Acacia Country Practice

04/08/2025

🕷️ Tick Bites & Allergies – What You Need to Know!
Tick bites can cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. If you find a tick—don’t squeeze it!
✅ SAFE REMOVAL:
👉 Use a freeze spray (ether-based)
👉 Spray 5 times from 1cm above the tick
👉 Let it freeze and fall off on its own
❌ Avoid tweezers or disturbing the tick, as this can inject more allergen and increase your risk.
💡 Prevention Tips:
• Wear long sleeves and pants outdoors
• Use insect repellent
• Check yourself (and pets!) after bush or garden time
📄 Follow your ASCIA Action Plan if you have a known allergy, and seek help immediately for any symptoms.
📌 Learn more and download the official infographic here:
🔗 How to Safely Remove a Tick – National Allergy Council (PDF)

03/08/2025

🏃‍♀️🎉 What a run! 🎉🏃‍♂️
A huge congratulations to everyone who took part in last weekend’s Half Marathon — what an incredible effort by our local legends! From first steps to finish lines, your dedication, spirit, and community pride shone through. 💪✨
Dr Katie and Dr Paul were proud sponsors of the event and were absolutely inspired by the energy, determination, and camaraderie on the day. 🙌
Whether you ran, cheered, or volunteered — you made it a memorable one. Special shoutout to all the winners and personal best smashers! 🏅👏 Photo credit to Leonie and Gidgee.

01/08/2025

👖 Why are we wearing jeans this Friday? 👖
It’s not just a fashion choice—it’s Jeans for Genes Day, and here’s why it matters.
1 in 20 Aussie kids face a birth defect or genetic condition. That’s one in every classroom, every playground—even right here in our rural communities.
🧬 Jeans for Genes Day helps fund the Children’s Medical Research Institute, where scientists work to find treatments and cures that change lives.
When you wear your jeans, you’re standing up for:
🔬 Life-changing research
💙 Support for families
🌱 A healthier future for generations to come
💰 If you’re visiting us on the day, feel free to drop a coin in our jar—we’ll be passing on every dollar to the cause.
Let’s show the power of rural generosity—one pair of jeans at a time.

31/07/2025

🎄❄️ Christmas in July, Acacia-style! ❄️🎄

We recently traded appointment books for antlers and gathered for a cozy team dinner to celebrate our incredible work family! 🦌❤️

🔥 There’s nothing like hearty food 🍗 warm laughs and making the most of the chilly season with the people who make Acacia shine. Grateful for this bunch who bring care and kindness to our community all year round – even more magical than a Christmas reindeer team! 🎁

31/07/2025

Take a Minute to Have the Chat – This DonateLife Week 💬
DonateLife Week runs from Sunday 27 July to Sunday 3 August, and it's all about raising awareness of the life-saving power of organ and tissue donation.
Right now, around 1,800 Australians are waiting for a life-saving transplant. One donor can save up to 7 lives and help many more through tissue donation.
But here’s something many people don’t realise:
In Australia, your family will always be asked to confirm your decision to be a donor. They’re far more likely to support that decision if they already know your wishes.
💗 That’s why it’s so important to have the chat.
🖊️ Step 1: Register as an organ and tissue donor at donatelife.gov.au/register
🗣️ Step 2: Tell your family you want to help save lives.

30/07/2025

🌍 Why Do We Celebrate International Day of Friendship?
The International Day of Friendship was proclaimed in 2011 by the United Nations as a way to recognise the power of friendship in promoting peace, building bridges between cultures, and fostering unity across communities.
The idea is simple but powerful: friendship between peoples, countries, and cultures can inspire peace efforts and help build a better world—one connection at a time.
From small acts of kindness to lifelong bonds, friendship helps us feel supported, understood, and more connected to the world around us.
Each year on 30 July, people across the globe are encouraged to reach out, reconnect, and celebrate the friends who make life better.
In rural towns especially, it’s the friendships that keep communities strong. It’s a neighbour checking in, a cuppa shared after a tough day and the support that lifts us all up. 💛
Take a moment today to reach out to a mate, share a memory, or simply say thank you for being there. Because together, we’re better. 💙

29/07/2025

Check out some familiar local faces in this awesome video from our program! 🌾👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️

Through confidential, independent GP care delivered in their own communities, this program supports the wellbeing of our rural doctors, nurses, and allied health workers.

