The Quailey’s Hill Memorial

Tucked inside the picturesque Sabah Tea Garden Resort is a memorial site built in rememberance of Private Allan Quailey.

Allan Quailey is an Australian soldier and he was among the 1500 Australians transferred from Singapore to Sandakan Prisoners of War Camp. He survived the forced labour at the camp and was then placed on the draft to march from Sandakan to Ranau in January 1945. Unfortunately, the lengthy, torturous trip through a densely forested path, malnutrition, and bad health circumstances proved to be too much. Quailey’s health had deteriorated, and the Japanese soldier had taken his life because he couldn’t keep up with the march.

Lynette Silver and Tham Yau Kong, historians and hiking experts, have traced the Sandakan Death March path and discovered that the historic route travelled by the POW ran via the region currently known as the Sabah Tea Garden. This is also where Private Allan Quailey was killed, and a hill named after him is today known as Quailey’s Hill. A memorial was built by the management of Sabah Tea Garden upon realising the significance of the site.

This location is roughly 22.1 kilometres from Ranau town and is in the same area as the Sabah Tea Garden. The Quailey Memorial is included in the Sabah Tea Garden Tour if you are interested in learning more about the history.

From Kota Kinabalu city, visitors can take a minibus or taxi from Jalan Padang Bus Station with directions to Kundasang/Ranau. Communicate with driver for drop-off at Ranau town and from there onwards, visitor will have to get a private charter vehicle.   Alternatively, one can self-drive, use e-hailing services from Kota Kinabalu City or enquire with their selected tour operator to add this excursion. If you are driving, Sabah Tea Garden is a two-hour drive from Kota Kinabalu and about 20 minutes drive from the Ranau town. The junction to Sabah Tea Garden is clearly marked with multiple signboards along the way.

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