Rosewood History

ACCIDENT, DISASTER, TRAGEDY, CRIME

20th December 1860 – Thomas Connoly (4) was killed by the overturning of a bullock-dray near the Rising Sun Hotel. Thomas and his mother Eliza were sitting on top of a loaded dray being driven by Charles Gill. Eliza was holding her youngest daughter Agnes. When going down a sideling, the dray overturned and part of the load fell on Thomas and crushed him. Thomas was asleep when the dray turned over. Constable Matthew Connolly was escorting some prisoners from Gatton and saw the incident, which was deemed to have been an accident after an inquiry.

17th November 1862 – Thomas Bentley, a carrier heading from Ipswich towards Toowoomba, passed James Conway another teamster, on the Rosewood side of the Seven Mile Bridge. Conway had a large consignment of goods for the Downs from the stores of John Murphy (the first Mayor of Ipswich). Bentley stopped at the Rising Sun Inn and James came along and they had a few drinks then left together. At the first culvert Bentley turned off to the left and Conway kept going. Bentley returned to the same road as Conway had taken and caught up with him about a mile further on. The dray was standing still and Conway was lying on the road. He went back to the Rising Sun to report it and then back to Conway, who died about 5 minutes after his return. Bentley took his body back to Ipswich. It appeared that the “off” wheel of the dray had gone over a stump and as the dray was loaded very high it tilted and James fell off. He died from a fractured skull. He was killed while crossing the “logging” between O’Brien’s public-house at Rosewood and Brandy Gully. His wife was expecting at the time. Their home was in South Street, Ipswich. Charlotte gave birth to a son whom she named James after his father. Tragically young James died aged 17 months 12 days of scarlet fever and diphtheria.

26th January 1863 – J. R. Rose, Jackson Curry and Edward Hendrick attempted to cross a flooded gully near the Rising Sun Hotel. When Rose’s horse started swimming they realised the depth of the water. Curry, who could not swim, yelled at him to jump off and swim back. The current was too strong so Curry yelled out for Hendrick to help if he could swim. Hendrick immediately jumped in and after reaching Rose both men were pulled under and drowned.

13th July 1865 – The Toowoomba coach was crossing the bridge near Rosewood. A bullock dray was coming in the opposite direction, and the driver of the coach drove faster than usual in order to get over the bridge in time. At the crack of the bullock driver’s whip, a spirited horse, one of the leaders, shied, and the three leaders fell together on the road. The horse that first shied broke part of the harness and got away, but was caught after a little trouble. The only damage sustained was a sprung pole, and a few scratches to one of the horses. The passengers weren’t injured.

5th December 1873 – Jane Brown, governess in the family of Mr. J. C. Foote, died as the result of her horse becoming unmanageable near the Seven Mile Creek and running her against a tree, at which time she received a severe blow to her forehead. She was riding with Rev. Mr. Mather and Mr. S.A. Mather. She was taken to Moore’s Hotel, near Rosewood Gate in a light spring cart where she was attended by Dr. Dorsey who gave little hope of her recovery. She died the next morning.

22nd November 1878 – The Rising Sun Hotel burned down.

4th May 1887 – David Quinlan, 10 years old, was run over by a spring cart and survived.

11th July 1888 – A lad named Benjamin Pickel who lived at Rosewood Gate, met with a painful accident. He was going for a load of water with a horse and cart, when the animal took fright at the rolling of a bucket on the dray and bolted. After travelling some distance the dray hit a stump and overturned. Benjamin fell underneath. The guard-iron struck his leg and broke his ankle. He was taken to the Ipswich Hospital and attended to by Dr. Thorton.

15th September 1888 – Patrick Connole, a labourer from Rosewood, was riding a horse on when it fell with him, breaking his collar-bone, and causing severe contsions to his right shoulder. He was taken to the Hospital about midday the next day.

