Dr Howard Whitaker and LSD-Assisted Therapy at Mayday Hills Psychiatric Hospital, Beechworth, Victoria, Australia
A. Watts, E. Clark, Jennifer Munday
Journal of Australian studies April 3, 2026 DOI: 10.1080/14443058.2026.2655773 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Former staff of Mayday Hills Psychiatric Hospital |
| Topics | LSD |
| Key points | Argues that Whitaker's LSD-assisted therapy in the 1970s was both groundbreaking and unethical, marked by misconduct and unscientific methods, and that his early positive findings resemble current psychedelic research outcomes. |
Abstract
ABSTRACT Between 1967 and 1975, psychiatrist Dr Howard Whitaker directed a program for the legal use of LSD and psilocybin in Victoria, Australia. His controversial practices were marred by misconduct, unscientific methods and evidence of malpractice. This study explores Whitaker’s LSD-assisted therapy in the 1970s through interviews with former staff of Mayday Hills Psychiatric Hospital in Beechworth, Victoria. These staff members share their experiences working with Whitaker and implementing groundbreaking techniques. The interview data, collected in a broader social history project about Mayday Hills, sheds light on Whitaker’s unconventional and unethical approaches and reminds us that the 1970s was a time of reform in Victorian mental institutions. The current research in psychedelic drug therapies shows remarkable similarities to Whitaker’s early positive findings from over 50 years ago.