Biloela Hospital in central Queensland has welcomed its first midwifery students in 13 years, marking the reopening of the rural birthing unit after four years on maternity bypass. The hospital now faces challenges in retaining skilled staff to ensure long-term sustainability. Emma Rideout, a local nurse turned midwife student and one of three new trainees, highlights the importance of having such services locally. Central Queensland Health chief executive Lisa Blackler emphasizes that attracting and retaining a stable workforce is crucial for maintaining these services.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Biloela Hospital in Queensland, Australia, has welcomed its first midwifery students after a 13-year absence. The hospital's birthing unit was shut down in 2022 due to staffing shortages and went on maternity bypass for four years, forcing expectant mothers to travel over 120 kilometers to nearby towns like Rockhampton or Gladstone for birth services.
With the reopening of local maternity care last month, the hospital faces the challenge of attracting and retaining skilled staff. The chief executive of Central Queensland Health emphasized the importance of a stable workforce for the unit's long-term success. Emma Rideout, a 24-year-old registered nurse from Biloela, is one of the first to train as a midwife locally after previously not considering it possible due to staffing issues.
Written for “Rural Healthcare Education Revival” on 2026-10-07,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
In short:
Biloela Hospital has welcomed its first midwifery students in 13 years.
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Hospital → welcome → years
The rural birthing unit had been on maternity bypass for four years but reopened last month.
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unit → reopen → years
The chief executive of Central Queensland Health says attracting and retaining a skilled workforce is critical to the unit's long-term sustainability.
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attracting → say → sustainability
The central Queensland community of Biloela fought for years for the return of local birthing services after the town's birthing unit was shut down in 2022.
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unit → fight → 2022
The birthing bypass meant expectant mothers were forced to travel to Rockhampton or Gladstone, more than 120 kilometres away, to give birth, with no midwives at the local hospital.
With maternity care back online as of last month, the town faces its next challenge: attracting and retaining the people who will keep it running.
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Emma Rideout, 24, is a registered nurse who grew up in Biloela and is now training to be a midwife at the local hospital.
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who → register → hospital
Given the hospital's recent staffing struggles, Ms Rideout said working locally was not something she had thought would be possible.
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she → give → struggles
"Midwifery was always something I'd had in the back of my mind that I thought I wanted to try one day.
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I never thought it would be possible to study [here] and not have to leave," she said.
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It is the first cohort to be based in the hospital in 13 years.
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She said it had already been a fulfilling experience.
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it → say → ?
I think it's kind of like pioneering.
"
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it → think → pioneering
Being born and raised in a rural community and then working at the hospital as a nurse, it's made it very certain for me that that's the kind of setting that I want to work in."
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I → bear → that
Attracting workforce a 'challenge' for regional communities
Central Queensland Health chief executive Lisa Blackler said the viability of Biloela's maternity services relied on attracting and retaining midwives in the area.
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viability → attract → area
She said attracting a workforce to the region was the lifeline that reopened the unit, and retaining it was crucial to keeping it operational.
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retaining → say → it
"You have to have the workforce to deliver the service,"Ms Blackler said.
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Blackler → have → workforce
"We have to accept that we will have a transient workforce, but it's how we build the pipeline and get a core sort of foundation of staff that do stay.
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that → have → staff
"I think if we can attract people like Emma … that is a really positive story … we've got to lean in when people show interest in extending their skills and abilities."
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people → think → skills
Speaking at a press conference in September to announce the return of birthing to Biloela, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said his government was committed to keeping maternity care online in regional hospitals.
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government → speak → hospitals
"Queenslanders living in regional communities need to know that they matter, that they count for something, and that wherever it is safe to do so that we restore things and continue to deliver services close to where they live," he said.
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he → live → services
Diane Tamariki had been a midwife for almost 30 years before accepting the job of midwifery unit manager in Biloela.
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Tamariki → accept → Biloela
She said she was drawn to the opportunity to develop a new model of care in the reopened service.
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"It's really hard having to start something from scratch but it's also really rewarding being able to work with the community and help to deliver a service that is much needed."
Ms Tamariki has already laid roots in the community, coaching a netball team, meeting her partner and even buying a home, helping to convince her to stay for good.
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"I want to see this grow and to be sustainable," she said.
"
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she → want → ?
The medical workforce has really struggled [to get people in rural areas] and so this is a way of being able to support that but to provide a service to the community."
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this → struggle → community
While regional recruitment remains a major hurdle for rural health care across the country, Emma Rideout believes the town's rural charm is its greatest selling point.
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charm → remain → country
you get to care for people in the hospital and then see them downtown and they might pull you up and recognise you," she said.
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"I think it's just a great little town and obviously I am a bit biased being from here but … I would recommend it to anyone.
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Just come and see what you're missing," she said.
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she → come → what
The Aporia