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Wide Bay Hospitals Museum Soc. Inc.

Name: Wide Bay Hospitals Museum Soc. Inc.
Address: Maryborough, QLD, AU
Telephone: +61416213479

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Maryborough, QLD
Wide Bay Hospitals Museum Soc. Inc.

Wide Bay Hospitals Museum and its members have been the committee for Maryborough's early public hospitals since 1991. Open Thursdays 9am-12pm

The Wide Bay Hospital Museum and its members are the custodian for, been preserving and researching the history of Maryborough's early public hospitals since 1991. Along the way a few discoveries have been made about our history. We display items and documents relating to Maryborough's early public general hospitals and maternity hospitals from the 1850's. These relate to the first purpose built p

ublic hospital outside Brisbane in 1865 and later the current hospital in 1887. We also compile documents for the maternity services and hospitals, the first of which was built in 1888. Our displays will enable you to discover Maryborough's public hospitals progression in order to meet the needs of the ever-changing community from it's early settlement. The displays include photos, building plans, old medial equipment as well as copies of the 1860's Hospital Management Committee meeting minutes. The Hospital Museum is located in the 1928 built, heritage listed building in the hospital grounds. The museum holds over 25 years of research of hospital history.

21/08/2026

At the front of the Maryborough Hospital stands a large set of 4 iron ornamental gates (2 in centre, one each side) and iron palisade ornamental fence on each side all attached to large ornamental masonry pillars. Did you know that they were erected in 1884, 3 years before the hospital buildings opened in May 1887?
In 1883, once land had been obtained in Walker St for the building of a new hospital, (the hospital being in Lennox St at the time), the Hospital's Management Committee set about preparing the site. This included clearing and fencing and later the planting of trees and other plants. As part of this work a large entrance gate and an ornamental fence was planned. The architect for the entrance gate was Willoughby Powell. Powell was only in Maryborough for a short time (April 1882-1884/5), but he was responsible for a number of substantial commissions such as Baddow House for Edgar Thomas Aldridge; the Mortuary Chapel and sexton's cottage; Riversleigh for John Walker corner North and Elizabeth Streets (1882), Philadelphia Villa for Philip Heckscher corner Lennox and North Streets (1884); Royal Exchange Hotel, corner Ellena and Adelaide Streets (1882-5); Tattersall's Hotel, Richmond Street (1884), Café Royal (later Federal) Hotel, Kent Street (1884)) and many more.
The brick and cement work for the feature was undertaken by local builder James A. Murray for £99 (about $17,000 today) and the iron gates were made by John Walker and Co. for £60 (about $10,000 today). The ornamented paling fence was constructed by builder G.J. Smith.
All together the whole feature was a worthy and wonderful entrance to the new hospital and today we are fortunate to see it still.

The black and white photo shows the Maryborough Hospital in 1887 prior to opening. On the right lower front is part of the ornamental palisade fence and pillars connected to the ornamented paling fence across the front.
The coloured postcard is of the Maryborough Hospital c1900 and shows the 4 iron ornamental gates (2 in centre, one each side) and the iron palisade ornamental fence all attached to the ornamental masonry pillars.

04/06/2026

We always love seeing past Maryborough Hospital staff at the museum. Yesterday we welcomed a lively group of nurses who did their nurse training at the hospital in the late 1960s, some later working at the hospital. As you can imagine, they enjoyed a 'little bit' of a trip down memory lane. Desley, Kay, Jenny, Heather, Rhonda, Pat And Pat we hope to see you again.

31/05/2026

We recently had a wonderful time with Maryborough State High School students.

11/05/2026

Today 12th May Is International Nurses Day and always celebrated on the birth date of Florence Nightingale.
Members of the Wide Bay Hospitals Museum Soc. Inc. trust that all nurses both past and present have a wonderful day. We appreciate what you do and thank you.
Photo is Maryborough Hospital nurses who graduated in 1966. Included is Dr Perina (Medical Super.), Matron Finlay as well as the Tutor Sister and the Operating Theate Sister.

