Narrogin

The wheatbelt locality of Narrogin is home to some of WA’s most productive agricultural farmlands and is a true hub of regional life and community. Just shy of 200km from Perth, Narrogin offers a rural lifestyle to those who seek the peace of the country with reasonable proximity to the city. Narrogin is renowned for its picturesque gardens and heritage architecture, with its modern town centre hosting a great selection of cafes, art galleries, walking trails and much more.

Narrogin RCSWA was established back in 2007. The office is conveniently located at the Narrogin Hospital in the corporate wing and is where all student tutorials are held. It is also across the road from the RCSWA student house - never be late to a placement again!

Accommodation

Narrogin RCSWA has one five-bedroom, two-bathroom house and is located across the road from Narrogin Hospital. Most local amenities are also within walking distance of the student house.
Transport

Students are advised to bring their cars to travel outside of Narrogin, as there is no public transport. Within town, most local amenities are within walking distance. Narrogin RCSWA office has bicycles available for student use in town. There is a regular TransWA bus connecting Perth and Narrogin.
Health Services

Narrogin Hospital is a modern facility with 28 acute inpatient beds, eight subacute inpatient beds, and 15 same-day beds. Clinical services provided include emergency services, maternity services, inpatient ward, public dentist, chemotherapy unit, cancer services and surgical services. There are RCSWA teaching rooms based in the hospital. See WACHS Narrogin Health Services for more information.

Narrogin RCSWA students attend John Parry Medical Centre and Earl Street Medical Practice for their GP rotations.
Extra Activities
Narrogin YMCA Recreation Centre has a fully equipped gym, tennis and squash courts, basketball courts, hockey courts, footy oval, and a swimming pool. There are lots of sporting clubs suiting all levels of play from beginners to pros, including tennis, hockey, netball, basketball, football and cycling. Narrogin Repertory Club put on plays twice a year and ARTS Narrogin organises musicals, theatre and art exhibitions in the local area. The Barna Mia Nocturnal Animal Sanctuary is situated in the picturesque Dryandra Woodland National Park.

There are excellent walking trails through and around Foxes Lair Nature Reserve and Narrogin Creek, a 60-hectare bushland area.

Other local and nearby events include Narrogin Rev Heads, Narrogin Agricultural Show, Wagin Woolarama, Darken Sheep Fest, Katanning Harmony Festival and Yealering Regatta.

Find out more about the wonderful community of Narrogin by visiting the following links:
- Shire of Narrogin – popular events
- Australia’s Golden Outback – Narrogin

Staff Profiles

ACADEMIC SERVICES OFFICER, NARROGIN
Brooke Conway

Brooke provides a wide range of support to students including timetabling, housing, excursions, and clinical placements. Having lived in the Narrogin area for 15 years, Brooke appreciates the importance of encouraging medical professionals to work in rural areas. She currently lives on acreage in Cuballing with her husband, two German Shepherds and a horse.

What I love about the RCSWA
I love that the RCSWA enables students to not only study in rural locations but also to build lives there. I love the sense of community that comes from living in a small town and watching the students experience it.

Project Officer HubS, Narrogin
Joanne Potts

Jo hopes to develop a strong foundation for medical students in the Wheatbelt to assist RCSWA alumni with career pathway training options and provide connections with rural clinical colleagues. Jo relocated to her husband’s family farm near Dryandra Woodlands in the Shire of Cuballing (near Narrogin) in 2015 and has been passionately involved with the medical student program since 2016.

What I love about the RCSWA
I love developing connections with junior doctors in the Wheatbelt to showcase the incredible facilities and lifestyle that is on offer.

Wheatbelt Immersion Program

What’s it like to live in the bush? Notre Dame academic lead Dr Donna Mak and RCSWA Narrogin academic services officer Sarah Hawksley take to local radio to explain the university’s Wheatbelt Immersion Program and the experience for first year medical students and local families.

Since 2005, Notre Dame students have been billeted for short periods by Wheatbelt families so the potential rural practitioners can get a taste of rural life. With Covid challenges, the program switched to Zoom in 2022 but that did not stop the students from heading over the hills.