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WA Centre for Rural Health

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WA Centre for Rural Health

WACRH facilitates allied health, nursing and pharmacy placements for students from all Australian universities. The WA Centre for Rural Health's page.

We aim to improve rural, remote and Aboriginal health through education, student placement support, research and community service activities. Located on Wilunyu Country. The WA Centre for Rural Health's (WACRH) of The University of Western Australia (UWA) is one of 17 University Departments of Rural Health (UDRH) in Australia. WACRH is based in Geraldton in the Midwest and Karratha in the Pilbara of Western Australia. Our aim is to improve rural, remote and Aboriginal health through research, education, student placement support and community service activities. Follow us on:
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/WA-Centre-for-Rural-Health
Instagram: www.instagram.com/wacentreruralhealth
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCZv2RQ3ELqLHIxIWs4uh_vA
Mailchimp: https://us5.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=be3b66033a057618a0fe34702&id=e4c829aff1

18/12/2025

🎄🎁 WACRH Staff Supporting Desert Blue Connect This Christmas 🎄🎁
A heartfelt thank you to our WA Centre for Rural Health staff who once again generously donated to Desert Blue Connect (DBC) this Christmas. Throughout the year, WACRH and DBC work together across a range of health and social work programs, so for WACRHs end-of-year donation drive we were proud to support DBC and the important work they do in the community.
Donations from WACRH staff included non-perishable food, toiletry products and toys. These will be made into Christmas hampers by the DBC team and delivered to some of the families they support who are doing it tough this festive season.
This is the third year in a row that WACRH have donated to DBC at Christmas, and we are grateful to our staff for their continued generosity.
💙 It’s not too late to donate!
Non-perishable food and toiletries can be dropped off at DBC, 25 Chapman Road, Geraldton (opposite the Geraldton Regional Art Gallery), or financial donations can be made through the Desert Blue Connect website.🎄💙

17/12/2025

𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟰𝟬 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆
Speech Pathology Australia recently acknowledged WA Centre for Rural Health Senior Lecturer Kathryn Fitzgerald for her incredible milestone - 40 years of membership with the Association, dedicating her entire career to supporting communities in the Midwest and Pilbara.

The WA Branch proudly recognised Kathryn and other long-standing members for their distinguished service, dedication, and lasting contributions to the speech pathology profession.

When asked what Kathryn would tell her younger self, this is her response:

“Trust that you’ve chosen a wonderful profession. Be patient - you don’t need to know everything at the start, and you won’t. Embrace opportunities, especially those that feel slightly out of reach, and don’t be afraid to speak up for herself and her clients. The experiences you grab hold of are the ones that can shape your career. Coming from Scotland, I never imagined working in a remote area, but it became one of the greatest privileges of my career.”

We honour and celebrate Kathryn’s achievements and the profound impact she has made over decades.

17/12/2025

WACRH is seeking a physiotherapy clinical supervisor!

17/12/2025

Thanks to all our partners in another successful year of speech pathology students in the Midwest & Gascoyne regions of Western Australia.

11/12/2025

𝗚𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗱𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗶𝘃𝗲
Meet Curtin University dietetics student Alyssa who completed a placement with us in Geraldton.

Highlights?
Working with Lenny Papertalk and Beau Simpson on the recipe book cover art. I learnt so much through yarning during our painting sessions and built great rapport. I’m grateful for Geraldton – I wouldn’t have learnt as much about Aboriginal culture in Perth.

Most impactful moment?
Observing the dietitian at Geraldton Regional Aboriginal Medical Service and seeing how much a dietitian can help. Her honesty and attitude were inspiring.

Surprised by?
How many health services and rural opportunities there are for dietitians – not something I’d heard much about at university.

Advice for students?
Say yes to everything! I grew so much as a health professional and person in just two weeks.

Top 3 weekend picks?
Geraldton Yoga club Community yoga and coffee at Quiet Life Specialty Coffee, browsing the second-hand bookstore, and a beach day at the foreshore.

11/12/2025

Speech Pathology Australia WA Branch Awards night was held in Perth with rural hubs in Geraldton, Karratha, Bunbury, & Kalgoorlie. What a great opportunity to celebrate the year with our colleagues.

Midwest speech pathologists and speech pathology students featured throughout the awards with the following:

Most outstanding student (masters program):
WINNER – Laura Pitts. (completed her clinical placements in Carnarvon & Geraldton)

Excellence in Rural and remote speech pathology practice:
WINNER Charlotte Moreschini (completed her clinical placements in Carnarvon & Geraldton).

Aphasia WA award:
WINNERS: Theresa Titus (completed her clinical placements in Geraldton) & Chloe Spence (completed her clinical placements in Geraldton & Carnarvon).

Rural clinical supervisor of the year:
A number of local supervisors were nominated by their students for rural clinical supervisor of the year.

40 years of Speech Pathology Australia membership award:
Kathryn Fitzgerald (with 38 years of this spent in Geraldton).

