“What was meant to be 6 weeks in Broken Hill turned into 3 months – and I could’ve stayed longer!” says Emma (middle).
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"Dear Diary,
What was meant to be a quick six-week deployment to Broken Hill turned into three months – and honestly, I could have stayed longer.
When I first arrived, there wasn’t a single full-time Senior Speech Pathologist in the role. Recruitment’s always a challenge out here – it’s a long way from anywhere – but that’s also part of what makes Broken Hill so unique.
Two things I’m most proud of were taking on a specialised caseload for infant feeding and helping bring two new speech pathologists on board. Referrals for infant feeding jumped quickly thanks to amazing teamwork between child and family health nurses, paediatricians, and myself. Watching those little ones make progress was such a highlight.
Onboarding the new Speech Pathologists was also a big win – showing them around the hospital, helping them settle into both inpatient and outpatient work, and supporting them as they navigated more complex cases. Knowing they’d carry the work forward was a great feeling.
Outside of work, life was just as full. I joined the South Broken Hill cricket team and we made it to the grand final!
I spent weekends road-tripping to national parks, watching sunsets from the Line of Lode or Mundi Mundi lookout, and checking out whoever was playing at the pub or distillery. We’ve enjoyed shows from Thelma Plum, Kim Churchill, and Timomatic!
Yes, Broken Hill is remote – there’s no denying it – but the sense of community here is next level. People look out for each other. Services like the Royal Flying Doctor Service go above and beyond, organising patient transfers to Adelaide and working closely with local teams. And the heat? Let’s just say you don’t forget your first summer in the desert.
And there were moments like meeting little Huxley, a gorgeous bub whose parents run a page called Huxley’s Heroes. They posted about one of our feeding therapy sessions, and it was one of those heartwarming reminders of why this work matters.
Broken Hill gave me more than just work experience. It gave me a chance to be part of a community, to make a difference, and to soak up a part of Australia that most people never see. Plus, I’ve got a new appreciation for cricket – and an addiction to outback sunsets. "
