CAROLYN Overy grew up on a beef cattle property in Victoria, but now she is the nurse manager for RFDS Rockhampton – saving the lives of locals every day.
Ms Overy said she would not trade her job for the world – and put it down to a great team, and challenging environment.
“I’m the leader of a very dedicated, hardworking, talented bunch of ladies who go above and beyond every day,” she said.
“We transfer patients from the local area to Brisbane, and we bring patients from out west to Rockhampton for care.”
She said her rural upbringing played a part in the job she has today.
“I’ve always believed that living rural or remote should not implicate the heath care you are provided, and I always wanted to give back to my community, regardless of where I live,” she said.
“I went to the university in a country town, and there was a poster of the RFDS on the wall which we had to walk past every day to get to the labs, and I used to think ‘one day, I’m going to have that job’, and I got it.
“I have the best office window anyone could as for.”
Ms Overy said while she still gets homesick for her family’s property, which her sisters now help run, she said working with “country people” helped a lot.