Nurse's Cape and Red Cross Memorabilia
Imagine the terrible injuries experienced by timber cutters, the illnesses that would spread through a Group Settlement, the snake bites and burns, let alone the many deliveries of babies in wooden shacks. Doctor Lionel Frederick West faced endless challenges in trying to help the Group Settler families when he came to the area in the 1920s. This red and blue cape was worn by Sister Judy Ditmar who was the community’s popular nursing sister at the Northcliffe Nursing Post for 37 years from 1974 to 2011. She brought this uniform cape with her when she left Royal Perth Hospital and moved from Perth to live in Windy Harbour. Over the years, the local Red Cross and local nurses have been vital in providing emergency and ongoing medical care, and the Nursing Post in Northcliffe continues to be an essential part of the community.