15th September 1888 –  Eliza Meisner, a daughter of William Meisner, of Marburg, met with a painful mishap. She was going down the bank of the creek to drive up some calves, when she tripped over some small stones, and fell, breaking both bones of her left leg below the knee. She was conveyed to the Hospital at half-past 9 that night.

10th July 1889 – William Singleton, son of Joseph Singleton, a Rosewood farmer, was thrown out of the saddle when his horse bolted and dashed him against a tree. He was taken to the Ipswich hospital unconscious and suffering from concussion and he gradually recovered.

17th July 1894 – John Oliver, aged twenty-three years, a well-known resident and baker of Rosewood, was admitted into the hospital suffering from injuries as the result of an accident. He was out with his cart delivering bread in the vicinity of the town, when the horse took off and raced towards the railway gates. It is thought that John was standing by the cart when the animal bolted, and, in a plucky attempt to stop the runaway, he was knocked down. One of the wheels of the vehicle passed over his chest on the left side, breaking several ribs and also his left collar-bone, as well as causing other injuries of a less serious nature. He was attended at the hospital and eventually recovered.

26th February 1895 – Patrick James Farrell, fourteen years of age, was admitted into the Ipswich Hospital suffering from a fractured thigh. Early that morning he left home on horseback to bring in some horses from a paddock in the Rosewood Scrub. On the way he noticed a snake on a tree and, dismounting from his horse, he amused himself by throwing stones at it. After he got tired of it, he mounted his horse to leave when the animal took fright at the snake and bolted off at full gallop. The horse ran Patrick against a tree. He was thrown to the ground and had his right thigh broken. He lay on the ground till 4 o’clock in the afternoon, when he was noticed by a passer-by, who arranged for him to be taken to Rosewood. He was taken to Ipswich by the evening train. The injured limb was set by the medical superintendent (Dr. Thornton).

18th January 1902 – A  bolting of a pair of horses attached to a buggy belonging to Mr. Fuchs, who had recently bought the Grange Farm from Mr. M. Bensley. The runaways started from Mr. J. L. Frederich’s store and continued their race straight along as far as Messrs. Wohlgemuth and Spann’s saw-mill where they were stopped by a fence. No damage was done beyond the breaking of the splash-board.

1st June 1908 – The building and contents of Mr. Robert Sellars was destroyed by fire.

23 March 1911 – Fred Voigt, grandson of Mr and Mrs William Voigt of Rosewood, was amongst the crew of the SS Yongala which ran into a hurricane off the coast of Townsville. All hands were lost. Fred was a fireman on the steamship. Aboard was a crew of 70 men and 31 passengers. The wreck wasn’t found until 1958 off Cape Bowling Green..

8th July 1912 – A fire completely destroyed Mr. Batholomew Coveney’s shop in Albert Street.

3rd January 1914 – Fire destroyed nine businesses in John Street including the Rosewood Hotel.

8th January 1914 – Mr. Reg. Henning, carter for Mr. R. Sellars, was getting a load of wood at Woodford’s Sawmill when he slipped and fell on a sheet of galvanised iron, cutting a nasty ash his arm resulting in three stitches being inserted by Dr. Wallace.

12th February 1915 – Thomas Charles Mitchell, coal miner, poisoned himself with Lysol. The unfortunate man had been suffering from depression which had worsened after their move from Riverview to Rosewood about 5 months prior to the incident.

28th October 1916 – The quietness of John Street was disturbed on a Saturday about midnight when a number of young men, bent on having a word or two with Acting Sergt. Allen, assembled near his residence in John Street. They threw a quantity of road metal onto the roof of his house and joined together in giving him a hearty invitation out onto the street. The lads eventually dispersed and went home.

20th October 1918 – A Norwegian carpenter named Anthony Norbye was found hanging from the limb of a tree in a paddock along the Toowoomba Road by Rosewood Fruiterer, Fred Batzloff. The man was a stranger and had no relatives in the district. He had walked all the way from Brisbane and was heading for Toowoomba.

