News
1 April, 2025
Cheers to Tom and Julie Doolan
OVER 100 people have come together to mark the retirement of Somerset community stalwarts Dr Tom Doolan and wife, Julie, aft er 45 years of service to the region, making Dr Doolan the longest serving medical GP ever in Kilcoy.
Former patients, family and friends recalled Dr Doolan’s immeasurable contribution not only across Somerset but also nationwide, in his quest to better address the medical needs of rural and indigenous communities ever since his medical studies at the University of Queensland.
Dr Doolan was a founding member of the Rural Doctors Association of Queensland (RDAQ) and the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) in 1989 and 1990, respectively, and served on the boards of both organisations.
He worked with the federal Department of Health and established the first National Rural Health Conference in 1991, which developed a National Rural Health Strategy responsible for rural health funding and initiatives in the following decades.
He was Chairman of the Rural Doctors Association Taskforce of Australia and established the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine in 1996. It was the first rural medical college, now with over 5,000 members.
As a student, he was the founding director of Brisbane’s Aboriginal and Islander Community Health Service.
Dr Doolan also advocated for indigenous health to be included in the RDAQ and RDAA, having won federal government funding to develop an indigenous health curriculum for rural doctor training and medical schools.
Dr Doolan and Julie started the Kilcoy Medical Practice in 1979, with Julie as nurse and practice manager. This eventually became the Kilcoy Medical Centre.
Over the course of his practice, Dr Doolan and Julie have become names synonymous with Kilcoy, having seen up to four generations of the same families in town.
Dr Doolan said it became very clear to him early on in his career that there were deep-rooted problems around rural health.
He said these issues continue today, with the Kilcoy Hospital recently having to go without doctors on-site after hours and on weekends.
“We were struggling for a workforce and we were struggling for resources, and it was time to do something about it and that’s when the Rural Doctors Association started,” he said.
“In rural practice you have to be able to turn your hand to pretty much everything. There is one thing that patients in rural communities hate and that is having to go out of town to have something done, so the more we could provide for people locally, the better.
“Things have changed over the years and now we have a situation here in our own hospital which is unacceptable. It’s outrageous.
“It is incredibly lucky that, so far since this process has been instituted, that there has not been a fatality.”
While calling for action to address the doctor shortage in rural hospitals, Dr Doolan added it has been “wonderful” to be a part of the Kilcoy community and thanked Julie, his family, colleagues and patients for all their support.
“Thank you one and all. Thank you for this wonderful gift of this afternoon. It has been just magnificent,” he said.
Former nurse and community figure, Denise Modistach, thanked Dr Doolan and Julie for their long-term commitment to the community.
“We celebrate Tom’s retirement, but also the start of a new chapter of his and Julie’s lives,” she said.
“I wish you both all the best in your retirement and take it from one who knows, retirement is hard.
“I’m guessing they will continue to be a part of our community and organisations, that support our town and its needs.”
Somerset Mayor Jason Wendt, retired Dr Dawn Evans and Dr Doolan’s children, Ben and Rachel, also gave speeches, paying tribute to Tom and Julie and wishing them a happy retirement, while thanking them for all the effort and sacrifices they have made over the years.
