Kununurra
Written by Noah Thavaseelan, Class of 2025
When I first found out that I would be heading to Kununurra for my rural GP placement, I was not quite sure what to expect. I knew that it was remote (Modified Monash Model 7 remote), but nothing truly prepares you for the contrast between the big metro hospitals and rural medicine in the Kimberley. What followed was one of my most rewarding months in medical school, filled with clinical challenges, great company, breathtaking landscapes, and unforgettable adventures.
📍 The Town
Kununurra is a small town of around 7,000 people tucked near the Northern Territory border, ‘nearby’ to Darwin (8-hour drive away). It has a strong sense of community that draws you in and makes you feel welcome. Despite its small size, there are many nice local cafés, a variety of restaurants, and a few lively pubs dotted around. There’s a great leisure centre and multiple footy fields which reflects the strong sporting culture. The town is surrounded by rugged hills and scenic green plains which give a great backdrop to everyday life.
🌤 The Land and the Weather
The weather was a challenge to get used to. During the month of March, we had relentless 35-40°C heat most days combined with intense humidity which would be interrupted by sudden rain and thunderstorms. Enduring the weather was well worth it to experience the incredible landscape it produced. The amazing green hills, flowing rivers, and beautiful skies were unforgettable.
🏡 Accommodation
We stayed in a cosy little cabin at a local caravan park, air-conditioned (thankfully), with a pool to cool off in after long days at the clinic. It didn’t take long for us to become familiar with the local wildlife… namely, frogs that made surprise appearances in our toilet.
👥 Community and Social Life
A major highlight was all the people that we met - the lovely group of third-year rural clinical students, the fantastic RMOs, and a group of kind and welcoming GPs. There were social sports at the leisure centre, Friday nights out, and a BBQ and swim at one of the GP’s houses that made us feel truly welcome.
🚙 The Adventures
Thanks to the clinic, we were given a Toyota Troopy 4x4 to drive, very fitting for the country lifestyle. We took every opportunity we had to explore. We visited Lake Argyle, trekked to waterfalls pouring down from the wet season, and even tried our hand at fishing. Despite minimal experience, we managed to catch, fillet, and cook our own fish dinner. A trip to Wyndham brought views from the Five Rivers Lookout and Aboriginal rock art that deepened our appreciation of the region’s cultural history.
🩺 The Medicine
At Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service, there are only walk-in appointments with no time limits, a big change from the metro GPs we were used to. The clinic cares exclusively for Aboriginal people, which offered unique and important insights into culturally safe care, chronic disease management, and the systemic barriers faced in remote health.
We had the opportunity to fly to a number of remote clinics, including Kalumburu, the most remote town in WA. One of my more memorable experiences was when we had to coordinate a Royal Flying Doctor Service pickup for an unwell child while a storm closed in, and our pilot was rushing us to board our own plane before the weather turned and we would be stuck in town.
The town of Warmun stood out as a memorable clinic trip, not just for the medicine but also the opportunity to visit the local Warmun Art Centre and learn from the community.
My favourite time was in the ED. We were given the responsibility to fully assess patients ourselves, which felt really close to stepping into the shoes of a junior doctor. There was the additional challenge of the hospital radiology and pathology lab closing at 5:30pm so the evening shifts became difficult with limited resources. All the doctors and staff were extremely welcoming, supportive, and gave us great insights into rural medicine. The number of hands-on opportunities were incredible. There were opportunities to plaster fractures, suture wounds, and I came back to Perth finally being confident putting in cannulas
💭 Reflections
This month changed the way I see rural medicine. It is not just about geographic isolation, it's about systemic challenges, health inequities, and finding innovative ways to deliver the best possible care with the resources available.
It made me realise that my time working rurally was not over, and I left with a desire to return to rural practice in the future.
🗣 Advice for Future Students
When you get the chance to go rural, go very rural. I will always be grateful for getting out of my comfort zone.
It will challenge you and help you grow as both a medical student and a person. I will always remember this as one of my favourite experiences in medical school, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