4th October 1919 – Henry Dow’s bakehouse was totally demolished by fire.

29th December 1920 – A fire occurred in the hay-sheds of Mr. J. De Vries, Rosewood, which completely destroyed all of his hay, together with a chaffcutting plant and engine. The hay-sheds and contents were insured for £500.

8th March 1922 – Mr. Tom Yarrow, of Ashwell, was harrowing on his farm, when the horses attached to the harrow were frightened by an approaching storm and bolted down a hill. Mr. Yarrow was thrown to the ground and a spike of the harrow caught his leg tearing the flesh away.

14th April 1924 – A single man named Michael Coleman, employed by James O’Shea, butcher, of Rosewood was found shot dead. Coleman left  for his employer’s slaughter yards, where he was to shoot a beast, and was found at about 8 a.m. lying near the slaughter pen shot through the head, his rifle lying nearby. It was thought that the unfortunate man committed suicide, but no reason was assigned for the deed. He came from Laidley.

7th February 1925 – Master Ernie Wright, who was employed by Messrs. O’Shea Brothers, butchers at Rosewood, had a serious accident. While he was riding into the shop yard the horse slipped and fell and Ernie fractured his leg. He was conveyed immediately to Dr. Wallace for medical attention. He was met at the Ipswich railway station by the ambulance, and taken to the hospital.

17th February 1925 – Mr. H. Embrey met with a painful accident when loading a wagon in Rosewood, his head came in contact with a protruding bar, which inflicted severe gashes. Dr. Wallace attended and inserted several stitches in the wound.

21st May 1925 – The Lyceum Picture Theatre was destroyed by fire.

28th January 1926 – The ringing of the church bell, with shouts of “fire” disturbed the quietude of Rosewood. A slight explosion occurred at Miss Brook’s pharmacy in the main street of Rosewood, but the flames were extinguished without delay and before much damage had been done.

10th June 1926 – Louisa Caroline Bade, aged 17 years, was murdered at Ebenezer by Alen Christopher Jeynes.
CONVICTION STANDS – FULL COURT’S CONCLUSIONS

26th September 1926 – A fire completely destroyed a six-roomed dwelling with a detached kitchen in John Street, owned and occupied until shortly before the fire by Henry Geiger. The fire started in one of the front rooms about 7 o’clock at night and the place was burned to the ground within an hour. Mr. and Mrs Geiger were holidaying at Redcliffe, and their son was living in the house. Their furniture was packed in the front rooms ready for removal to Ipswich. Mr and Mrs Matthew Yarrow, of Lanefield, were moving into the house. They had a load of furniture in the house and were getting another load when the fire broke out. Most of their furniture was saved. One resident, eager to warn the neighbourhood of the fire, pulled so vigorously on the rope attached to the bell at the Church of England that it broke. Meanwhile, someone had started sounding another church bell. Henry Geiger had the house insured for £600 but his losses were £1,000.

1st August 1927 – In the Rosewood police court before Mr. E. Collett J.P.,  Theo Sklavos, James Phil, and James Comino (of Ipswich) were charged with a breach of the Sunday Observance Act in carrying and discharging firearms on Sunday. Sergeant Tighe prosecuted. Defendants were fined £2 each.

1st August 1927 – Charles Parker was brought into Rosewood Police Station on August 1st by a passing motorist. He was found at his camp at the Seven-mile in distress and suffering acute pain. Sergeant Tighe arranged for him to be taken by the Ambulance to the Ipswich Hospital, where an operation for peritonitis was immediately performed. However, he passed away that evening. The old man was well known on the roads.

28th August 1929 – Mr. Stan Forsyth’s hayshed was destroyed by fire. The shed contained about 60 tons of hay and several implements.

