Mackay's World War II Air Raid Precautionary Exercises
Sydney Street, from the Victoria Street intersection, looking north towards the Pioneer River, pictured in 1936. Picture: 'Illustrated Souvenir of the City and District of Mackay, The Sugaropolis of Australia, 1862 - 1937'
By: Steven Pritchard and Judy Stewart (May 2025)
Nearly two years after the beginning of Australia’s involvement in World War II, Mackay City residents (then in the Mackay City Council area) and North Mackay - also then referred to as 'Northside', residents (then in the Pioneer Shire Council area) were to experience an ‘Air Raid Precautions Trial Blackout’. The Trial was to give residents an insight into what might happen if overseas fighting reached the Australian shore.
The Blackout, conducted locally by the Mackay Air Raid Precautions Committee and its Air Raid Wardens under the supervision of police officers, was to occur during the evening of Thursday, August 28, 1941.
The blackout in Mackay occurred some 23 months after the then Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Robert Menzies (later Sir Robert) declared in a radio broadcasted speech on Sunday, September 3, 1939, that ‘Australia is also at war’, after the invasion of Poland by Germany.
One of the earliest mentions in ‘The Daily Mercury’ archives of pre – blackout preparations occurred nearly eight months before Mr. Menzies speech in Brisbane on Friday, February 3, 1939.
The then State Minister for Home Affairs, Mr. Edward Hanlon M.L.A., announced that local Air Raid Precaution Committees were to be established in Mackay as well as in Brisbane, Bundaberg, Cairns, Gladstone, Maryborough, Mount Isa, Rockhampton, Toowoomba and Townsville.
According to an article published in 'The Daily Mercury' on Thursday, April 13, 1939, the local committees would 'function under the direction of the State Committee in Brisbane and would lay down all that should be done for the protection of the people and vital points in a time of emergency'.
An initial public meeting attended by representatives, occurred at the Mackay Town Hall in Sydney Street on Thursday, April 20, 1939. A Mackay Air Raid Precautions Committee was established by Monday, May 1, 1939.
The committee included: Dr. Ernest Chenoweth (Government Medical Officer), Alderman George Moody (Mayor of Mackay – chairman of the ARP Committee at the time of the 1941 blackout) and Sub – Inspector George Keefe (Mackay Police).
Mackay Air Raid Precautions, Chairman, Alderman, George Moody (since deceased) pictured in 1936. Picture: 'Illustrated Souvenir of the City and District of Mackay, The Sugaropolis of Australia, 1862 - 1937'
Mr. Richard James, Manager of the Mackay Branch of the Commonwealth Bank was later appointed Air Raid Precautions Chief Air Raid Warden in Mackay on Thursday, May 9, 1940.
A total of eighty-three Air Raid Wardens had been registered to serve their community by Thursday, September 21, 1939, approximately 180 Wardens by Thursday, June 6, 1940, and a total of 280 Wardens by Tuesday, February 18, 1941.
The Mackay City area had been reportedly divided up into ‘169 Squares’ of land.
The first air raid shelter constructed in Mackay was at the then Mackay City Council (now Mackay Regional Council) reserve at the corner of South Sydney and Juliet Streets. There were to be a total of 10 concrete air raid shelters built in the city, according to an article later published in 'The Daily Mercury' on Friday, December 7, 1945.
A 'Northside' Air Raid Precautions Squad is believed to have been formed on Sunday, September 24, 1939.
One of the earliest mentions in ‘The Daily Mercury’ archives of the Trial Blackout in Mackay – was published on Wednesday, August 20, 1941.
The mention had been an announcement made on Tuesday, August 19, 1941, by Mr. Edward Hanlon, that a total of Six Trial Blackout Tests were to be made before Sunday, September 14, 1941.
Then announced dates for the trial blackouts, were Mackay - on Thursday, August 28, 1941, Cairns - Tuesday, September 2, 1941, Townsville - Thursday, September 4, 1941, Rockhampton - Sunday, September 7, 1941, and Brisbane on Sunday, September 14, 1941.
The announcement also stated that 'probably these tests will be held between 9.30pm and 10pm',
A trial Blackout at Innisfail, was also planned, however no date had been fixed at the time of announcement. The announcement had been made following a Cabinet Meeting.
Following the announcement on Friday, August 22, 1941, a meeting of Air Raid Section Leaders were informed of the ‘official schedule’ in Mackay for the upcoming trial blackout in Mackay. Another meeting in regard to instructions on patrolling the streets was to be held in Mackay on Tuesday, August 26, 1941.
As a result of an order by Brisbane ARP Authorities, it was later reported on Monday, August 25, 1941, that the Mackay City Council, the then local electricity supply authority, was to conduct a complete electricity blackout on August 28, 1941.
However, it was later reported on Tuesday, August 26, 1941, that street lights only were to be switched off by the Mackay City Council (now Mackay Regional Council) during the blackout in Mackay.
A Blackout Trial program was to be later published in The Daily Mercury, on August 28, 1941, which featured details on the Preliminary Warning Signal (9.15pm), Air Raid Signal, including Blackout (9.30pm till 10pm) and All Clear (10pm). Prior to the Preliminary Signal, at 9pm incoming traffic was to be stopped on ‘country roads'.
During the Blackout, local picture theatres, the ‘Civic Theatre’, ‘Princess Theatre’ and ‘Theatre Royal’ operated complying with blackout conditions along with the Mackay Railway Station, at Boddington Street with reduced lighting measures in place. During the preliminary period, at 9.19pm the Mail Train arrived in darkness.
