Anne Marie Black
Pharmacist, Cairns Hospital
"There are too many positive life changes since moving from the UK. We can pick up the kids and head straight to the beach every day".
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Location: 1,710km north of Brisbane, 94km south west of Cairns, 355km north of Townsville
Atherton is the bustling heart of the beautiful Atherton Tablelands. In 1885 the town was established as a stopping point between the coast and the Herberton tin mines, and named after the famous grazier John Atherton. Situated on rich volcanic soil, Atherton supports many agricultural ventures including timber, maize, potatoes, corn, strawberries, lettuce, macadamia nuts, sugar cane and tropical fruits. Surrounded by rainforest, jacaranda trees, crater lakes and waterfalls, Atherton offers an energetic lifestyle amidst a strikingly distinct natural environment.
The Atherton Hospital is a 53 bed facility providing accident and emergency, general surgical, general medical, aged care and low risk maternity services including 24 hour operative obstetrics.
Specialist services include cardiac stress testing, chemotherapy, obstetrics and gynaecology, diabetes education and dialysis as well as dietetics and nutrition.
Visiting services include anaesthetics, general medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, orthopaedics, paediatrics, psychiatry, adult and paediatric endocrinology and women’s health services.
HACC services consist of a continence assessment team, frail aged, allied health program, home help services, and Tablelands HACC Assessment Services.
The hospital has a substantial patient load with approximately 18,500 emergency cases seen each year. 250-300 babies are also delivered at the hospital each year.
Atherton is a friendly and thriving country township 2 hours from Cairns and is one of the largest towns on the Atherton Tablelands with a population close to 7,000. The town is actually built on an extinct volcano called Hallorans Hill and provides all the necessary facilities and amenities for families with children, retirees, locals and visitors. Here, you can enjoy the urban pleasures of unique shops, art galleries, markets and charming cafes with great local coffee.
The Atherton area is home to national parks, rich agricultural lands, abundant tropical flora and diverse wildlife. Explore the ancient volcanic crater lakes, Lake Eacham and Lake Barrine as well as the popular tourist attraction Lake Tinaroo – all of which are only a short drive from the township and offer outstanding recreational activities such as swimming, bush walking, camping and fishing.
Atherton is a diverse culture, owing to the gold rush era when European, Chinese, Malaysian and Indian immigrants settled in the area to work the land. By 1919, almost 80% of maize in Atherton was produced by Chinese growers and their influence on Atherton can still be seen in the Hou Wang Miau Temple and Museum
in the preserved Chinatown. Atherton’s beautiful natural surroundings still attract many international visitors and you may come across many foreign visitors in the Atherton hospital who speak little English. Patience and understanding in your practice will be rewarded with the knowledge that you have broken through a language barrier and helped another person.
Hallorans Hill Walking Track and Lookout - walk right up the side of an extinct volcano. The walking track starts at the Environmental Park next to the Atherton Hospital and takes about 2 hours. You'll see curtain fig trees, miniature waterfalls, rock pools and lush rainforest. Keep an eye out for bush turkeys and even the occasional tree-kangaroo. On top of the lookout, enjoy the panoramic views across the Atherton Tablelands. The views include Lake Tinaroo, the Seven Sisters - extinct volcanoes, and Mt Bartle Frere - the tallest mountain in Queensland. You can also drive to the lookout, which offers a great playground for the kids and barbeque facilities.
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