25th April 1931 – Early that morning, a six roomed house owned and occupied by Mrs G. H. Kingston in William street was destroyed by fire. The flames had a good hold before the outbreak was discovered and Mr. and Mr.s Kingston escaped in their night attire. Only a sewing machine which was on the veranda was saved. The building was insured.

31st August 1931 – Mr. W. Pagel’s International truck, used for the conveyance of cream between  Mt. Walker and Rosewood, was badly damaged by fire. The truck, which was driven by Mr. N. Schealler, was making the return journey to Mt. Walker.

11th June 1933 – Norman Evers, a school boy, son of Mrs. J. E. Evers, Rosewood broke his left arm near the shoulder socket while cycling down a hill. He fell off his bicycle against a rock. After receiving medical treatment he was taken to Ipswich to be X-rayed and was admitted for treatment.

30th October 1933 – The Royal Hotel was badly damaged by fire and had to be rebuilt.

26th November 1933 – Vegetable and fruit crops were ruined and many windows were smashed in a violent hail storm which swept over the district. The storm was accompanied by a wind of gale force, vivid lightning and heavy crashes of  thunder. Hailstones penetrated the Congregational Church roof at Mount Walker just as they were beginning a service. A few hundred yards from the church a fire ball fell with a shattering detonation, and another fireball was reported to have struck the mountain near the township. Several trees were struck and splintered by the lightning, while one was hurled across the Mount Walker Rosewood-road, blocking it. For hours after the storm hail was piled 18 inches deep against fences. Rosewood was without electric light that night.

25th February 1931 – Margaret Dallinger, aged 13 months, was bitten twice on the foot by a tiger snake. She was on the verandah of the family home at Lanefield playing when a tiger snake coiled around and fastened onto her foot. Her grandfather, Mr. P. Balke, had a cat with a reputation of being a “snake-killer”. Her grandmother said the cat dragged the snake onto the verandah. The child, attempting to play with the cat, became the object of the snake’s venom. The snake was killed, and the child was taken to Rosewood immediately for medical treatment. She was put into a private hospital and reportedly recovered.

17th July 1931 – A break and enter occurred at the premises of Messrs. O’Brien and Yarrow.

29th September 1932 – About 4 a.m. a large barn and its contents, owned by Harry Embrey of Perry’s Knob, was burnt down. The barn was about 100 years away from the house. It was impossible to save any of the machinery which included a corn husker and sheller. The barn was not insured.

6th January 1933 – James Carmody, the 12 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Carmody met with a painful accident, when his right hand became caught in a mincing machine at his father’s butcher shop. He was taken to Ipswich for medical attention, and it was thought that one of his fingers would have to be amputated.

4th June 1933 – Report in the Sunday Mail, page 15 – At Rosewood a man named Harsey was working on a crushing plant in operation when he slipped and his left foot was dragged between the great steel rollers. His screams sent another man rushing to the driving engine, which he promptly stopped, and at great personal risk tore off the revolving driving belt.The rollers stopped, but not before Harsey’s foot had passed through well over the middle, crushing it almost to a pulp. Thanks to modern surgical skill, amputation was unnecessary, and after some months in the Ipswich Hospital the man was able to get about again. Today he is working on road construction on the North Coast.

7th July 1934 – That night, Stanley Grant, farmer, of Rosewood, was taken to the General Hospital in an unconscious condition and was treated for a probable fracture of the skull, concussion, and shock. He was thrown from his motor cycle when it collided with a horse on Amberley Road. The collision was noticed by the occupants of a car on the road and the ambulance was summoned. He was still unconscious 24 hours late, but survived.

