When a GP clinic in the New South Wales central west closed its doors, patients like Kate Day found themselves travelling hundreds of kilometres just to see a doctor.
The Gulgong Medical Centre shut in early 2024 due to a lack of staff.
The ripple effect of that closure saw two GP clinics in the nearby town of Mudgee, 31 kilometres away, shut their books and refuse to accept new patients due to the spike in demand.
Ms Day said the closest doctor she could find was in Sydney, almost 300km away.
“It is a big undertaking to drive an eight-hour round trip essentially to get to the GP that I was seeing,” she said.
“Apart from the time, there was also the cost … It was tough.”
Margaret Merodith says the community is “over the moon” over the return of the town’s medical centre. (ABC Central West: Hamish Cole )
Local woman Margaret Merodith said many people in the community found themselves facing a similar situation.
“People have travelled to Dubbo, Penrith, Lithgow, trying to get in anywhere they could,” she said.
“It is just unheard of in our lifetime.”
Clinic returns
That all changed in July last year thanks to the arrival of two doctors, who joined local nurse practitioner Skye Bradford in reopening the clinic.
“We’ve on-boarded about a thousand new patients in the last six months who didn’t have a doctor in the area,” Ms Bradford said.
“It is a good feeling to provide this service.”
Skye Bradford has helped reopen the Gulgong Medical Centre after it was closed for 18 months. (ABC Central West: Hamish Cole)
Ms Bradford said many elderly people in Gulgong with chronic diseases struggled to get the care they needed during the 18-month closure.
“Chronic disease, unmanaged, puts pressure on the health service,” she said.
“They can’t get a doctor’s appointment, [so] they end up in the emergency department.”
Ms Day said the return of GP services in Gulgong has had an immediate impact on the town.
“To have that continued care with a GP in our community … It really is a lifeline for the community.”
The Gulgong Medical Centre reopened in July 2025. (ABC Central West: Hamish Cole)
Doctor Luke Talbot made the move to Gulgong with his family after living in Newcastle for a decade.
“I’ve worked a long time in medicine, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt so appreciated by my patients,” he said.
“Every consultation I do, the patient says, ‘Thank you for coming to the town, and we really appreciate you.'”
Luke Talbot says Doctors 4 Mudgee Region were integral in helping him move to the area. (ABC Central West: Hamish Cole)
Community push
The health professionals were secured with the help of Doctors 4 Mudgee Region.
Support from the three nearby coal mines, Moolarben, Wilpinjong and Yancoal, meant the group was able to offer the practitioners a bonus of $45,000 across three years, as well as assistance in securing accommodation, schooling and employment for partners.
Ms Day is the organiser of the group and said the incentives had been highly successful in addressing the healthcare situation in the region.
“If we were waiting for the government to come in and fix this crisis … we would still be waiting,” she said.
“You wouldn’t see this happen in Sydney or any metropolitan area.”
The 2,600 people who call Gulgong home were without a GP for more than 18 months. (ABC Central West: Hamish Cole )
Addressing the rural shortage
Dr Talbot also received financial assistance from the group to help come to the area.
“They’ve acted as a concierge to make the move to the area smooth,” he said.
“There was a relocation grant, which helped with moving across the state … without it, it would certainly make you think twice.
“They’ve been integral in myself and my family moving.”
Kate Day says Doctors 4 Mudgee Region hopes to attract 10 GPs to the district over the next three years. (ABC Central West: Hamish Cole )
The organisation’s ultimate aim is to bring 10 doctors from the city to the region over the next three years.
“Rural Australia is a great place to practice, we’re offering great incentives, welcoming their families with open arms,” Ms Day said.
“It is a great way to go about trying to fix a problem.”
Dr Talbot said other regional communities facing a shortage of health professionals could learn from Gulgong’s experience.
“A vast majority of our workforce is located on the coast or in metropolitan areas,” he said.
“We have to make it appealing for doctors to come to more rural and remote places, and not only for the doctor, but the family they might bring with them.”