Celebrating 100 years of Cooroy Ambulance

COOROY Ambulance Service celebrated its 100-year anniversary at the Cooroy Memorial Hall on 1 July. Many attended an event, staged by the Cooroy Local Ambulance Committee and Queensland Ambulance Service History and Heritage, to celebrate and pay tribute to the long history of Cooroy ambulance services, which began as a Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade (QATB) Honorary Centre in 1923.

Cooroy & District Local Ambulance Committee (LAC) president Linley Macleod said she would like to thank all those who supported the event.

“The celebration of the remarkable service to our community by ambulance officers, superintendents, the QATB committees who funded them from 1923 until 1991, and the QAS paramedics and LACs of today, was a true community effort.”

Linley said people travelled long distances to the event and a number donated family service memo- rabilia, thereby ensuring a lasting memory of a loved one’s service was in safe hands.

“The hall was filled with the buzz of unexpected reunions and reminiscing of former and current QAS officers-in-charge, retired paramedics and family members of those who had served, all enjoying the moment.”

In attendance were Member for Noosa Sandy Bolton, QAS Commissioner Craig Emery, Assistant Commissioner Stephen Gough, Noosa SES Local Controller Warren Kuskopf, LAC Advisory Council members Josie Meng and Desley Cunnington, Dr Dave Kirkman, and OICs from Cooroy, Noosa, Pomona and Tewantin and QAS paramedics, who were presented with medals for long service and state disaster participation.

“Cooroy Rotary provided much-needed transport assistance for display items and donated the sausage sizzle. I am told over 250 sausages were prepared and enjoyed by those attending.

“Cooroy RSL donated $1,000, the CWA volunteered their time to oversee the kitchen and refreshments, and the Cooroy-Noosa Genealogical & Historical Research Group Inc. and Noosa Museum members provided their time and an amazing array of memorabilia, static displays and local stories of working in challenging times, fundraising, and entertaining personal exploits, and manned the exhibits to chat with visitors and QAS Community Educator Suzette Dakin and the Black Mountain First Responders were on hand showcasing and teaching the life-saving skill of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

“The day was a fitting testament to the men and women of the ambulance service who continue to provide comfort, support and first-class frontline emergency service 24/7 to the community,” Linley said. See more photos on page 21.