Hear directly from those on the ground as they share powerful stories about how GPs4RuralDocs is helping them continue the vital work they do.

This is a story about caring for the carers—because when rural health workers are well, entire communities flourish.

In this video, we explore the GPs4RuralDocs program—an initiative by the Rural Doctors Foundation that’s making a real difference in the lives of rural healt...

28/07/2025

🌍 World Hepatitis Day – July 28

It’s time to act. Hepatitis B and C are major causes of liver cancer – and liver cancer is now the fastest-growing cause of cancer death in Australia.
Early detection and treatment of hepatitis saves lives. As part of cancer prevention, we must prioritise hepatitis testing and treatment, especially in primary care.
💛 At Acacia Country Practice, we're committed to raising awareness and supporting our community to take action on hepatitis.
✅ Ask your GP about getting tested
✅ Know your status
✅ Protect your liver health
for
📘 Learn more: www.worldhepatitisday.org.au

25/07/2025

🌿 NAIDOC Week in Charleville – Walking Together 🌿

Today, we proudly joined the Charleville community for the NAIDOC Week March — a vibrant celebration of culture, strength, and connection.

This year’s theme, “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy,” celebrates not only the achievements of the past, but the bright future ahead. It’s a powerful reminder to honour Elders, uplift youth, and walk together toward a future shaped by strength and shared vision.

At Acacia Country Practice, we stand in solidarity, walk with respect, and continue to listen and learn. Thank you to everyone who came together to celebrate today — what an incredible spirit of unity.

25/07/2025

🏥 Brisbane hospitals have paused non-urgent elective surgeries as a surge in flu cases fills emergency departments and wards to capacity.
Health officials say most of those hospitalised with flu hadn’t been vaccinated — a powerful reminder of how important prevention is.
💉 At Acacia Country Practice, free flu vaccinations are still available.
Protect yourself, ease pressure on our hospitals, and help keep our community well.
📞 Call us to book today, and read more about the situation here:
🔗 ABC News – Elective surgeries paused amid flu surge

24/07/2025

🏃‍♂️ Half Marathon THIS Sunday! 🏃‍♀️
Get those runners ready! 👟
Whether you're running, walking, or cheering from the sidelines, we can’t wait to see our community out and about.

24/07/2025

🧘‍♀️ Stress Down Day | Thursday 24th July 2025 🧘‍♂️
Breathe in… and out. It’s Stress Down Day—a national initiative that encourages Aussies to take a breather and look after their mental wellbeing.
Originally launched by Lifeline Australia, Stress Down Day aims to reduce stress and raise awareness (and funds!) for vital crisis support services. With around 8.6 Australians dying by su***de every day, this day is a timely reminder to take mental health seriously—and gently.
🌿 How can you take part?
It’s simple: do something that helps you feel less stressed and more grounded. That could mean:
✔ Wearing your comfiest clothes
✔ Taking 10 quiet minutes to yourself
✔ Going for a walk outside
✔ Laughing with a friend
✔ Journaling, meditating, or doing a digital detox
✔ Donating to Lifeline to support mental health resources
🌾 In rural communities, stress can be silent but heavy.
At Acacia Country Practice, we encourage everyone—whether you're on the land, in town, or somewhere in between—to take a moment for your mental health today.
You don’t need to be in crisis to ask for help.
💬 Reach out to us for mental health support or chat with your GP—we’re here to listen.
🧡 More info and resources via Lifeline: https://www.lifeline.org.au/stressdown