08/12/2025

The WA Centre for Rural Health social work academics were privileged to participate in the 2025 Australian New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education and Research (ANZSWWER) National Field Education Network (NFEN) Day and Annual Symposium, held from 19–21 November at Western Sydney University.

As Australia’s leading conference for social work field education, this event provided an invaluable opportunity to strengthen connections with university partners and enhance our knowledge in the latest supervision, teaching, and research practices.

04/12/2025

𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗻𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆-𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀
We are seeking nursing students and early career registered nurses for a research study to explore the support needs of rural and remote nursing students in Australia

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱
A one-on-one interview (40–60 mins) via Microsoft Teams. By participating, you can enter a draw to win one of three $100 gift vouchers (Coles Myer or similar).

𝗘𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆:
✔️ Enrolled for at least one semester in an Australian university nursing course leading to RN registration
✔️ Lived in a rural or remote community in Australia when you decided to enrol
✔️ You may have studied from your rural or remote region or relocated to a metropolitan area to study
✔️ Currently a nursing student OR practicing RN for less than 5 years

𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿?
Scan the QR code or click here: https://redcap.link/zmrdsnyi

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁:
Lincy Chandy lincy.chandy@research.uwa.edu.au
Dr Kiah Evans kiah.evans@uwa.edu.au

03/12/2025

Today WA Centre for Rural Health staff in Geraldton, Carnarvon and Karratha joined a Teams presentation from Dr Leanne Nunn, a registered psychologist with over 25 years of experience in clinical, management, and training sectors.

Dr Nunn, a PhD graduate in Sociology from the University of Tasmania, presented her research on the earliest warning signs of intimate partner abuse (IPA) and how the socialisation of girls influences approaches to Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) prevention.

Throughout her career, Leanne has worked extensively with women impacted by IPA and childhood abuse across private practice, hospitals, and community settings. Her lived experience and professional expertise have fueled her passion for empowering women and reducing gender-based violence.

02/12/2025

The WA Centre for Rural Health collaborated with the Florida Dysphagia Institute to welcome Professors Michael Crary and Giselle Carnaby to Western Australia for certification training in the McNeill Dysphagia Therapy Program (MDTP).

Nearly 60 WA speech pathologists participated in this intensive program - a systematic exercise-based approach to adult dysphagia therapy that is rarely offered face-to-face in Australia. Learning directly from the program’s developers was an incredible opportunity to bring cutting-edge research into clinical practice.

WACRH Speech Pathologist and Senior Lecturer Kathryn Fitzgerald shared that it was fantastic to have 11 rural and remote clinicians involved.

“This means people living with chronic dysphagia in regional WA now have access to a program that can significantly improve swallow function and quality of life,” Ms Fitzgerald said.

A special highlight: Professor Carnaby, a Curtin University alumna and WA native, reconnected with her Class of ’86 peers—including Kathryn—for a memorable reunion.

01/12/2025

The Rural Health West – WA Centre for Rural Health Awards were recently presented by RHW Deputy CEO Kelli Porter and WACRH Director Sandra Thompson to staff and students recognising their extraordinary service, research and achievement within WACRH and the communities we serve.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀
Leanne Tucker (Administration Officer): 13 years of service, unwavering reliability and commitment to WACRH’s core values of integrity and collaboration.

𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀
Hannah Trusso (Curtin Uni Occupational Therapy): completing a challenging multi-site placement, pioneering student-led programs in aged care, and delivering impactful projects that strengthened community health services.

Georgia Bray (Curtin Uni Occupational Therapy): for her exceptional professionalism, collaboration, and community impact during her rural placement in Mt Magnet, where she strengthened service delivery and initiated vital supports for vulnerable children.

Emma Huang (La Trobe University Speech Pathology): for demonstrating outstanding collaboration, professionalism, and initiative during her seven-week rural Speech Pathology placement in Mt Magnet, where she built strong community relationships and enhanced service delivery for students and families.

28/11/2025

Allied health graduates are returning to Geraldton to begin their professional journeys rurally after completing final-year rural placements with the WA Centre for Rural Health of The University of Western Australia.

Their decision to come back to the region reflects the growing impact of WACRH’s placement program, which offers students immersive, hands-on experiences in rural health settings.

WACRH’s rural placement program in the Midwest, Gascoyne and Pilbara regions of Western Australia, supports students from almost twenty health disciplines from universities across Australia.

Students engage in interprofessional learning, work alongside experienced supervisors, and receive cultural training from Aboriginal mentors.

The program also provides shared accommodation at no personal cost to students, access to vehicles and bikes, and opportunities to build connections with potential employers.

WACRH Director Professor Sandra Thompson says the graduates are a testament to the power of rural placements.

“Their return to Geraldton strengthens the local health workforce and shows how meaningful placement experiences can shape career paths,” Ms Thompson said.

Photo credit: The Geraldton Guardian 25 November 2025.

www.wacrh.uwa.edu.au/2025/11/Rural-placement-program-attracts-health-graduates-to-the-regions

Address

Yamaji Country, 167 Fitzgerald Street
Geraldton, WA
6530

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+61899560200

Website

http://www.wacrh.uwa.edu.au/

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