Inventions and innovations
Royal Flying Doctor Service
1. Royal Flying Doctor Service
The service was founded by Reverend John Flynn in 1928 to administer a missionary doctor to the needs of the men and women scattered between Wyndham and Cloncurry, Darwin and Maree.
2. Cervical cancer vaccination
Immunologist Professor Ian Frazer developed a cervical cancer vaccine, which protects women from Human Papillomavirus (HPV). In January 2006 he was named Australian of the Year.
3. Polio treatment
In the 1930s Sister Elizabeth Kenny, a bush nurse working in country New South Wales and Queensland, developed a radically new method of treating children with polio. Her work went on to be internationally acclaimed and contributed to the early development of the new discipline of physiotherapy.
4. Blue Care (formerly Blue Nurses)
Best known for house calls to the sick and elderly, Blue Care began life as the Blue Nursing Service as an outreach initiative of the members of the congregation of the Methodist Mission at West End in inner Brisbane in 1953.
5. School of the Air
Since the 1960s, children living in isolated areas of the State have had access to school lessons via HFradio. As of 2005, all seven Schools of Distance Education deliver regular scheduled lessons via telephone, representing one of the most significant changes to the delivery of distance education in the last 30 years.
6. Billabong
Surf clothing company, Billabong was founded on the Gold Coast in 1973 by surfer and surfboard shaper Gordon Merchant and his partner. Today, Billabong International's products are sold in more than 10,000 stores across the globe.
7. Lamington
The chocolate and coconut sponge cake was named after Baron Lamington, Governor of Queensland from 1895 to 1901. The afternoon tea treat was served in his Toowoomba Harlaxton House. To this day, tea and lamingtons are part of the festivities that follow most Australian Citizenship ceremonies.
8. Kids Alive – Do the Five
In 1988 swimming coach Laurie Lawrence created the 'Kids Alive – Do the Five' water safety program. The program educates the public on five important steps to reduce the risk of preschool drowning. The Kids Alive pantomime is the most popular free touring show in Australia.
9. Lucas' pawpaw ointment
In search of a natural remedy for disease, Dr Thomas P. Lucas carried out scientific studies that led to his formulation of pawpaw ointment, a mild antiseptic for the prevention of infection in wounds.
10. Weis Fruit Bar
Weis Frozen Foods is a second generation family ice cream company that started in Toowoomba in 1957. The company uses all natural ingredients and home-grown recipes.
11. Immune system research wins the Nobel Prize
Queensland born and educated immunologist Professor Peter Doherty shared the 1996 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with his Swiss colleague Professor Rolf Zinkernagel for discoveries on how the immune system recognises virus-infected cells. He was Australian of the Year in 1997.
12. Southern Cross windmills
In 1876 Griffiths Bros. & Co were credited with making the first windmills in Australia - the "Griffith Mills" - at their Toowoomba factory. In 1903 the factory sold its first commercial windmill under the trade name, "Southern Cross". The Southern Cross became the most popular windmill in Australian history.
13. Tilt Train
Commencing services in 1997, the electric Tilt Train runs from Brisbane to Rockhampton. With a top speed of 165 km/h, and the ability to tilt five degrees in each direction, the Tilt Train is the fastest train in Australia.
14. Dingo fence
The wild dog barrier fence (previously called the dingo barrier fence) was first proposed in the late 1940s to protect sheep from wild dog attacks. Erection was completed in the late 1950s. Originally the graziers were responsible for maintaining the fence.
15. wotif.com.au
Graeme Wood came up with the idea of selling discounted rooms at the last minute online. The website was launched in Brisbane in 2000.
The inclusion of a person, event, invention or place on the Q150 icons list is not intended to offend or upset any individual member or groups of the public nor does it constitute an endorsement or affiliation by Q150, the State of Queensland, their officers, employees or agents with that person, event, invention, place, or any affiliated product or service.
Last reviewed 4 June 2009
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