Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital has celebrated its 90th anniversary with staff and patients coming together to pay tribute to the community who helped build the original hospital.

Staff celebrated the history of the hospital, that was built back in 1923, with an archive photo display which is on exhibition in the hospital for all visitors and patients to see.

Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital General Manager Simon Hill said the hospital was a special place because of its people.

“You have generations of families who work here, who have been born here and who live in the community, creating a culture that can’t be matched,” Mr Hill said.

Three generations of the Campton family have worked at the hospital over the decades, starting from head gardener, Don Campton, who tended to the prized rose bushes between 1978 to 1992.

His daughter Di began working at the hospital in 1979 and after a brief period returned back in 1997 and is still at the hospital.  She is joined by her daughter Rhi Campton who works in patient services.

“I have an overwhelming sense of pride working at Hornsby Hospital,” Rhi said. “There is such a great sense of community, collaboration and support for development and growth – both professionally and personally.”

The hospital was founded after a generous donation by a community member provided a parcel of land.

Since 1912, the community had wished to build a public hospital however, they struggled to get funding. Finally, in 1923, a hospital committee was formed and discussions about the new hospital began.

The original plan was to build the hospital at Hornsby Heights, but after consideration of the land, planners sought for a larger location. Local councillor, Thomas E. Rofe made a generous gift-in-kind donation of land located on Palmerston Road in Hornsby, where the hospital remains to this day.

The hospital first opened to the public on August 26, 1933 and since then has undergone many redevelopments.