Julie Luhrs
Oral Health Therapist, Cape York
"I work very hard but I also get rewarded for my efforts. Sometimes I feel physically exhausted but I love the leave that comes with the job".
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Location: 2,231km north west of Brisbane, 317km south of Weipa, 105km north west of Dunbar
Kowanyama is a remote community situated on the Mitchell River in western Cape York Peninsula. Founded in 1916, Kowanyama became a government-administered reserve in 1967.
Meaning ‘place of many waters’, Kowanyama offers a relaxed lifestyle based around fishing and the cultural activities of the local people.
The Kowanyama Primary Health Care Centre is a small health facility open daily
with on-call after hours nursing services. On duty medical officers provide health services throughout the week and on call after hours.
Primary health care services include outpatient services, nutrition health visits,
child health screening, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support and education, counselling, health promotion, sexual health, medication management and pharmacy supply services, visits to homelands, community nursing, diabetic care, chronic disease program, home medical aids, immunisation program, men’s health, after hours emergency care and basic radiography services.
Clinics available include antenatal and women’s health clinics.
Visiting services available are nutrition health, obstetrics and gynaecology, occupational therapy, thoracic medicine, dental services, women's health, Royal Flying Doctor Service mothercraft nurse, general medicine, paediatrics, psychiatry, ophthalmic services, Royal Flying Doctor Service psychologist and sexual health services.
Most of the roads in and out of Kowanyama are unsealed black soil roads and due care must be exercised when driving over them, particularly during the wet season as torrential rainfall can cause unsafe conditions and limited access. A four wheel drive vehicle is recommended on these roads in all seasons. Updates on road conditions can be found on the Capentaria website.
Alcohol restrictions are in place in Kowanyama. For more information vist the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services website.
Story Place is an exhibition of Indigenous art from the Cape York region and the surrounding rainforests. Each work in the collection demonstrates the energy of everyday life in and around the communities of the Cape. These pieces have been exhibited all over Australia including the Queensland Art Gallery.
Services
Sporting & Recreation
Queensland Health facility address
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