JCU Central Queensland Centre for Rural and Remote Health

24/03/2026

Huge Congratulations to Kali-Jean Duncombe! 🎉

What an incredible achievement — graduating with your Master’s of Social Work!
Your dedication, strength, and compassion have brought you to this moment, and it’s so well‑deserved.

The impact you’ll make in the lives of individuals, families, and communities is going to be extraordinary. Your passion for helping others shines so brightly, and this milestone is just the beginning of the amazing work you’ll continue to do. 💛

So proud of you, Kali-Jean here’s to a future led with purpose and possibilities! 👏🎓✨

24/03/2026

20/03/2026

We are hosting out our RASP Program (Raising Aspirations in Health Careers) in Emerald on the 28th April 2026!!

This program is open to Year 9 & 10 Central Highlands students that may be interested in a career in health care.

Students rotated through a variety of interactive health career stations, where they are able to step into the shoes of different health professionals. From hands-on activities to real-life scenarios, the day is designed to give students a genuine insight into the diverse and rewarding opportunities within the health sector.

The RASP Program is all about broadening horizons—giving high school students the chance to experience a “taste” of the many career pathways available in health. Whether it sparkes a new interest or reinforced an existing passion, opportunities like this play an important role in helping students start thinking about their future.

Please reach our to your local highschool if you are interested in attending. Marist College Emerald Blackwater State High School Clermont State High School Capella State High School Emerald State High School

19/03/2026

⭐️Today we were proud to deliver our RASP Program (Raising Aspirations in Health Careers) in Biloela, and what an incredible day it was!

Students rotated through a variety of interactive health career stations, where they were able to step into the shoes of different health professionals. From hands-on activities to real-life scenarios, the day was designed to give students a genuine insight into the diverse and rewarding opportunities within the health sector. It was fantastic to see so many students getting involved, asking questions, and challenging themselves in new situations.

The RASP Program is all about broadening horizons—giving high school students the chance to experience a “taste” of the many career pathways available in health. Whether it sparked a new interest or reinforced an existing passion, opportunities like this play an important role in helping students start thinking about their future.

We were thrilled to welcome students from Biloela State High School, Redeemer Lutheran College, and Monto State High School. Thank you to all students and staff who attended and made the day such a success.

A big thank you also to everyone involved in delivering the program and running the stations—your time, effort, and passion make these experiences possible.

We’re excited to continue building on this momentum and are already looking forward to hosting the RASP Program in Emerald next month!

17/03/2026

Yesterday we had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Parkinson’s Support Group in Emerald 💙

Our current speech students from Australian Catholic University (ACU) delivered an engaging and informative presentation on the role of speech pathology in Parkinson’s management. They spoke about how Parkinson’s can impact speech, voice, and swallowing, and shared practical strategies to help support communication and confidence in everyday life.

The students brought fantastic energy and creativity to their session, making it both educational and interactive. One of the highlights was a bubble-blowing exercise, which had everyone involved, laughing, and learning at the same time!

We always value the chance to visit this group—connecting, sharing knowledge, and hearing everyone’s experiences is incredibly meaningful. Thank you so much for welcoming us so warmly. We’re already looking forward to our next visit!

17/03/2026

Today we recognise International Social Work Day and this year’s theme: “Co-building Hope and Harmony.” 🌏🤝

A heartfelt thank you to our very own Social Workers for your unwavering commitment to creating positive change across the CQ region. Your work strengthens our communities and helps build a more inclusive and compassionate region for everyone. 💙

We also want to acknowledge and thank our Social Work students currently on placement who are already making meaningful contributions to our community while learning and growing in the profession. 🎓👏

And to all Social Workers across Central Queensland — thank you for the dedication, advocacy, and care you bring to individuals, families, and communities every day. Your work truly makes a difference. 🌱✨

16/03/2026

Sweet Potato and Spinach Frittata
A simple, nutritious recipe packed with vegetables and flavour, inspired by the locals of the Gemfields. Perfect for breakfast, lunch, or snack!

This is a little snapshot of what the follow-along cooking videos that come with the Cooking Up Gems recipe book.

Like what you see?

Click the link below to check out our ‘Cooking Up Gemz’ recipe book.
Get the eBook: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGyW8qMlBk/ynFX6z2ZZu2BAwH9suDVvw/view?utm_content=DAGyW8qMlBk&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h0e478c6870

Our goal is to help you feel more confident cooking healthy, affordable meals at home. Along the way, we hope to build your awareness of how healthy eating can support your wellbeing and help prevent or manage health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and some cancers.

13/03/2026

These two students braved Emerald parkrun this morning and did an amazing job! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

It was great to see them getting involved, challenging themselves, and supporting each other along the way. Parkrun is such a fantastic opportunity for students to get active, build confidence, and get to know each other outside of placement, while also being part of the wider community.

So proud of their effort this morning—well done guys!! 🙌

11/03/2026

🌟This week we hosted our March Interprofessional Education (IPE) session, bringing together professionals to learn, share knowledge, and strengthen collaboration across services.

Following this session, we enjoyed our Monthly Mingle lunch, providing a great opportunity to connect in a relaxed setting, continue conversations, and build relationships within our community.

Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to such a valuable and enjoyable day. We look forward to seeing you at the next one! 😊🌟

10/03/2026

Last week staff from our centre travelled to Biloela to deliver a Mental Health First Aid course to members of the Allied Health Students on placement and other members of the local community. 🧠💚

Mental Health First Aid teaches participants how to provide initial support to someone who may be experiencing a mental health crisis, until appropriate professional help can be accessed. 🤝

Throughout the course, participants learned about the signs and symptoms of common mental health problems, and how to recognise and respond to emerging or worsening mental health concerns. 📚

A big thank you to Banana Shire Council and the Biloela Community Resource Centre for assisting us in running this course and supporting opportunities for our community to build confidence in responding to mental health challenges. 🙏👏

09/03/2026

A different kind of orientation today! ☔

With all the rain around, we had to cancel our usual town tour. Instead, we ran a little in-house orientation and cultural training session to help our new students settle in and learn more about the community they’ll be working in.

Today we welcomed:
• 2 Speech Pathology students
• 2 Social Work students
• 4 Medical students

We’re excited to have them here and look forward to supporting them during their placement in the Central Highlands!

04/03/2026