On Wednesday, April 15, 1891, the hospital was officially opened. Admission to the opening cost sixpence.

The president performed the ceremony in the presence of about 250 people and declared the hospital open for the reception of patients.

A social was held in the grounds with young people enjoying themselves at various games while the elder folk examined the rooms in the building. It was followed by an afternoon tea.

The celebrations concluded with a "Cinderella" Dance in the evening in the Mechanics Institute. Dance tickets cost ten shillings and 6 pence a double, or seven shillings and 6 pence a single.

During the first week in May, 1891, the first patient was admitted. He was an American named Horace Toogood, aged 76, and suffering from a disease of the kidneys. He died in July.

The general public was a bit backward in supporting the institution, but various functions were held in the district to raise money, including special collection boxes, membership drives and a hospital ball.

Only ten patients were recorded as being admitted in 1892.

It was not easy to become a patient. A good number were refused admission as they were classed as "strolling patients". These were people in the habit of seeking admission to a hospital in every district in which they happened to be, without having an actual disease.

In 1894 the committee disapproved of Mrs Du Ross being admitted without consultation with the committee.

In 1895 Mrs Cunningham requested admission to the hospital. The matter was stood over until the next meeting while enquiries were made. In 1896 Miss O'Byrne wished to be admitted to the hospital suffering from diarrhoea. The committee decided Dr Quilter could admit her if he felt she was a fit subject.

In 1897 the rules were amended to be similar to other hospitals in similar areas.

To become a member, you had to pay £1 a year or the equivalent in cattle, sheep, grain, clothing or other serviceable articles. Members could now recommend the admission of one patient per year using a special proposal form. When this form was endorsed by the Medical Officer, the Matron was authorised to admit the patient.

Clergymen or friendly societies could also nominate deserving cases. Urgent cases who had not bothered to become members or did not know the right member, had to pay an upfront fee. Public patients were expected to contribute to the costs of keeping themselves in hospital. Wealthy patients could pay to be a private patient and have the doctor of their choice.

Rule 69 set out visiting times: "Relatives and friends of patients may ordinarily visit them between the hours of 2 and 4pm, on Wednesday and Sunday."

The committee fixed the times for the patients to rest or retire. If able, they were expected to help with the cleaning or other necessary work.

Dr Quilter was originally an honorary medical officer, but after problems with the committee he was given £50 a year as a paid official.

By 1900 it became obvious there were many inadequacies with the facilities at the cottage hospital.

In 1890, a tent - twelve feet by nine feet - complete with fly, was erected at the hospital to house cases of infectious diseases. This was particularly inadequate in winter months and in 1898 it was decided the single room which had until then been used for ordinary cases, should be used during the winter months and at other times when the tent could not be used.

The committee discussed the need for a new building for infectious diseases but money was too tight for immediate action. The support of W. Millard, the local State member, secured a grant of £100 from the Colonial Secretary.

Tenders were called in June 1900 for a building containing two wards, each 14 feet square, to be set forty feet back from the road and the same distance from the existing building. The contract was given to Ross and Constable at a cost of £174/15/0. These wards would become the hospital's maternity wing in the early 1940s.

Two above-ground tanks were provided to collect rainwater from the roof when the hospital was first built. There was a dam in the hospital's five acre paddock, which could be used by whoever had the grazing rights.

In 1895 it was decided to build an underground tank for the roof water. Mr R.C. Ziegler won the contract for a dome topped tank costing £32/ 17/0. The existing iron tanks were sold at auction.

There was now the problem of how to get the water out of the tank. The committee agreed to purchase a No. 4 Douglas pump and necessary piping. The piping though did not take the water into the hospital. It was pumped into a bucket and carted to the kitchen or washrooms as required. In 1906 a sub-committee decided that it would be desirable to pipe water into the bathroom.

In 1891, the State Government provided a grant of £50 for ground improvements. Shrubs were planted along the River Street boundary and a substantial fence erected to protect them. In February 1898 this fence was carried away by a flood. From then on, maintenance of the grounds was left to the tenant with grazing rights.

In 1905 help was sought from the Inspector of Nuisances to rid the grounds of stray pigs.

Dr Quilter urged in 1901 that a "dead house" should be erected in a small room off the wash shed. It was not until 1904 that this eventuated, but by then was called a "mortuary".

An electricity supply was established in 1934 and two power points installed in the operating theatre, but three phase wiring was not installed until 1939. Commission funds were applied for in 1939 for an x-ray plant and this was finally installed, but proved very expensive to run.

Commodes were still in use in the wards in 1935, with bucket toilets outside. Plans for a septic system and hot water service had to be shelved in 1940 because of the war. In 1944 the septic tank was finally built.

Major improvements and extensions were now needed or, better still, an entirely new hospital. This was eventually opened in 1954 after many delays due to shortage of materials.