The Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade was formed on September 12, 1892 from very humble beginnings. The idea of forming a civil ambulance service was initiated by Seymour Warrian of the Ambulance Corps in the Queensland Defence Force, after an accident that occurred during the Brisbane Exhibition. A horse rider had fractured his leg when his horse fell. The injured rider was assisted by well meaning but untrained bystanders and made to walk on his leg to reach a nearby cab.
When the Brisbane brigade was formed they were given a room in the Brisbane Courier newspaper building and a stretcher was built. Bearers on night duty slept on rolls of newspapers with bed linen supplied by the Immigration Department.
Horse pulling an ambulance through Brisbane streets ca. 1897. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 189469
Their first patient was transported from Taringa to a private hospital in New Farm on 5 November 1892 and the brigade didn’t acquire a telephone until January the following year. Over time ambulance services slowly began to form around regional areas of Queensland.
State Library of Queensland holds a large collection of photographs and books documenting the history of ambulance services throughout Queensland. You can view a full list of resources on our One Search catalogue. Below is a sample of images from our collection.
Brisbane ambulance officers posing on a buggy with a wheeled litter attached to it. ca.1898. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 343
Brisbane ambulance workers posing in front of a wheeled litter ca. 1900. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg Brisbane ambulance officers posing on a buggy with a wheeled litter attached to it. ca.1898. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 22274
Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade officers posing in front of their Head Office in Wharf Street, Brisbane 1901. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 185641
Ravenswood Ambulance Brigade Headquarters 1902. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 199962
First ambulance building in Toowoomba ca. 1903. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 3361
Ambulance Officers preparing to transport an injured Central Queensland Meat Export Co. worker, ca.1905. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 49258
Queensland Ambulance office, Ipswich 1905. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 189478
Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade centre at Warwick ca. 1905. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 2560
Ambulance Offices in Townsville ca. 1906. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 204652
Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade, Bundaberg ca.1907. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 143841
Early motor ambulance carrying a two wheeled covered stretcher 1910-1920. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 3396
Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade officer at Southport 1912. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 189853
Ambulance in Warwick ca. 1912. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 3371
Official opening of the Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade building Maryborough Street, Bundaberg ca. 1913. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 3370
Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade at Canungra ca. 1915. First Q.A.T.B. building in Pine Creek Road, Canungra. Ambulance officers are: Matt Braiden; J. Lawton; Sid Auld; Mr. Tyson; and unidentified man. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 47017
Rail ambulance near Charters Towers ca. 1920. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 3468
Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade building, Mount Morgan ca. 1920. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 14846
Rail ambulance at Roma ca. 1921. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 66398
Side view of an ambulance showing the bed ready for a patient, Kingaroy 1923. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg Rail ambulance at Roma ca. 1921. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 189459
Ambulance car decorated for St. Patricks Day procession at Dalby ca. 1925. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 3465
Gympie Ambulance Centre at Crown Road, Gympie ca. 1926. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 4260
Kingaroy Ambulance being pulled across the Boyne River ca. 1928. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 149386
Illustrated front cover from The Queenslander November 6 1930. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image 702692-19301106-s001b
Ambulance station at Mount Isa, 1939. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 67998
Queensland Ambulance and Transport Board QATB headquarters in Marsh Street, Stanthorpe ca. 1950. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 140499
Myles Sinnamon – Project Coordinator, State Library of Queensland