From rough lean-to and ‘litter’ to today’s modern paramedics

Staff and vehicles front Nambour Ambulance Centre in Howard Street, Nambour, in 1927.

After returning from the First World War Mr D.W. Baptie, who had served as a relieving bearer at the City Ambulance and Transport Brigade (CATB) in Brisbane from 1899 to 1903 settled on land at Palmwoods. 

One day in 1914 he became dangerously ill with peritonitis and was carried on a railway stretcher to the station one kilometre away by four neighbouring farmers. 

One of these farmers was Frank Nicklin, later to become Sir Frank Nicklin and Premier of Queensland. Following this incident, a rough ‘lean-to’ was built at Palmwoods Station to house a litter (like a stretcher) and these arrangements were the forerunner to the establishment of a self-governing ambulance service in Nambour. 

Ambulance services in Queensland began with the establishment of the CATB in Brisbane on 12 September 1892. The original intent has prevailed through time: to provide care and support to the sick and injured in the Queensland community.  

By 1902 Queensland had transitioned from a colony to a state and the ambulance brigade had spread to a number of Queensland communities to become the Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade (QATB).  Each local centre was administered by a QATB committee in conjunction with the State Council.  On 1 July 1991, the QATB was transformed into a state-administered service to become the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) as we know it today.