Cardarelli Italian Hospital in Ingham, Queensland, ca. 1936

Old stone Italian Hospital known as L'Ospedale Cardarelli, built at Ingham to serve the large Italian community and opened in 1930. The hospital operated as a business venture with Dr. Francesco Piscitelli as its founder. He worked with another Italian surgeon Dr. Franco Casellano, who later transferred to Tasmania. Dr. Rigano also worked in practice at the hospital for a number of years before going to Innisfail. The hospital name was chosen by Dr. Piscitelli to honour a famous Italian doctor under whom he had studied before coming to Australia. The hospital was originally staffed by mostly Australians with no more than three nurses who were Italian speaking. (Description taken from: Herbert River Express, Tuesday 13 May 1980) This building was built with Ingham Brick & Pottery Works hand made bricks. Jens Carl Neilsen and Arther Charles Neilsen were owners of the brickworks at the time.