Mareeba Babies' Hospital

The Mareeba Babies’ Hospital was established in Woodville in 1917. It took over the role of the St Peters Babies’ Hospital caring for sick infants under the age of two. Originally under the control of the Inspector General of Hospitals, with the Babies Hospital Association acting in an advisory role, it came under the control of the Adelaide Children’s Hospital Board in 1951. In 1960 it became the Mareeba Children’s Annex of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The Mareeba Babies’ Hospital was established at 19-21 Belmore Terrace, Woodville in 1917 in a large building that had been used as accommodation for sick soldiers but was no longer required by the military authorities. It took over the care of infants under the age of two, predominantly with digestive ailments, from the Babies’ Hospital at St Peters which was established by the Babies’ Hospital Association in 1915. The Babies’ Hospital Association committee was made up of philanthropic women and prominent Adelaide doctors. Its first president was Lady Galway, the wife of the then Governor of South Australia, Sir Henry Lionel Galway.

Prior to the hospital’s move to Woodville in 1917 the Government proposed that the Babies’ Hospital be placed under the control of the Inspector General of Hospitals, with the Association acting as an advisory body. After the move in August of that year it became formally known as the Mareeba Babies’ Hospital.

In 1921 Mareeba was also used as a part-time training hospital for nurses. During the 1920s additions were made to the premises so that it could accommodate up to 70 babies. Rooms for mothers with babies were also added. The Babies’ Hospital Association continued its involvement with Mareeba until the Association disbanded in 1951 at which time the hospital came under the control of the Adelaide Children’s Hospital Board.

In February 1959 the Nurses’ Board gave approval for the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital to train its nurses in children’s nursing at Mareeba. By 1960 the Hospital had changed its name to the Mareeba Children’s Annex of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.