03/10/2024
On This Day: 3 October 1945
Arcadia, Magnetic Island resort, taken over by the Y.M.C.A. and A.C.F. in August, 1942 as a rest home for service personnel, reverted to its owners last weekend.
In three years just on 50,000 - 37,500 men and 10,000 to 12,000 women - members of the services, enjoyed a brief holiday at the popular resort, and in the words of one serviceman, "Never was so much done for so many."
Though staffed and rationed by the army the home was conducted by the Y.M.C.A. officers, who arranged sports and other amenities for the entertainment of service personnel. No service for the troops anywhere in Australia enjoyed greater popularity than that provided at Arcadia.
Description source:
Townsville Daily Bulletin, 3 October 1945
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/62863884 #
View the original image at Queensland State Archives:
Digital Image ID ITM1755751; ITM1750686; ITM1755644; 1755641