26th January 1935 – Four men were found beside a damaged sedan car near a culvert at Seven Mile on the Rosewood road. The car apparently had somersaulted down an embankment, coming to rest finally on its wheels, only slightly damaged. Peter O’Reilly was driving and his bother James (both of Rosewood) was in the front passenger seat. W. Taylor (of Beenleigh) and J. Gibson were in the back seat. The two passengers in the front seat were jammed between the controls of the car. It was found necessary to cut the clutch pedal before Peter could be removed, as his foot was caught between the accelerator and the clutch. The gear lever and handbrake effectively jammed James O’Reilly, who also was badly injured on the temple. The impact rendered Gibson unconscious, while Taylor received serious injuries. A passing motorist, Mr. E. Battle, discovered the accident and drove to Rosewood for help. Ambulance bearers at Ipswich received a call at 8.50 p.m. notifying them of the accident, but on their arrival found that Dr. Wallace, of Rosewood had been summoned and had attended to them. The men were rushed to the General Hospital, two of whom James O’Reilly and Taylor were admitted in a serious condition.The condition of Peter O’Reilly and Gibson was satisfactory. Sergeant Scanlan and Constable Turner were also on the scene. The damage to the car was estimated at over £200.

2nd June 1935 – A plane giving joy flights struck a stump when taking off from Anzac Park. It was forced to land when the pilot found a suitable place to land, which happened to be in Charles Dutney’s sorghum patch.

18th July 1935 –  Fire destroyed seven horse stalls and some packing straw, valued at £100, the property of the Rosewood Show Society. The fire  started in the grass at the show grounds and spread westward to the boxes which were built against the fence. Townspeople organised by Sergeant Scanlan formed a bucket brigade and took water from a well a few yards from the fence. After half an hour the fire was under control. The stalls were not insured.

10th April 1936 – Mr. James Higgins, licensee of the Royal George Hotel, Rosewood, and Mr. John Hefferan, radio salesman, of Ipswich, whenapproaching the curve on the road just near the Seven Mile their car failed to take the curve and ran into a gully nearby, where it struck some piles of an old bridge. John Herman was driving. The two were returning to Rosewood from Ipswich about 9p.m.. Les and Ron Williams, who were fishing at the creek nearby, heard the crash and immediately ran to the scene of the accident. They found both men lying on the ground, having been thrown out through the door of the car. A car driven by Colin Dutney came along and immediately returned to Rosewood and reported the accident to Sergeant Aspinall. The Sergeant and Dr. Wallace were quickly on the scene. The men were made comfortable until the arrival of the Ipswich Ambulance. They were taken to the Ipswich Hospital. The car, which was owned by Mr. P. Woods. of Ipswich, was badly damaged. The accident occurred at the same place where a sedan met a similar fate on Foundation Day, 1935. On that occasion four men were injured.

11th February 1938 – Fire destroyed the Rosewood Sawmill owned by estate of the late G. S. H. Aitkinson.

28th April 1938 – A fire broke out in a four- roomed wooden building with a detached kitchen in Matthew-street, completely destroying both the building and its contents. The house, which was owned by Mrs. Herb. Wright, was an old place. Mr. and Mrs. Wright were in the town at the time. From the time that the alarm was first given the blaze spread rapidly and it was soon obvious that nothing could be done to save the structure. Church bells in the town were rung and a large crowd had gathered. Although a few buckets of water were thrown on the burning house they had no apparent effect. The house and furnishings were insured.

5th May 1939 – Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Freeman, Rosewood were on their way to visit their daughter, Mrs. A. Coulson, at Murgon. They met with a slight mishap between Nanango and Murgon. Their car overturned on the road, and both occupants received bruises and shock, and Mr. Freeman received a cut on the leg which required three stitches.

12th March 1939 – Conrad Edgar Gruber (17) killed his father, Fritz. Max Hugo Gruber, at The Bluff while defending his mother.  SHOOTING OF FARMER

17th June 1939 –  Mr. and Mrs. R. Sellars had a car accident between Goodna and Redbank on their journey home to Rosewood from Tewantin. Their car crashed through a fence, slipped 40 feet down an embankment and came to rest on its side on a railway line. It was the culmination of a series of mishaps that evening caused by flooded watercourses and foggy conditions. Members of their family drove to the scene of the accident and took their parents home to Rosewood. Mrs. Sellars suffered from shock and minor injuries and Mr. Sellars’ injuries were minor also. Both had remarkable escapes.   See a report here.

