Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM came to Nobby last Friday to honour the work of Sister Elizabeth Kenny with the official opening of the Nobby Museum’s Timeline panel depicting the development of Sister Kenny’s work over time.
It was standing room only inside the Nobby Museum as an excited crowd estimated at around sixty people waited for the arrival of the Queensland Governor and her husband.
The Vice-Regal couple came to pay tribute to the work of Nobby’s famous polio pioneer
Sister Elizabeth Kenny was the bush nurse who went against accepted polio treatments and developed her own methods that were at first rejected by medical authorities but ultimately universally accepted.
Those who attended included the Member for Condamine, Pat Weir along with a large number of Rotarians and interestingly, two cousins of Sister Kenny.
The cousins had never met previously but heard about the event on ABC radio and decided to attend and found themselves standing next to each other in the crowd.
After addressing the audience the Governor unveiled the panel that outlines the work Sister Kenny did in combating the debilitating effects of polio around the world.
Rotary International along with the Bill Gates Foundation has been heavily involved for many years in financing the fight against polio world-wide.
As a result Rotary Clubs in South East Queensland have long been a supporter of Nobby’s Sister Kenny Museum.
The Rotary Club of Jindalee along with other Rotary clubs in Queensland set about gaining grants for the project with the intent of donating the Timeline Panel to the Nobby Museum.
The Timeline Panel is a welcome addition to the highly professional collection of Sister Kenny artifacts and information exhibits that already make the museum a popular stop for locals and tourists.
With all the official duties concluded everyone enjoyed exploring the museum and the event finished with a lavish afternoon tea.
Its not everyday the Governor of Queensland visits Nobby and her time in the township was much appreciated by locals and visitors.
This article appeared in On Our Selection News, 22 August 2024.
