The adventures of Maurice & Mattie Yonge in North Queensland

In the late 1920s a young English couple kept a photographic record of their travels throughout North Queensland. The photographs now represent a unique snapshot of what are now well-established Far North Queensland tourist destinations. Maurice Yonge, a marine biologist from Cambridge, and his wife Mattie Yonge, a medical doctor, were in North Queensland as part of a scientific expedition to discover the mysteries of the Great Barrier Reef. They spent 13 months living at Low Isles, and during their stay they had the opportunity to do a few short excursions and see the sights of North Queensland.

Group outing on the Atherton Tablelands, January 1929. Maurice Yonge is roughly centre of photo with a pith helmet in his hand and a cigarette in his mouth. Photo: National Library of Australia

Maurice and Mattie Yonge, seated on a garden bench at 'Fairyland', Kuranda, 1929. Photo: National Library of Australia

View towards the Queen's Hotel, Mossman, 1929. Photo: National Library of Australia

View of the main Street, Herberton, c.1929. Photo: National Library of Australia

View of Cooktown, c. 1928. Photo: National Library of Australia

Horse riding in Yungaburra. Maurice Yonge is pictured on the right, 1929. Photo: National Library of Australia


On one of their short sojourns, the Yonges swam at Lake Barrine, dined at the Lake Eacham Hotel in Yungaburra, breakfasted at Herberton, lunched at Ravenshoe, visited Millaa Millaa Falls and Malanda Falls, visited various places around Yungaburra on horseback, and took the train to Barron Falls. They covered quite a lot of ground in just a few days!

Mattie Yonge with arms stretched out across the base of a tree to indicate the size of the trunk, probably Atherton Tablelands, 1929. Photo: National Library of Australia

If you'd like to read more about Maurice and Mattie Yonge and the Great Barrier Reef Expedition, check out the eBook I was lead author on for JCU Library's Special Collections - https://jcu.pressbooks.pub/yonge/ (this links to the eBook! Once there, scroll down and click the button "Read Book" )

Queensland Railway Ambulance Corps

The Queensland Railway Ambulance Corps was established in 1892 to train railway employees in first aid. It was considered that railway employees, because of the nature of their employment, were “especially liable to accident, and that the knowledge of the elementary rules of the treatment to be followed to preserve life and prevent undue suffering,” was likely to be of great value to them, as they were often situated far from medical assistance.

Members of the Queensland Railway Ambulance Corps (Bowen team) competing for the Commissioner's Shield in the State Final of the annual first aid competition, Brisbane, October 1939. They are seen here constructing a makeshift stretcher.
Photo: Private Collection.

Annual competitions to test the first aid skills of members of the Corps were held from 1914. Teams from all over Queensland proudly represented their region. One north Queensland team – the Bowen team - was extremely successful in the annual first aid competitions in the late 1930s.

In September 1939, the Bowen team defeated Charters Towers, Hughenden and Townsville at Rollingstone, before going on to defeat Cairns, Innisfail, Kuranda and Alma Den at the regional final in Cairns. The team members consisted of Messrs E. Moore (Captain), I.A. Fielding, F.R. Andrews, P. Herlihy and R. Ryan (patient). Team member Ivan Fielding won the individual contest, with 53 points, over W. Ross of Alma Den, and G.A. Bell, of Cairns.

The Bowen team then went on to compete against four other teams for the Commissioner’s Shield, in Brisbane, in October. The competition involved a number of set tasks, including making improvised stretchers from whatever material could be obtained. Each team member was allowed one pocket-knife, and each team was allowed one tomahawk (to be used for splitting saplings). Team members could also use their own items of clothing.

Members of the Queensland Railway Ambulance Corps (Bowen team) competing for the Commissioner's Shield in the State Final of the annual first aid competition, Brisbane, October 1939. Second from right is Ivan Fielding, who won the individual award, the St. John's Ambulance Silver Cup.
Photo: Private Collection.

You can see in the photograph above that the patient’s legs are strapped down using belts and neck ties, and that the bandaging has been made from the team members’ shirts. Even shoelaces could be used, provided they complied with the competition’s regulation length. Challenges for competitors also included an oral examination on anatomy, and carrying a “casualty” over obstacles on an improvised stretcher.

Members of the Queensland Railway Ambulance Corps (Bowen team) competing for the Commissioner's Shield in the State Final of the annual first aid competition, Brisbane, October 1939. Watching on with interest, are members of the Australian Army Medical Corps Militia, and the pipers of the 61^st Battalion Queensland Cameron Highlanders, who in time of war were regimental stretcher-bearers.    
Photo: Private Collection.

Rockhampton won the shield that year, with 448 points out of a possible 530. Bowen came second, with 419 points, and Mayne Junction came third, with 410 points. But it was Bowen’s Ivan Fielding who excelled again, winning the St. John’s Ambulance Silver Cup.

Sources:

Bowen Independent, 15 September 1939; 16 October 1939.

Cairns Post, 14 September 1939.

Brisbane Telegraph, 12 October 1939.

Macno, V., Buchanan, R., and Blake, T., 'More than work', Memoirs of the Queensland Museum – Culture 5 (1), 2011, pp. 107-120.