5th January 1940 – A barn on Mr. Moses Freeman’s farm at Tallegalla was destroyed by fire. Besides large quantities of maize, the barn contained an engine, a chaff-cutter and a quantity of harness. All the contents, with a large supply of hay stored in the awning of the building, were destroyed. Mr. Freeman estimated his loss at £160. Neither the barn nor the contents were insured.

21st January 1940 – A violent, cyclonic storm hit Rosewood.

13th April 1941 – Miss Lottie Harding (33 years) was found dead near her home with bullet wounds in her neck and mouth. The discovery was made by her parents, Mr. and Mrs.Ernest Harding of Cabanda, about three miles from Rosewood. They had left home in the morning to visit relatives in the district and when they returned about midday they found their daughter lying  near the house with a pea-rifle and some discharged caps nearby. She had been unwell for some time.

29th January 1943 – Garry Edwin Greet, 18 months, wandered from his home at Ashwell, near Rosewood and was found later by his mother and sisters floating in a dam about 40 yards away. His mother applied artificial respiration and he responded. Later he was taken to hospital.

15th June 1947 – Arthur Walter Neave, Rosewood, died from injuries received when he struck a horse on the One Mile bridge while riding a motor cycle. William Henry Hertrick, a contractor, found him lying on the bridge beside his motor cycle at 9.45 o’clock on the night of the accident. He set off for the West Ipswich police station for help, and on the way stopped to speak to a young man named Dudley Curwen. Curwen told him that he had been involved in the accident. He was riding a horse when the “chap” on a motor cycle ran into him. Hertick took Curwen with him to the police station. On the way they came across the Curwen’s horse which was being held by a man. The pair returned to the scene of the accident with Constable Rawlings, and shortly afterwards the Ambulance arrived. Arthur Neave’s body and Curwen were taken away.

25th October 1949 – What otherwise may have been a serious loss to the Rosewood Agricultural and Horticultural Association was averted through the action of an employee of the Rosewood sawmill, advising the Secretary of the association (Mr. Les. Schumann), by telephone, that smoke was coming from the pavilion under the grandstand on the Showground. Investigations showed that a short circuit in the electric wiring had occurred. Power was immediately cut off, and the fault was fixed.

1st January 1950 – Andrew Langford Fisher (20), single, of Albert Street, Rosewood, was killed instantly when the car he was driving left the road and capsized on the Ipswich-Rosewood road at about 12.5 a.m. Police inquiries showed that Fisher  was travelling alone and was driving an 8 h.p. roadster, the property of Robert Evans, of John-street, Rosewood. He was travelling from Ipswich to his home at Rosewood when the car left the road about half a mile on the Rosewood side of the Seven Mile Bridge. The car capsized and overturned several times. Its hood was torn off. Ipswich ambulance rushed to the scene and found Fisher lying about 10 yards away from the car. He was dead on their arrival. A post mortem examination disclosed that death was due to cerebral concussion, haemorrhage and shock. 

23rd March 1950 –  An elderly Rosewood motorist who usually drove down a back street because he did not like driving in the traffic in Brisbane-street, was involved in a fatal collision at the intersection of Brisbane and Burnett Streets, Ipswich. 

Constable William Llewellyn Bennett was patrolling along Brisbane-street when he saw a small utility truck jammed against the awning post of a butcher’s shop, and a larger truck with the front portion damaged. He also saw a man and a woman, whom he later ascertained to be Hulbert Gordon Munroe Hamilton and Lucy Hamilton, of Yates-street, Rosewood, lying on the footpath. The woman was then unconscious. Lucy died at the Ipswich General Hospital the next day.

