Meet Luke, an anaesthetist at Tamworth Hospital and avid adventurist.

When he’s not helping prepare patients for surgery, Luke is off exploring all that Tamworth and its surrounds have to offer:

“Tamworth has some of the best road, gravel, and mountain biking trails in Australia.

“For young families, we have some of the best public infrastructure at our doorstep, including the adventure playground, marsupial, and splash parks.

“You also can’t beat the hospitality that the local pub gives you.”

For Luke, it’s the tight-knit community and added time with his family that keeps him living and working rurally:

“The community supports and values you – you feel like your work really matters and you’re not just another face in the crowd.

“I save about an hour each day in commuting. That’s almost 15 days a year that I can spend with my daughter and wife who matter most to me.

“What I’d say to anyone considering the move is that your time is valuable, spend it intentionally. Living and working in a rural area is one way to do so.”

Meet Linda, an interventional radiology nurse at John Hunter Hospital.

“A lot of people think I’ve been nursing for many years, but it’s only been seven years since I graduated as a mature-age student.

“I was looking for a change and a chance to work in a field that helps people. Nursing has pretty much ticked that box.

When Linda isn’t assisting with procedures in CT and ultrasounds, she’s rising with nature, joining her colleagues for a morning swim in Newcastle’s Merewether Baths.

“The Hunter has the best beaches. For someone who enjoys water activities and swimming it’s fabulous.

“There’s also a good mix of musical and theatre productions, and larger music artists are now adding Newcastle on their national tours.

“There’s still a small-town community feeling in Newcastle, despite it being the second largest city in New South Wales. It doesn’t take very long to drive anywhere in the region.

For Linda, it was seeing the camaraderie of the radiology team during her placements and how they worked together that drew her in:

“We have specialists from all fields working closely together to provide the best outcomes we can for our patients.

“The unpredictability of each day, the opportunity to assist the medical team in some fairly complicated procedures, and the chance to cover other hospitals means there’s always something new to learn.”

Priya is an... occupational therapist and outdoor trailblazer

Meet Priya, a senior occupational therapist at Maitland Hospital and outdoor trailblazer on the weekends.

Being part of the defence family brought Priya, her husband, and two sons to Maitland Hospital. Since then, she hasn’t looked back.

“Once I joined the allied health team at Maitland Hospital, I found my new home.

“No two days are the same, I work independently to assess a patient and complete my intervention, and within a team to problem solve for a safe discharge home.

“The people drawn to working in health are wonderfully compassionate, there is always respect and collaboration with the patient being the focus.

For Priya, flexible start and finish times support her parenting responsibilities.

“With my husband often away from home for work, the support from colleagues and the friendships that have developed over the years have been so important to me.

“For anyone considering a move to the Hunter or Maitland regions, there are so many activities you can get involved in – such as whale watching, visiting the town of Morpeth or even checking out the wildlife at Blackbutt Reserve.”

Amelia is a... psychiatry registrar and park roamer

Meet Amelia, a psychiatry registrar at Armidale Hospital who enjoys bushwalking throughout the New England region on her days off.

“I always wanted to work with people and for people, so it was inevitable that I gravitated to the health profession when choosing what to study.

“Working with patients through some of their most vulnerable and difficult periods of life has always been so rewarding to me.”

Some might say Amelia was destined to live and work in Armidale.

“I was born in Armidale but never got the chance to live here because my parents moved our family to Sydney when I was very young.

“My parents always spoke about the tight-knit community they had here and stayed connected with them throughout my life.

“Then almost by fate, I met my fiancé while on a short regional placement in a nearby town.

“Armidale Hospital gives me the scope to explore my passions in regional medicine, including the potential to teach in future at the University of New England.

When Amelia isn’t working, she’s channelling her inner park roamer, exploring the nearby national parks and reserves and admiring nature’s beauty.

“There’s an idyllic pine forest only two minutes away from my home where I walk my two dogs often, and countless ‘off the beaten track’ bus reserves that are great for camping, star-gazing and relaxing.

“A local second-hand bookshop in the middle of town is one of my favourite places to idly spend time, and it’s close to other specialty shops and cafes.”