Woodman Point Quarantine Station

A Memorial Service was held at Woodman Point on Saturday the 19th March to commemorate the life of Sister Barbara Smith. 1908 - 1930
The Memorial Service followed by a Heritage Tour, was organised by Sister Eugenia Brennan of the Sisters of St.John of God, and Earle Seubert, Vice President of the Friends of Woodman Point Recreation Camp.

Sister Barbara attended the patient James Sharpe at St.John of God hospital from the 12th Feb. 1930 to the 17th Feb. 1930 when he was removed to the Woodman Point Quarantine Station after being misdiagnosed with Typhoid. Although vaccinated that day, Sister Barbara had not been vaccinated against smallpox in infancy. She and the other contacts :

Nursing Sister: Sister Mary Olibar
Nursing Sister: Sister Mary Callista
Nursing Sister: Sister Mary Eugene
Nursing Sister: Sister Mary Mary Lucina
Trained Nurse: Amy Elizabeth Holywell
Trained Nurse: Violet Howson
Patient:Alfred George Kipling

were removed to Woodman Point Quarantine Station on the 18th February 1930

Sadly Sister Barbara Smith was infected and passed away in the Observation Hospital at Woodman Point on the 17th March 1930.

The bell from the vessel "Empire Mist" was purchased from a Mr. David Ferry in Modesto. California, by Earle Seubert, Vice President of "Friends", and Ken Burton, former Manager of Woodman Point Recreation Camp, and donated for display in the Interpretation Centre of the Isolation Hospital. It was officially unveiled by the former 3rd Mate of the " Empire Mist ", Mr.G.M.Griffiths, who was a member of the crew when it came under quarantine juresdiction off Fremantle with suspected Smallpox cases onboard in 1944.

2008 was a special year for the former quarantine station at Woodman Point. It marks the centenary of the federal quarantine system in Australia and celebrations have been happening Australia-wide including an exhibition at the National Museum Canberra.
To mark this important event, Ian Darroch, Author of "The Boonah Tragedy" addressed visitors on a little known episode of World War 1 when the troopship 'Boonah' arrived in Fremantle with servicemen infected with the 'Spanish Flu'. A number of the soldiers quarantined at Woodman Point, and the nurses who cared for them, died.
Another guest speaker was Gaye Nayton, Heritage Archaeologist. Gaye successfully tendered for a Lotterywest heritage interpretation grant to conduct an archaeology survey of two known quarantine station cemeteries. Gaye described the survey results to date, and took visitors on tours of Woodman Point's military cemetery.
Another highlight of these special proceedings was the presentation by Earle Seubert of Friends' a Life Membership to Bob Poore. Bob has had a long and close association with the quarantine station. His father, Bertie commenced employment there in 1921 and lived with his young family on site. Bob was born at Woodman Point in 1931. He has contributed to the work of Friends since its inception and he was one of the original Committee members. The award of Life Membership is in recognition of Bob's regular contribution of historic material on the former quarantine station and for his willingness to assist Friends in promoting the heritage significance of Woodman Point.
Earle Seubert, Event Organiser, would like to thank Lotterywest , the Department of Sport and Recreation, the City of Cockburn, Bob and June Poore, Fremantle Ports, and Princi Butchers for their monetary and physical support to Friends of Woodman Point Recreation Camp (Inc). The success of this event was also due to all those who helped on the day, including Friends' Committee members, DSR staff members (Kylee Graham and David Mulcahy) and especially, David Mann, and Ron Tillett. Fine weather attracted nearly 200 visitors and a special day was had by all.