Morning tea showcases best of Childers

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Childers
The pressure is on! Mayor Jack Dempsey was joined at the Old Pharmacy in Childers today by Deputy Mayor Bill Trevor and Pharmacy co-ordinator Bev Santacaterina. The Mayor was in attendance to acknowledge the great group of volunteers who man the Old Pharmacy and took the opportunity to examine some of the items on display.

Scones, jam and cream were out in force around Childers yesterday with the local CWA hosting Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea and the Pharmaceutical Museum honouring Volunteers Week.

Mayor Jack Dempsey and Deputy Mayor Bill Trevor attended the functions and acknowledged the great work the groups contributed to their community.

The Old Pharmacy, known as Childers Pharmaceutical Museum, is staffed by volunteers aligned with the Isis District Historical Society. The Old Pharmacy which is located in Gaydon’s Building in the main street provides an insight into the operations of a chemist shop and dental surgery of 100 years ago.

The Pharmacy is a veritable museum of pills and potions, books and bottles and equipment that looks as if it may have been better placed in a torture chamber.

Co-ordinator at the Old Pharmacy, Bev Santacaterina said the group had 13 volunteers at the moment and they were rostered to ensure the facility was kept open for the benefit of visitors.

“It’s quite amazing how many people wander in and ask if they can have their prescriptions filled,” laughed Bev.

Old Pharmacy
The way it used to be done. Old Pharmacy volunteer Ron Phillips takes up a quill to recreate the way the old ledgers and prescription books listing individual patient customer requirements were filled a century ago.

Hidden treasures

Mayor Dempsey said the Old Pharmacy is a treasure trove of amazing items.

“We are so fortunate to have this collection housed locally and it is a credit to the vision of the former Isis Shire Council who secured the collection for the regional area.”

The Mayor found a vintage blood pressure machine quite intriguing while Cr Trevor marvelled at an Electro-Medical Apparatus which promised to heal everything from hair loss, wrinkles, constipation, ulcers and laryngitis.

Childers CWA

The Childers CWA Biggest Morning Tea set up in Millennium Park was attracting good business with the local members tempting customers with delectable slices to go with their cup of tea or coffee.

CWA morning tea
A very “cosy” gathering! The Mayor and Deputy Mayor share the ornamental tea cosies made by members of the Childers CWA and which were on show at the group’s Biggest Morning Tea event today.

Mayor Dempsey congratulated the ladies who, in addition to the morning tea, were running a stall selling cakes, jams and handcrafted items.

The Mayor dutifully dug deep and left with cakes and jars of jam and preserves.

“There is a wonderful spirit in the Childers community and the willingness of volunteers to give of that most precious commodity – their time – is very evident here.”

The Old Pharmacy is open Monday to Friday from 9am until 3pm and on Saturday from 9am until 1pm. It boasts one of Australia’s largest collections of early pharmaceutical history including original pharmacy, dental, photographic equipment and medicine books.

The Old Pharmacy is located in the main street of Childers opposite the Childers Post Office.