A Part of Buderim's History

Shades of the Past-“The Contraption”

by Joyce Short
September 2011

When I was about 10 years old and going to the Buderim Mountain State School, a few of us were going up the school steps when a couple of boys coming down passed us and in a hushed voice said, “You want to see the funny looking thing down under the school?”  Off we went to explore.  But before we got much of a look at the contraption, which looked like a canvas stretcher on 2 big wheels, the Head Masters shout told us to all keep away from under the school.  By the next day the thing had disappeared?  Where had they dragged it from?  What had they done with it?  We never ever found out.

However, when I told Dad and Mum about it, Dad said that it was a mobile ambulance stretcher and was probably the one that had been used about 1919-20 when an epidemic of bubonic influenza had hit Australia.  All the schools had been closed and turned into temporary hospitals to treat the flu patients. 

Residents had been asked to volunteer as Ambulance bearers to bring patients in on this mobile stretcher. 

Dad and another man had been called on to go out near Footes farm and bring in a lady patient.  I bet that was some trip, both for the lady and the bearers, knowing how rutted and bumpy the old roads were. 

Apparently Buderim was spared from any very serious flu cases and after a while life got back to normal and schools reopened again.  I imagine the rooms had been well disinfected first-I hope so anyway!