Constable Bennett then interviewed Neville Gordon Davis, of 26 Gordon-street, Stone’s Corner, Brisbane, who was the driver of the truck. He said he was coming up Brisbane-street towards West Ipswich at a speed of 15 miles per hour with a load of about seven tons. When he stopped at the Burnett-street intersection he saw the utility coming in the opposite direction. It was travelling about 25 miles per hour, and was about 50ft. away from his vehicle. He then saw the driver extend his hand indicating that he intended to turn right into Burnett-street.

“I was halfway across the intersection. There was nothing to stop him from seeing me, and I thought he wanted to turn right behind me. All of a sudden I saw him coming in front of me. I hit the brakes with all I had, and the truck skidded into the near side door of the utility.” 

The Constable later interviewed Hulbert Hamilton at the Ipswich General Hospital, and told him that marks on the roadway showed that he had driven his vehicle from West Ipswich along Brisbane-street, and was turning into Burnett-street when the collision occurred. He had replied, “That would be right, as I usually drive up Burnett-street and park the truck in Limestone-street, as I do not like driving down Brisbane-street where all the traffic is.” 

31st August 1950 – Four members of the one family were injured in a collision between a car and a truck at the junction of Toowoomba-road and Chubb-street, One Mile. They were Rev. S. W. Vaham, Church of Christ minister, of Albert Street, Rosewood, contused wound above the right eye and injury to the right leg; Miss W. Vaham (16), lacerated wound above the right eye, concussion; Miss D. Vaham (18), lacerated wound above the right eye; Miss E. Vaham (15), front teeth knocked out.

All received first aid from Ipswich Ambulance bearers, and were taken to the General Hospital. Miss W. Vaham was detained for further treatment. Mr. Vaham was driver of the sedan, and George Williams, of William Street, Rosewood was the driver of the truck. It was loaded with sawn timber. Police were told that the truck, which was travelling from Rosewood, was turning from Toowoomba-road into Chubb-street when the collision occurred. Vaham was travelling towards Rosewood along the Toowoomba-road. The accident occurred about 6.50 p.m.

23rd October 1950 – DECISION RESERVED ON DANGEROUS DRIVING – George William Williams (47, miner)

6th February 1951 – About 6a.m, a four-roomed home with verandah and kitchen at Ebenezer, was destroyed by fire. It was owned by Barry Arthur Deane, a farmer. The fire originated at the kerosene stove. Th house was insured.

5th April 1951 – A farmer was pinned to the ground by the steering wheel of a tractor which overturned while he was constructing drains on an unused road at his farm at Mt. Walker. George Hearne (39), formerly of Ipswich, was killed instantly. Hearne, who conducted a garage next to the Ambulance Centre at North Ipswich and later an agency in Down Street, took up farming about two years prior on a property in the Mt. Walker district about 10 miles from Rosewood. That morning, with a neighbour, he began constructing drains across an unused road which separated parts of his farm property. The work was done with a tractor. At the back, a small grader known as a ditch-digger, was attached. While Hearne was driving the tractor up a steep bank the grader blade dug deeply into the earth, causing the tractor to “rear up” and overturn backwards. Hearne was pinned to the ground. He was alone when the accident occurred.

17th May 1951 – David Morgensen (3), Just-street, Rosewood, was admitted to the General Hospital suffering from a large laceration to the head, concussion and shock. His condition was serious.The child was knocked down in Albert-street by a car driven by Percival Domrow. The accident occurred about 4.20 p.m. Treatment was given by the Rosewood Ambulance and a doctor, and the boy was then taken to the hospital. 

29th November 1951 – Colin Roach  of Allen-street, Rosewood, a baker employed at Evers bakery, suffered a large lacerated wound on the left thigh when he was struck by a piece of steel. The steel broke away from a splitting wedge. First aid was rendered by the Rosewood Ambulance, and he was taken to the local doctor’s surgery for further attention. 

