolitan Health Service (SMHS) Chief Executive Neil Doverty said the hospital’s long history reflects both growth and continuity.

“RGH began as a small district hospital built to serve a growing community. Over the decades it has grown, but it has never lost its heart,” Mr Doverty said.

“The culture here stands out. It is warm, supportive and collaborative. Patients often tell us they feel known and cared for, and that is a direct reflection of the people who work here.”

Rockingham Peel Group Executive Director Dr Asheila Narang said the milestone was an opportunity to recognise the people who have shaped the hospital over time.

“This hospital genuinely feels like a family. There is a sense of connection here that has been built over decades by staff, volunteers and the community,” Dr Narang said.

“Fifty years of care represents countless moments that have mattered deeply to people. That is something we are incredibly proud of,” Asheila said.