04/05/2026

Today, the 5th May, is the International Day of the Midwife. The Wide Bay Hospitals Museum Soc. Inc acknowledges all midwives both past and present. A big thank you to each and every one of you.
Photo: Nursing staff with babies of the Lady Musgrave Hospital, North St, Maryborough, c1930. From album of Nurse Eileen O'Hara held by the WBHM.

24/04/2026

This ANZAC Day, the Wide Bay Hospitals Museum Soc. Inc. acknowledges the military service of all staff, both past and present, of Maryborough's Hospitals.

Today, we particularly wish to honour WW2 Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Nurse Edna May Armstrong. Edna was born near Gayndah in1912. Edna attended the Maryborough Girls Grammar School for a time and later undertook general nurse training at the Maryborough Hospital from 1933 to 1937, where she stayed on staff as Sister until early 1938. Edna then went on to undertake her Midwifery certificate at Brisbane's Royal Women’s Hospital after leaving Maryborough.

In January 1942, Edna enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force Nursing Service (RAAFNS) and was posted to quite a number of RAAF hospitals and various medical posts throughout Australia including Richmond, with a short posting at Concord Military Hospital, Laverton, Sale, Amberly, Southport, and Sandgate plus a short stint at Greenslopes Military Hospital. Her longest posting was in WA – a year in fact at Kalgoorlie – a recollection by her indicated that it was a 32-bed hospital, and the patients were mainly the wounded from New Guinea and on one occasion a Japanese POW. She slept at the hospital, had meals in the Officer's Mess which was on the opposite side of the base to the hospital, and driven back to the hospital each evening. This quote may be one that many who have done time in the military may relate to: 'I used to think that everyone had forgotten that we existed' – it obviously was a long 12 months.
Edna’s service with the RAAFNS ended in June 1946.

Lest we forget

(Photo:Edna Armstrong,1942. Source: NAA)

07/04/2026

In the Maryborough Hospital grounds toward the eastern side facing Walker St is a two-storey building that was once the hospital's Medical Superintendent's residence. It was built in 1936-37 to meet a need for an additional doctor's residence as at the time the only doctor's residence in use was the 1928 built house occupied by the then Medical Superintendent (now used as the WB Hospitals Museum).

The house was designed by Maryborough architect, who was also the hospital's architect at the time, P.O.E Hawkes. Hawkes was instructed by the Hospital's Board to draw up plans and specifications for a two storey building as shown in the Australian Home Beautiful Journal, December 1st 1934. This edition of the Australian Home Beautiful Journal contained some the prize winning entries from a recent architectural competition run by the magazine and certainly provided the inspiration for the final building plan.

By late September 1937 the new doctor's residence had been built. Described at the time as an imposing structure and a decided acquisition to the hospital grounds. Of two storeys, it was built on the modern lines of the time, the living quarters on the ground floor, with sleeping accommodation on the upper storey. Entrance was gained to the bottom storey by way of a porch. From the stair hall, entrance was made to the lounge, which opened on to a verandah at the back, and also into the dining room. Other rooms on the ground floor were a maid's room, kitchen and pantry, and toilet. On the top floor was three bed rooms, dressing room, bathroom, toilet and servery, and a solarium at the front of the building to provide ample space for 'enjoyment of the night air in the summer time'. The outer walls were finished in traventene style, and white plaster boards on the inner walls and ceiling, Luskan tiles were used for the roof. The builder was Constructions Pty Ltd, Brisbane, the cost approximately £2,500 (around $304,000 today).

Over time some modifications occurred including closing in the verandahs at the back of the upper and ground floors and adding a garage on the right side. In the 1990s when no longer used as the medical superintendent's residence, the inside was modified to accommodate several single medical officers.

Photo from the 1940s shows a view of the house half side-on from Walker St, the house to the right in the background is the 1928 built doctor's residence now the WB Hospitals Museum. Source: WB Hospitals Museum Soc. Inc.

Address

Maryborough, QLD

Opening Hours

9am - 12pm

Telephone

+61416213479

Website

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