The Mail Train was to later depart at 10pm from the Boddington Street Railway Station.
The Mackay Outer Harbour Port was to be officially closed during the Trial Blackout Period.
A total of 270 people were involved with the trial blackout in Mackay. They were 230 wardens, a total of 26 police officers, 13 men at ‘Fire Spotting Posts’ and an aircraft piloted by Mr. J. Connor on patrol to watch over the city while it was in darkness.
The Fire Spotters, were ‘looking over the city to report all lights showing and to observe reflection of the moonlight on buildings’.
Fire Spotting Posts used were situated at the: Mackay Town Hall Tower in Sydney Street, Mount Bassett Reservoir, Mount Oscar, Mount Pleasant and the Mackay Waterworks Tower (since demolished).
Mackay Town Hall with Tower, in Sydney Street. Pictured in 1936. Picture - ''Illustrated Souvenir of the City and District of Mackay, The Sugaropolis Of Australia 1832 - 1937'.
During the blackout, liable prosecution was possible for those caught lighting Candles, lamps and lights. Smoking cigarettes, cigars, pipes or lighting rubbish fires in backyards was also liable for prosecution. Usage of Neon lights was also not allowed.
Also in attendance at the Mackay Trial Blackout was Queensland ARP Chief Instructor, Sub – Inspector William Kiddell, who had earlier arrived in Mackay on Wednesday, August 27, 1941.
Following the conclusion of the Trial Blackout, an ‘All Clear Signal’, which consisted of a siren with a continuous blare of constant pitch, was to be sounded at 10pm on Thursday, August 28.
The Daily Mercury later reported on Friday, August 29, that the blackout was a ‘Complete Success’, with splendid public response. ‘The Courier Mail’ reported on Friday, August 29, that during the Mackay Blackout Trial, ‘not one light had been visible’, even the moon co-operated as it was obscured by a black cloud.
Chairman of the Mackay Air Raid Precautions Committee, Alderman George Moody, reportedly told 'The Daily Mercury' that ......
'I did not think it was possible. I anticipated some little accidents but there was complete cooperation. I travelled all throughout Mackay by car during the 'blackout' and did not see a flicker of light. The wardens were at all their posts and the police were alert while the public responded magnificently. It was more than I expected. I must congratulate the people themselves on their splendid cooperation'.
Fire spotters at the Mackay Town Hall in Sydney Street, reported that there had been 'not a ray of light anywhere'.
Less than a year later, another Blackout Trial, conducted as part of a Commonwealth Government ordered ’Full Blackout Test’, was to be conducted in the ‘Mackay Control Centre Area’ simultaneously with the rest of the Australian Sea Board on Wednesday, February 11, 1942.
During the 1942 Blackout, the ‘Mackay Control Centre Area’ had been classified as being from Proserpine in the North, Ogmore in the South (south of St Lawrence), Finch Hatton in the West and Nebo in the South West.
Mr. Richard James was the Chief Air Raid Warden of the Mackay Air Raid Precautions Committee, during the 1941 and 1942 blackout trials.
Following the 1942 Blackout Trial, Mr. Stanley Howard Tait, founder of local accountancy firm ‘S.H. Tait and Company’ was to be appointed Mackay Air Raid Precautions Chief Air Raid Warden by Wednesday, April 15, 1942.
Mr. Stanley Howard Tait had previously been reported as 'Assistant Chief Warden' at the time of the 1941 Trial.
Mr. Richard James was to later leave Mackay for Sydney during February 1943, due to Commonwealth Bank work commitments.
In 1942, Townsville was to become the unfortunate location of the first enemy air raid bombings by the Japanese on the east coast of Australia on Sunday, July 26, 1942, Tuesday, July 28, 1942, and Wednesday, July 29, 1942 - according to RSL Queensland and the Townsville City Council.
Several months later, on Tuesday, February 2, 1943, Mackay experienced an ‘Air Raid Alert’. Luckily there were no enemy planes visible in the skies above the city during the alert.
The ARP later ceased activities throughout Queensland on Monday, April 30, 1945. The Mackay Air Raid Precautions Committee met for the final time at the Pioneer Shire Council Chambers building (also reported as the 'Pioneer Shire Hall') in Wood Street on Friday, June 8, 1945, and was chaired by Mr. Stanley Tait.
Mr. Tait at the meeting told the attendees at the meeting that the 'organization could be placed on an active basis should the need arise'.
Then Police Inspector Osborne told those attending the meeting that he regarded the Mackay Air Raid Precautions Committee as the 'best in the state and thanked every member of the organization on behalf of Mr. Hanlon, the commissioner and the local police'.
It was decided at the meeting that, the committee's credit balance of £8/13/11 was to be donated to the Red Cross Society.
Members of the Mackay ARP were to reportedly later reform briefly, to participate in a street procession in Mackay, on Monday, August 13, 1945, two days before Victory in the Pacific was declared on Wednesday, August 15, 1945.
The street procession had occurred just days after the Japanese offered to surrender after the dropping of two atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Friday, August 10, 1945. The Japanese Government, formally surrendered on Sunday, September 2, 1945.
Footnote: ‘S.H. Tait and Company’ currently operates as of May 2025, as 'S.H. Tait + Co - Chartered Accountants'.
