Woodman Point Quarantine Station

Robert Steve McIntosh, or Roy as he preferred to be called, was born in Broken Hill in 1898 from descendants of the McIntosh family who originated from Northern Ireland. He was first appointed to the Commonwealth Department of Health in South Australia on the 22nd March 1921. Coincidently, this being the same year that Bertie Poore commenced employment with the West Australian Quarantine Service, and their careers paths would cross some 18 years later, as Roy would become Bertie's OIC, and this in turn would mean that this work partnership would be remembered as playing a major role and more importantly involved Woodman Point Quarantine Station during critical quarantine crisis' during WWII and later years, and this is a part of Western Australian history that seems to have been sadly forgotten.

First appointed to the Commonwealth Department of Health in March 1921 on a salary of £156 PA and his occupations in South Australia were listed as Assistant during the years of 1921-1924 and Fumigation Staff Port Adelaide during the years of 1925-1927. He was then promoted from Port Adelaide Quarantine to Albany Quarantine Station, but the year cannot be confirmed, however, it is assumed that it was in the early 1930s.

In 1938 whilst at Albany, his salary was £254 PA with a £10 allowance for his Master's Certificate. He was promoted to the Quarantine Station at Woodman Point on the 23rd March 1939 on a salary of £298 PA with a £10 allowance for his Master's Certificate. His duties at Woodman Point were listed as : In Charge of Station staff and responsible for maintaining, in good order, Station buildings, grounds, equipment, stores etc.

The war years between 1942-1944 appear to be remembered as, not only a well documented period at the Woodman Point Quarantine Station, but also remembered because of numerous photographs that were taken at the station. It should be remembered that this was during a critical chapter in Western Australian wartime when you consider conditions like nightly blackouts and security restrictions were imposed on the state and the WA public were of the opinion, and of a deep concern that a Japanese invasion threat was imminent . The difficulty with this and the pressure of running a quarantine station must have been extreme, to say the least. Notably, two patients with Smallpox that were well documented and photographed were, Jim Fox who was landed from the NZ Hospital Ship Mauganui and Dennis Barrington, a 17 year old Radio Operator, from the vessel Clan MacDonald. Both patients survived the disease, however Jim Fox lost an eye because of infection, and it was also recorded that Dennis Barrington possibly survived the disease due to a smallpox inoculation that was given to him in India just before the ship sailed and not long before he contracted the disease. Five more deaths from smallpox occurred during the year of 1943, and they were four Fijian seaman and the Chief Officer who cared for them from the New Zealand Trading vessel SS Suva.

Above are shown some of the vessels that caused a major concern during and after the war due to the large numbers of confirmed and suspected cases of smallpox, and this also played a prominent and extremely important part in the career of Roy McIntosh whilst he was stationed at Woodman Point. It should be noted, that during wartime children were not allowed to live on the station with their families and most were fostered out with relatives or sent to boarding schools. During Roy McIntosh's time at the Quarantine Station there were approximately 19 vessels that had active quarantine station shutdowns and caused major health alerts, and it should also be noted that the majority of these vessels were during critical times of WWII and into the late 40s and early 50s, especially during the large influx of immigrants at wars end.

Above are shown images of passengers and recently arrived immigrants that have been given the " all clear " and are farewelled at the Main Entrance/Exit Gate of the Woodman Point Quarantine Station by the O.I.C. Roy McIntosh. There were two vessels involved in major Smallpox scares during this period, The P&O Vessel Mooltan in 1949 and the P&O vessel Strathaird in 1954. The above images show passengers leaving the Woodman Quarantine Station after their compulsory detention since disembarking form the vessel Mooltan in May 1949

After the war conditions returned to normal, whereby children were allowed to live with their families once again, and the social side of a working quarantine station returned. The quarantine station at Woodman Point has always been renowned for , and taken pride in, its close- knit community, mainly because if its isolation and separation. This meaning that all the families that resided there took part in all manner of social activities and special social occasions, like birthdays and at Christmas. Fishing played a major part in the social activities, whether it be, fishing from the long quarantine jetty, net fishing, crabbing or family evenings on the beach , what ever it was everyone took part or was involved in some way or another and memories of these outings are still talked about today.

Between the years 1926 to 1956, 26 ships have been subject to quarantine at Woodman Point. 24 for Smallpox, and 1 for Influenza. Woodman Point was also responsible for quarantine procedures and disinfection precautionary measures against the import of Foot & Mouth Disease. On retirement Roy McIntosh's salary was in the range of £1002 - £1079 per annum.
This information was gathered from the records held by the Australian Archives Perth 7th July 1988 and kindly supplied by Neil Wilson.
It should also be noted that the Woodman Point Quarantine Station was kept in a continual state of readiness, and the maximum number of beds (283) were available at all times.

Robert Steve McIntosh remained at the Woodman Point Quarantine Station until his retirement on the 10th July 1963.

Tragedy struck the family in 1972 when his son Robert Keith McIntosh, aged 49 years, was killed in an accident on the 14th March 1972.

Open Day Woodman Point 7th June 2008
Neil Wilson - Ms. Florence McIntosh - Les Jubbs