Meet the doctor RDN supported to move across the world and has delivered more than 1000 babies in Mudgee

In 2003, Rural Doctors Network (RDN) sponsored Dr Craig Hearn who, together with his wife and their four young children, made the decision to move across the world from a little village called Mhlambanyatsi in Swaziland in Southern Africa, to Mudgee in NSW Australia, on a five-year program for overseas doctors.  

Twenty-one years later, and now planning his retirement, Craig is not only the most senior current GP Obstetrician in Mudgee, but is renowned for changing the lives of thousands of families in the region for the better; he has delivered more than 1000 babies at Mudgee Hospital! 

“Mudgee’s great – it’s a growing town and I wouldn’t work anywhere else – I will retire here,” Craig said.  

Craig worked as a company doctor for a Pulp Company in Swaziland, looking after foresters and the local village. He first travelled to Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne with his wife in 1992. However, it wasn’t until 2001 that Craig made a phone call which would ultimately change the direction of his life.   

“I made contact with the Dubbo division of General Practice before being phoned back by Louise Baker – who arranged for me to come over,” Craig said.  

“The promoting of my visit was then taken over by RDN, but Louise took me around the Central West and I visited Cowra, Parkes, Forbes and Condobolin before finally visiting Mudgee - and decided I liked Mudgee!”  

“Mudgee was inviting us,” Craig said. “My wife grew up in the mountains in the Drakensberg and Mudgee means 'nest in the hills' - so we decided on Mudgee which had very welcoming people and a practice [Mudgee Medical Centre],” he said.  

“When I arrived, I got a train to Lithgow and a bus to Mudgee and, Jane, the wife of Peter Roberts, the senior partner at Mudgee Medical Centre, picked me up and helped to settle me in, and found accommodation for us.”  

“My family came over soon afterwards, and the practice became our family – we sometimes even had Christmas together,” Craig said.  

The Practice was an old home initially, until about fourteen years ago, the associates built what Craig described as “an amazing medical centre”.   

At the time, Mudgee was identified as a NSW Health Area of Need, and RDN sponsored Craig as part of, what was then referred to as, the Five Year Overseas Trained Doctors Scheme. The scheme offered incentives to International Medical Graduates to work for a minimum of five years in areas of greatest need.  

“I have got a debt of gratitude to the RDN and particularly Lisa McFayden, Margaret Young, and Louise and the other ladies who brought me over and helped in organising the scheme that I came over with,” Craig said.  

However, after falling in love with the practice, town and community, five years wasn’t enough. Together with his wife, they decided Mudgee is where they wanted to stay, work and continue raising their family. 

Over the last 21 years, Craig has kept in touch with RDN by attending every Obstetrics Conference held, including the most recent one held in May earlier this year. 

“Attending the RDN Obstetrics Conference has been a constant in my life ever since we got here,” Craig said. 

“I really enjoy going to these conferences – I have been going every second year for nearly 21 years, except 2020 when Covid hit.” 

In his first few years in Mudgee, Craig was kept very busy seeing more and more antenatal patients – soon the most in town – and while they always had doctors doing obstetrics, only two could do caesareans before his arrival. 

“So the other GPs would call us,” Craig explained.   

“I then became part of the associateship [of the Medical Centre] which gave me a bit more freedom and flexibility.” 

With his four kids now all grown up and either travelling the world, studying at university or working, Craig says he plans to retire from doing Obstetrics in November this year.  

“I’m finding it difficult to leave and I am grateful to everyone, but the end is in sight,” Craig said. 

 “I am hoping I don’t lose touch with RDN as I will continue in General Practice and I do love obstetrics! 

“We have three fantastic younger doctors and Peter Bryant, who’s been there almost as long as I have (but is about 10 years younger) and I have great faith in them and in handing over the reigns.” 

When asked if Craig would encourage other doctors to consider a move to Mudgee, the answer was a resounding yes! 

“Mudgee’s got everything; it’s a tourist destination, has a great coffee culture and is a nice place to live and bring up children. 

“We still need doctors in the country and if this helps Mudgee specifically, I would encourage young doctors, in particular, to give it a go!  

“Like so many towns in the country we have reached a crisis recently (especially since the smaller towns around have lost their GPs), so have made the very difficult decision to close our books to new patients.  

“Mudgee needs GPs and GP Obstetricians, and I would be so happy if my story stimulates anyone to consider looking at Mudgee,” Craig said. 

Visit mudgeemedical.com.au for more information.

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