Oakdale Private Hospital

Dr Edward Emslie Brown purchased the house at 5 Brisbane Street, Ipswich in 1908. This building later became the QCWA Girls Hostel and has been heritage listed. Initially the  property was his residence but quickly became his doctor's surgery as well, including a bed or 2 for sick patients to be hospitalised. 

In September 1912, the doctor called for tenders for construction  of a private hospital at 6 Milford Street. The house at number 4 Milford Street would become matron's & nurses' quarters. These properties were adjacent to Dr Brown's home, and near the corner of Brisbane & Milford Streets.

Dr Brown was absent from Oakdale from mid 1916 to January 1920 while he was serving in World War I.

The business seems to have thrived for about 30 years as Oakdale Private Hospital was well known around town, with many folks from the local region being born or dying there. 

In late 1941 Oakdale Private Hospital was leased to Matron Margaret Hackett, formerly of St Mary's Private Hospital. Her tenure commenced 8 December 1941 and Dr Brown died a few days later. Matron Hackett's association with Oakdale was relatively short-lived as she retired from the hospital due to "unforeseen circumstances" in October 1942. It seems that the hospital closed at this point. Maternity cases, their main concern by then, were directed to St Andrew's and Lyndhurst hospitals.

Part of Oakdale Private Hospital was utilised during World War II as residential accommodation for crews of an American airway company. It was suggested on a couple of occasions in the 1940s that Oakdale be re-opened to become a maternity annex of the Ipswich General Hospital. This did not happen and in 1945/46 Mrs Brown sold the hospital and residence to the Queensland Country Women's Association, to be used as a boy's hostel and girl's hostel respectively. Later, 6 Milford Street became a QCWA respite and aged women's  hostel.