Eric Anderson, of Ashwell, a miner employed at United No. 8 Colliery, suffered second degree burns to three fingers on the right hand and burns to the right arm last night while endeavouring to repair a motor car. First aid was given by the Rosewood Ambulance and he was conveyed to the Ipswich General Hospital. After treatment he was allowed to return home.

27th May 1952 – When the engine backfired, the carburetter of a Studebaker utilIty caught fire in Railway Street about 8.30 o’clock night. The car was owned and driven by Harry Alfred Lee (Matthew Street) who was accompanied by his wife and family. The heat from the flames burst the petrol filter bowl below the vacuum tank, and the fire spread over the engine. It was extinguished. however, before it had a chance of spreading to beyond the engine. None of the occupants were injured.

4th October 1952 – When she slipped and fell on a step at her home in Belmont Street, Mrs. Annie Lee fractured her right ankle.

5th October 1952 – Daryl Brown (9), Skinner Street, suffered a fractured right leg while practising jumping about 5 o’clock that afternoon. 

3rd May 1953 – A 22-year-old member of the Australian Regular Army was killed instantly when his motor cycle failed to negotiate a bend in the Mt Walker Road, about five miles from Rosewood. He was Corporal Raymond Bruce Pearsall. Corporal Pearsall was stationed at Wacol, and his home address was 19 Grafton Street, Cairns. He was thrown from his cycle against a fence, and was dead when the Rosewood ambulance arrived. John Fletcher (15) saw the accident occur while watchng from the window of a farm house. Cpl. Pearsall suffered a compound fracture of the right leg, chest and head injuries. The accident took place about 1.45 p.m..

20th February 1953 – Mrs. A. Baills, John Street, Rosewood, received a large lacerated wound to the palm of her left hand when a tin-opener she was using slipped on Friday afternoon. She was given first aid by the Rosewood ambulance. and after further treatment at a doctor’s surgery was allowed to return home.

23rd May 1953 – Trevor Alan Williams (8) was fatally injured at Rosemount Colliery. He rode a wagon down the tunnel for about 90 yards and it overturned.

25th February 1954 – A Marburg couple and their three children escaped uninjured when the Tourer in which they were traveling crashed over the side of Mason’s Bridge and fell shout 15ft to the gully below.  Walter John Anderson, Marburg, was being driven by his wife, Ethel Mavis Anderson along John Street towards the shopping centre about 6.10 p.m. Ethel made a left hand turn on to Mason’s bridge and the car got out of control. It jumped the kerbing of the bridge and fell into the gully. The vehicle, an old model with a fabric hood, came to rest facing the way it had come. The crash was heard at the Rosewood Ambulance Centre and a car was sent to the bridge. Anderson, his wife, and their three children were examined for injury, and it was found they had escaped except for shock. The car later was put back on to the road.

3rd November 1954 – One wheel of a horse-drawn cart passed over Marian Rea of Thagoona twice while she was lying on a Rosewood street after being thrown from the cart. Suffering probable internal injuries and shock, she was given attention by the Rosewood ambulance and a Rosewood doctor and transported to the Ipswich General Hospital. She made a good recovery. The accident, which occurred in Railway Street, was caused when the horse took fright.

28th March 1956 – Michael Ahearn of Mt Walker lost his life when his car collided with a Brisbane bound mail train at the Rosewood Level Crossing.

10th April 1979 – Ruhno’s Store was completely destroyed by fire.

26th May 1989 – A Teenager lost his left foot and received multiple back injuries when he slipped beneath a Helidon-bound train. Matthew John Foyle, 15, of Calvert, near Rosewood, was alighting from the rail motor at Calvert Station at about 4.12pm when he slipped on the wet platform. He was transported to Ipswich General Hospital by the Rosewood ambulance and was reported to be in a stable condition last night.

1st December 2021 – About 1.10pm an unknown man entered the NAB on John Street and produced a firearm demanding money.