THE prospect of tropical cyclones and high humidity hasn’t daunted the enthusiasm of Neil Holland and Karoline Gunn who will soon leave southern comforts for life in the remote north.
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As Cyclone Grant moved towards Arnhem Land on Boxing Day, the Warrnambool couple and their two young daughters began packing for what will be a significant culture change.
Dr Gunn, a general practitioner with experience in obstetrics and anaesthetics, has accepted a 12-month contract to work in remote Aboriginal communities.
Mr Holland, an architect with 25 years’ experience, will finish his south-west projects via computer link and ease back on work commitments to become a house husband.
He’ll still pursue his love for running, cycling and swimming, but probably at a slower pace due to the oppressive heat.
“We’ve been thinking about doing this for a few years and we were waiting til our girls were a suitable age,” he told The Standard.
“Neither of us have been to the Northern Territory before.
“We’ll be living in a three-bedroom house at Gove District Hospital in Nhulunbuy and every two weeks Karoline will fly out to remote communities to conduct one or two-day clinics.”
They’ll join other Warrnambool residents Dan and Jane Dwyer and their three children in the outback town.
Dr Dwyer, who worked with Dr Gunn at Warrnambool Medical Clinic, has been at Gove hospital for about 18 months and has extended his NT work commitment.
Nhulunbuy is 1020 kilometres via road from Darwin and linked to the Stuart Highway via a 650-kilometre dirt track which is accessible only during the dry season. Goods are transported via boat from Darwin with daily flights available via Darwin or Cairns.
The town was established in 1971 serving a bauxite mine and alumina refinery. It has a mainly non-indigenous population of about 5000 while in the surrounding area an indigenous population of about 8000 people lives in 15 remote communities.
Mr Holland and family leave Warrnambool on January 5, flying from Melbourne to Cairns then to Gove. Their four-wheel-drive car and personal effects will be trucked to Darwin and shipped to Gove.
During the dry season they plan to do some outback exploring.
In the meantime Mr Holland’s business partner Fiona Golding will continue running the Warrnambool architecture practice.
