Peel Island Lazaret – Queensland's Island of Isolation
Today, Peel Island sits peacefully in the sparkling waters of Moreton Bay. Boaties anchor in its sheltered bays, bushwalkers explore its walking trails, and visitors admire its natural beauty. Yet for more than half a century, this tranquil island was home to one of Queensland's most significant and heartbreaking institutions: the Peel Island Lazaret.
From 1907 to 1959, people diagnosed with Hansen's disease (then commonly known as leprosy) were compulsorily isolated at the Peel Island Lazaret under Queensland's public health laws. At the time, there was no reliable cure, and medical understanding of the disease was limited. Governments around the world believed isolation was the only effective way to protect the wider community.
For many patients, the journey to Peel Island began with devastating news. Some were given little time to prepare before being transported across Moreton Bay by government launch. Carrying only a small suitcase and a few personal belongings, many had no idea how long they would remain on the island or whether they would ever return home.
The word lazaret dates back centuries and refers to a quarantine station or hospital for people with infectious diseases. On Peel Island, it became an isolated community where around 500 patients lived during its 52 years of operation. Many spent years, and some decades, separated from their families.
Life on the island was tightly regulated. Men and women lived in separate accommodation areas, visitors were restricted, and patients could not leave without official permission. Letters became a lifeline to loved ones, while birthdays, weddings and family milestones were often missed.
Despite these hardships, residents built a remarkable community. They established gardens and orchards, attended church services, played music, organised sporting events and social gatherings, and worked in workshops repairing buildings and making furniture. Together they created a surprisingly self-sufficient settlement, finding dignity and purpose despite their circumstances.
Doctors, nurses, cooks, attendants and other staff also lived and worked on the island. Although facilities gradually improved over the decades, the emotional burden of prolonged separation remained profound.
Everything began to change in the late 1940s with the introduction of sulfone drugs, particularly dapsone. For many patients, these treatments dramatically improved outcomes and eventually made compulsory lifelong isolation unnecessary.
Today we know Hansen's disease is one of the least contagious bacterial diseases. Around 95% of people have a natural immunity, and the disease is now completely curable with modern multi-drug antibiotic therapy. Once treatment begins, people quickly become non-infectious.
The Peel Island Lazaret closed in 1959, and the remaining patients were transferred to Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital, where they continued receiving treatment without the strict isolation that had defined life on the island.
Although many former patients eventually returned to society, the stigma surrounding Hansen's disease often remained. Rebuilding relationships and starting anew after years of isolation was not always easy.
Today, Peel Island forms part of Teerk Roo Ra National Park (formerly Peel Island National Park). The surviving lazaret buildings are among Australia's best-preserved former leprosy settlements and are protected for their outstanding heritage significance. They stand as a powerful reminder of how fear, limited medical knowledge and public health policy shaped countless lives during the first half of the twentieth century.
Peel Island's story is about far more than disease. It is a story of resilience, friendship, hope and the extraordinary strength of ordinary people. It reminds us that behind every chapter of history are real lives, real families and stories that deserve to be remembered.
Have you or your family had a connection with Peel Island, or known someone who lived or worked there? We'd love to hear your stories in the comments.
To help bring this story to life, we've used colourised public domain photographs. While every effort has been made to ensure historical accuracy, some images may include minor imperfections or artistic interpretation. We gratefully acknowledge the Moreton Bay Council Archives and the State Library of Queensland for preserving these valuable historical records.
