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From 1932 to 1941 Woolnough was geological consultant to the Aerial Geological and Geophysical Survey
of North Australia. On a flight over northern Australia in 1934, he found that the aircraft was not equipped with
a drift meter. He promptly designed and constructed one and a hole was cut in the floor of the aircraft so that it
could be used. He was one of the pioneers of the Tennant Creek goldfields, camped out on the site and made a
valuable report to the government on future developments. In 1935, he was sent to report on certain gold leases in
the Northern Territory and to do this travelled 250 kilometres from Pine Creek to Darwin by quadricycle on the
railway line. Dr Woolnough was a strongly built man with a firm speaking voice, a white moustache and a spade
beard. He was known all over outback Australia as ‘the cheerful old fellow with the pointy beard’. According
to Raggatt, few Australian geologists have had a more colourful or adventurous life than he and none has ever
laboured with greater devotion and distinction in the service of his country and of geological science. He was
proficient in thirteen European languages.
Dr Woolnough was President of the Royal Society of New South Wales, 1926–27, a Fellow of the Geological
Society of America and a member of the Executive Committee of the Australian National Research Council.
Woolnough married Margaret Ilma, daughter of the Reverend W Wilson, in 1902. The couple had a son and a
daughter. Woolnough died on 28 September 1958 at Northbridge, Sydney. A good portrait appears with Raggatt’s
article referred to above.
H G Raggatt, in Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, August 1959; W G Woolnough, ‘Report on Geology of
the Northern Territory’, Bulletin of the Northern Territory, no 4, 1912; W G Woolnough, ‘Report on Tennant Creek Goldfield’, Bulletin of
the Northern Territory, no 22, 1936; W G Woolnough, ‘Report on Certain Gold Mining Leases in the Northern Territory’, 1935, AA CPP
139/1934N37.
T G JONES, Vol 1.WORGAN, FLORA nee McRAE (c1870–1929), teacher and community worker, was born at Glenshiel, Sellicks
Hill, South Australia, a daughter of Farquhar McRae, who was Scottish born, and a mother whose maiden name
was Campbell. She was educated in Adelaide and trained as a teacher. At the time of her marriage, she was on the
teaching staff of the South Australian Education Department.
She married John Thomas Worgan in Adelaide on 21 April 1897 and a daughter was born of the marriage.
Worgan was appointed to the Northern Territory Administration as Chief Clerk and draughtsman in the Lands
Office in 1903 and the family arrived in Port Darwin on 30 April. For 10 years they lived in a house in the Camp
area, site of the quarters erected by Goyder’s party, many of which still dated from the days of the first settlement;
the family then moved to Myilly Point to be among the first residents of the government houses which were built
there in 1913.
Flora Worgan took a keen, active interest in many of the town’s organisations, both charitable and social.
She exhibited in the needlework section of the ‘Show’ and was always to be seen at the various balls. In 1913,
she was a member of the committee that arranged a Christmas Tree Festival to give toys to all the children. During
the war years she was involved with the Red Cross, and in particular with its fund raising.
She was Honorary Secretary of the Victoria League from its foundation in 1929 until April 1919, when she
resigned due to ill health. The Victoria League was a patriotic organisation that ensured that visitors to Darwin,
particularly ‘VIPs’ and members of the armed services, were entertained and offered hospitality. It was also active
in raising funds for the Top End Australian Inland Mission hospitals and other worthy activities. The fact that many
Darwin women were actively involved in this organisation gave rise to favourable comment in the press. When
Flora resigned, she was presented with a clock in recognition of her ‘long and enthusiastic service’.
She had been in ill health for some time. She suffered from diabetes and in March 1928, a leg was amputated
below the knee. She died on 26 July 1929 following postoperative complications after her other leg was removed.
She was said to be a lady of ‘amiable character’ who during her more than 25 years’ residence in the Northern
Territory had only travelled south once. Between September 1910 and September 1911, she lived in Adelaide
while her husband served as Temporary Warden of the goldfields then centred on the Tanami. She was survived by
her husband and daughter and was buried in the Gardens Cemetery, Darwin.
Northern Territory Times and Gazette, 23 June 1905, 16 August 1907, 9 September 1910, 13 September 1911, 25 December 1913, 21 May 1914,
27 August 1914, 4 November 1915, 4 March 1924, 5 May 1925, 2 August 1929; South Australian Births, Deaths and Marriages 192/203.
HELEN J WILSON, Vol 2.