Mareeba Historical Society

The Mareeba Historical Society started the new year off with the great news that the third display of their First World War series, the Nurses and Medicos photographic display, had won the Australia Day's Community Event of the Year award from the Mareeba Shire Council.  The Secretary of the group, Helen Kindt didn't think they stood a chance of winning and so was very pleased with the award.  This display closed in late January after a twelve week viewing to make way for the Society's fourth and last display in this series.  The new Non-combatants display, which was officially opened on the 5th February, chronicles the actions of the men and women who took part in the war while never carrying a gun.  The display also covers the amazing contribution of around sixteen million animals, mostly horses and mules but also dogs, carrier pigeons and even cats that were used to keep down the rats in the trenches.  The Non-combatants display will run until the end of April.  The Society is also calling for more helpers to come into their Centre to assist with the many little jobs that are needed to be done to run the group and to help John on the morning of the Mareeba Markets to erect the gazebo and set up the tables and put out the boxes of books for the fundraising stall.