Isolation Hospital

This is the Isolation Hospital within the former Quarantine Station at Portsea at the south east entrance to Port Phillip Bay (on which stands the city of Melbourne). The 2 metre high corrugated iron fence was built in 1890 to separate sick passengers from healthy ones. The fence was removed in the 1960s but a small remnant remains (on right of sketch). An interesting verandah (seen at top of the stairs) wraps around the other side of this building but I chose to sketch this side to show the fence that is left. This rather sombre side of the building also indicated the grim nature of the quarantine station. A shed nearby was used to cremate those who died within the isolation compound. 

Sketched in a hurry before the rain returned (and painted later), midweek this was a deathly quiet creepy spot.

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #MoleskineWatercolourAlbum, 5x8”.