An opportunity exists for a GP to join an enthusiastic, family-oriented practice in the Central coast seaside community of Penguin located in North West Tasmania. The practice currently has 1.7 FTE GPs working from the surgery in Penguin and is the sole practice in the town. Each doctor is able to access one day off each week. The Practice is supported by three reception/support staff. A range of associated health services are offered at the regional hospital about 15 minutes from the surgery.
The Penguin Surgery at a glance:
Well equipped for minor procedures
Purpose built facility with 3 consulting rooms and examination rooms
Next door to busy pharmacy
The practice has a mix of bulk-billing and private billing
Doctors are able to access one day off each week
Access to X-ray, Imaging and Pathology is through Burnie Hospital three times per day
The District is serviced by allied health and community nursing services ex Burnie or Ulverstone (10 minutes distance)
Coroneagh Nursing Home in Penguin is serviced by practice GPs
Optometrist next door
A comprehensive range of specialist services are available at Launceston (pop'n 85,000) including those offered by the Launceston General Hospital ( 1.5hr drive away)
Ambulance services are based in Burnie and Ulverstone
Normal consulting hours are 8.00am 5.30pm daily with an appointments system in operation
The Practice GPs currently have a clinical interest in:
-Dermatology
-Road motor sport medicals/trauma
- Womens Health
The position in summary:
Employed GP sought
Full-time position is offered
GPs are expected to provide a comprehensive range of family-focussed GP services
All GPs participate in the on call roster Monday to Friday
The duty GP covers the weekend surgery, (Sunday morning)
When is the position available?
The practice is seeking to fill the vacancy as soon as possible.
About the town Penguin is one of the smallest towns on the North West Coast, but it has long had the reputation of being one of the prettiest. Residents delight in the sea views, roadside gardens and varied bird life on the coastal road between Ulverstone and Penguin.
The town is located 137 km northwest of Launceston, 17 km east of Burnie and 31 km west of Devonport on Tasmania's northern coast. It is a seaside resort town which, unsurprisingly, was named by the distinguished botanist Robert Campbell Gunn after the fairy penguins which still inhabit the local coastline.
Settlement of the district was relatively late due to the density of the bushland. A demand for timber caused by the goldrushes of the 1850s led timber cutters to the area where they cut palings which were shipped across Bass Strait to the goldmines of Victoria. Wharves were built along the coast to allow boats to load the palings. This helped to clear the area and the town site was first settled in June, 1861 when Edward Beecraft acquired 167 acres of land.
Today it is a combination of a local service centre and a tourist destination. Travellers are offered a wide range of activities.
About our community
Easy access to safe swimming beaches and great barbecue spots. Fishing and riding on a miniature railway are wonderful activities for the children. Penguin is home to northern Tasmanias largest market operating every Sunday where stalls sell fine Tasmanian woodwork, jewellery, fashion, giftware, handmade craft and homewares to the discerning buyer.
About our regional environment
Residents of Penguin enjoy a superb natural environment with clean air and beautiful scenery, ranging from coastal beaches to bushland, farmland and temperate rain forests on the surrounding hills and mountains.
About our lifestyle
Penguin has a shopping centre with a range of eating establishments, a bank ATM, chemist, optometrist. The towns of Burnie and Ulverstone (only 10 to 15 minutes drive each) provide good access to a number of alternative banks and larger shopping centres.
Tasmania has excellent and easy access to interstate travel via daily flights to the mainland as well as two ferries plying between Devonport and Melbourne. The best of both worlds living in a peaceful paradise but easily able to access the hustle and bustle of big city life.
Educational opportunities
Two State run primary schools Secondary High School
Leighlands Christian primary school
There are regular bus services to Ulverstone and Burnie to access private schools.
Matriculation colleges at Burnie are accessible by a daily bus service.
About our places of worship
-Anglican Church
-Baptist
-Uniting Church
Things to see: Penguins Everywhere-
One of the major attractions in Penguin is the town's sense of humour about its namesake. Consequently there is a large penguin in the beachfront park (reputedly the largest penguin in the world), there are penguin garbage bins in the street and even the Penguin Meals on Wheels has a picture of a penguin on the side of the building.
The main attraction is the fairy penguins (Eudyptula minor) which can be seen arriving each evening between November and March.
The Dutch Windmill
The replica Dutch windmill in Hiscutt Park was presented to the people of Penguin to commemorate the Dutch settlers in Penguin and the Dutch explorers who were the first Europeans to make contact with Tasmania. Hiscutt Park has some excellent play equipment for children and is well maintained particularly in spring when there is a spectacular tulip display to complement the Dutch windmill.
Johnsons Beach Reef
Johnsons Beach lies just west of the Uniting Church. It is a popular place for walks at low tide as the reef is exposed and is well worth exploring.
Walking in the Area
There are a number of excellent walks in the area including trails up the Dial Range to Mount Montgomery and, closer to the town, the Ferndale Bush Walk which includes Thorsby's Tunnel, an old silver mining shaft.
