David Berry Hospital was established as a result of a bequest left to the people of Berry by David Berry, who died in 1899. Berry left £100,000 "for the purpose of erecting a hospital for diseases for the benefit particularly of inhabitants of Broughton Creek and the District of Shoalhaven". A temporary hospital was established but proved inadequate, so the state government passed the David Berry Hospital Act 1906 providing for the construction of a permanent hospital and requiring its construction within ten years. In return, upon a commitment to "provide and maintain for all time" a hospital in the Berry district, David Berry's trustees gave the state government 88 acres of land at North Sydney. The hospital was opened on 18 September 1909 by Premier of New South WalesCharles Wade. The cost of construction was £7,900. The hospital was expanded in 1921, with additions to the sanitary index attached to the isolation wards, and again in 1936, when an "Aborigines ward", a maternity ward adjoining the women's ward and a small general purposes ward adjoining the men's ward were added. It was renovated in part in 1975.
Services
The hospital today provides rehabilitation and palliative care services to the Shoalhaven district. It has 26 inpatient beds, with 17 beds for rehabilitation patients and 9 for palliative care patients. The Karinya Palliative Care Unit is located in a standalone building in the hospital grounds.
Heritage listing
David Berry Hospital Precinct is of State heritage significance for its historical association with David Berry. It is also of architectural and aesthetic significance for is association with designer Colonial Architect Walter Liberty Vernon and Howard Joseland. The listing includes the central main building and gatehouse. The central main building is of two storey construction and flanked either side by single storey wings. The gate house is also of note. It is constructed in red brick with a slate roof. The upper section is stucco on a sandstone base with stucco decorative detailing. David Berry Hospital Precinct was listed on the New South Wales StateHeritage Register on 2 April 1999.
