Woodman Point Quarantine Station

James Morris
Born
Fremantle WA
30th. March 1920

Passed away
Batemans Bay, NSW.
4th. December 2004

James was born in Fremantle WA. on the 30th. March 1920, the youngest of seven children to Hannah (nee Field) and Jack Morris. Hannah migrated to Australia from England aboard the "Essex", arriving in Fremantle in 1901. James grew up in Bicton and attended school in Richmond Fremantle. He was a bit of a larrikin and was always getting into trouble at school. He was good at maths and left school at the age of 14 to work for his brothers. He enjoyed fishing, dancing, photography, gardening, tumbling and swimming. He loved music and played the clarinet at a community radio station for a vocalist group in Western Australia.

Jim Morris was also an excellent photographer, and his hobby turned into a professional sideline.

He tried his hand as a roustabout on a sheep station at Canna and carted wheat at Dangin. He was employed by Metro Buses in Perth as a junior garage hand from 1939 until he commenced compulsory training in the Australian Military Forces (AMF) in 1940. He was called up for permanent service in 1941. He was stationed in Darwin N.T. for 8 months of his 5 years service in the AMF in the Malaria Control unit, controlling Dengue Fever. He was honourably discharged from the Anti Aircraft unit at Fremantle Barracks in 1946, and he then returned to the Metro Buses Company in 1946 as an Omnibus driver.

Jim Morris with brother Fred, in Darwin 1943

Jim and Norma 1964

Norma May Morris 1945

(left) Jim as a Postie at the Bayswater Post Office in 1958
Jim Morris can be seen 2nd from right in the above image

Norma Morris 1965

In September 1962 James transferred to the Commonwealth Dept of Health as a Quarantine Assistant Grade 1. His duties included Ship and Air post inspections relating to Rats, Vermin, Sanitation of Fumigations. The family including Thelia's Siamese cat Tammy moved into living quarters at A Block on the Quarantine Station where they were immediately vaccinated against smallpox. Thelia attended the South Coogee Primary School and later the John Curtin High School. In 1964 the family shifted residence from A Block to the OIC Quarantine Station Residence where Pixie the Siamese cat was born. The families favourite pastime at the station was fishing, catching crabs and cobblers and walking through the bush and on the beach.

Quarantine Station residence.1964

Jim Morris took the above image, and Norma is on the right

Morris Family Memories at the Quarantine Station Woodman Point

Thelia Morris and Jan Biltoft. 1965

The Quarantine Station's tennis court in 1965. Penny Harrison and Thelia Morris

The Quarantine Station in 1965 as seen from the Morris residence

In 1965 Thelia was heartbroken when told the family was moving to Katherine, in the middle of nowhere, and that Pixie, the cat, had to remain in WA in the care of a family friend.
Her father, Jim had been promoted to Municipal Inspector in the Department of Interior at Katherine in the Northern Territory. In this position he wore many hats. He was responsible for investigating complaints; beautification of the town; public safety and hygiene; funeral director and undertaker, meter reading, maintenance grounds of three Cemeteries (including the famous Elsey Cemetery); NTA residence inspections and the supervision of eight industrial employees and cleaners.
Moving from Woodmans Point to Katherine was a life changing experience for the whole family.
In Katherine James and Norma were first introduced to Lapidary and started collecting indigenous artefacts. Norma worked as a cleaner/housemaid for the Commonwealth Hostels.
Thelia left school at aged 15 and worked in the office at March Motors.
The family made many friends in the community including indigenous Australians.

of his favourite pastimes in the Territory 1968

In 1969 the family moved to Canberra A.C.T. where James was promoted to Assistant Keeper of relics at the Australian War Memorial. Norma gained permanent employment as a Clerical Assistant with the Department of Immigration. Thelia married in 1973 and has two children Kenneth and Rachael Halford.

Jim Morris, just after arriving in Canberra in 1969

Thelia Morris on her wedding day 1973

In 1981 James and Norma retired and in 1982 they moved to Tomakin N.S.W. where they pursued their love of gardening, fishing, bushwalking, dancing, lapidary and gold panning.
James and Norma were valued members of the Moruya & District Historical Society, spending many hours on the Museum roster and many years as office bearers for the Museums photographs. A sword that James retrieved from the bottom of the ocean at the end of the Quarantine jetty was donated to the Museum where it remains today.

in NSW

Batemans Bay New South Wales

Thelia Halford (nee Morris) has returned to Woodman Point on two occasions, once in 1981 and then in 2002, and without doubt these visits brought back many fond family memories of her time at the Woodman Point Quarantine Station, that now comes under the jurisdiction of the Department of Sport and Recreation.
Below are some of the images taken during these visits that Thelia has kindly offered share with us.

Recently fenced area that was the original Quarantine Station Beach shown here in 1981

Original Quarantine Caretaker's Residence 1981

Original Quarantine Station Caretaker's Residence 2002

Coogee Primary School 2002

Sadly James Morris passed away at age 84 on the 4th. December 2004 after a long illness. He was survived by his wife Norma, daughter Thelia, grandson Ken and granddaughter Rachael. Norma moved out of the family home and now resides in a retirement village at Batemans Bay.

Norma Morris, Christmas 2010, Batemans Bay. New South Wales.

All family history information that was used to compile

The Morris Family Legacy

was kindly donated by Ms.Thelia Halford