Mrs Mountford's duties mainly included secretarial work for her husband, but at other times she was kept very busy typing for the other members of the Expedition, and receiving and distributing the mail which arrived by plane. Mrs Mountford also assisted the American Anthropologist, Frank Setzler, by taking down records whilst he collected hair samples and palm prints from the Aboriginal people at Umbakumba. During her time in Arnhem Land, Bessie Mountford took photographs and recorded her experiences and interactions with the people in extensive diary notes (See PRG 487/1/1-5).

Charles Mountford originally captioned this photograph: Johnnie's Tent, Johnnie being the nickname he used for Bessie, whose maiden name was Johnstone.