Finding home in Tasmania’s stunning north west

Jonathan has worked in the UK, New Zealand and across Australia, but the fresh air, clean water, attractive countryside and a smaller population enticed him to settle in Tasmania.

“I was in New Zealand before I came to Australia, enjoying the outdoor life. Tasmania was the nearest thing I could find to that in Australia. I love bushwalking and camping,” says Jonathan. “I’ve lived and worked in major emergency departments in London, Sydney and Auckland, but as I approached my 40^th birthday, I no longer wanted the big city life. Here in Tasmania, my partner Kylie and I live on three acres with sunset views, chickens, sheep and ducks.”

Jonathan has recently started a new role at a regional Tasmanian hospital in Latrobe, heading up the staffing and bed management unit. The 50-bed hospital is a campus of the North West Regional Hospital, providing general and specialist health services to the region.

Jonathan has been working at the hospital for five years and during this time has received Australian Government funding to further his studies. He has completed his Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma and his Masters in Nursing. A scholarship arrangement currently exists between the Tasmanian Health Service and the University of Tasmania, under which nurses and midwives are able to complete post graduate education cost free – a strong drawcard to working in the state.

For Jonathan, the regional hospital suits his need for a balance between work and play. No stranger to having a pack on his back, he likes his multi-day walks and has already taken his boots across the Overland Track, Western Arthurs, Port Davey Track and South Coast Track in between fishing and camping sojourns.

“We live on the coast just an hour from the mountains. We have Cradle Mountain right on our doorstep. We also enjoy our culture. In a little over three hours we can be in Hobart for festivals, galleries and museums. I’ve also come to really enjoy the local boutique breweries like Seven Sheds and the Hobart Brewing Company.”

Jonathan enjoys the smaller hospital environment where everyone is friendly and knows each other’s name. He also feels very much part of the local community, despite being in Tasmania just five years.

“I love it here. The weather is fantastic. It’s certainly nothing like the north of England with its grey and dreary winters. We get all four seasons here – the leaves changing colour in autumn, the spring time, and not the extreme weather conditions of other parts of Australia.”

Jonathan explored Australia for eight years, travelling across the continent from east to west, and making it as far as Cape York in far north Queensland. He took his camping gear and fishing rods, and worked as a rural remote nurse. From Aboriginal communities to top-end nursing, Jonathan is now happy to call Eugenana, in Tasmania, his home. If he’s not with his chickens or at the hospital, you might find him sitting with a craft brew at Preachers, his chosen Hobart watering hole.

Interested in joining Jonathan?

Tasmania has four major public hospitals – the Royal Hobart Hospital, the Launceston General Hospital, the North West Regional Hospital and the Mersey Community Hospital, with a supporting network of rural hospitals and multipurpose services. Visit the Department of Health and Human Services career website to view the current employment opportunities.

There are also a number of private hospitals in Tasmania offering a range of services and positions. Visit the Hobart Private Hospital and Calvary Health Care Tasmania websites for further detail.

Ready to make the move? Make it Tasmania.