About me
I grew up in Launceston, Tasmania, I am the second of four children. At age 18 I left to travel the world, I was an exchange student in Belgium for 12 months, where I went to a sport school (learnt Flemish) and competed in national Athletics competitions. I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I left school, I knew I just wanted a job that would be challenging, interesting and rewarding. I applied to medical school in Tasmania and deferred a year while I travelled overseas.
I went to medical school in Launceston and Hobart (University of Tasmania). My favourite rotation as a student was Obstetrics and Gynaecology. I had many part time jobs during School and University and financially supported myself. I tried to travel as much as I could during the long University breaks, backpacking on a shoe string to Brazil, Mexico and Vietnam. At the end of 2003 I organised a medical elective in Chamonix, Mont Blanc (French Alps) at the hospital in the town. My goal was to learn to speak French and become a competent skier. I had spent time trekking in the Tasmanian bush and love being in the wilderness.
The hospital in Chamonix received patients from the helicopter rescue team (called the Gendarme) delivered from the mountain. That is how I met my husband, he was a Mountain Rescuer who taught me how to ski, rock climb and to speak French. I deferred my University and spent two years living in the mountains. I worked as a Nanny and at a ski school looking after young children.
I returned to finish medical school and my husband joined me in Australia. My first intern rotation was in Fremantle, we wanted to be by the coast and to travel Australia. We then moved to the Sunshine Coast, I loved my Obstetrics and Gynaecology term and knew that what I wanted to do.
We found the Illawarra by chance, 19 years ago. We had work in Sydney but wanted to live further south. My husband is a surfer and searched ‘Sandon Point’ on google earth. We rented the first small place we could find in Thirroul and have lived here ever since. The Illawarra is our home and we love it. It is a wonderful place to raise children.
I completed my Obstetrics and Gynaecology Training at St George Hospital, Sydney, Sutherland and Wollongong Hospital. During my training I had my three sons. I passed my two specialist exams while pregnant with my first two sons! Training to be an Obstetrician took 15 years of hard work and study.
My most exciting year of training was in Kununurra, The Kimberley’s, Western Australia. With two small children, we moved for 12 months for me to do remote Obstetrics and Gynaecology with First Nations people and for my husband to work as a helicopter pilot. I would often fly to remote clinics in small planes, all over the North of Australia.
Once I had finished my training, I set up Private Practice in Wollongong and have loved the challenge of growing my practice and juggling work and motherhood. I am very proud of our clinic, Amelie Private, which is now a successful practice offering women outstanding health care in the Illawarra. In 2023, Amelie Private won an Illawarra Business award.
I have three very active, fun and noisy boys, born in 2011, 2013, 2017. I work hard, but am very present in their lives. Being a mother certainly influences how you practice and empathise with your patients. I understand how hard it is to juggle pregnancy, work and family. I know the feeling of apprehension, excitement and wonder of being pregnant, delivering and caring for your baby.
In my spare time I love being outdoors, my favourite passion is skiing. I love reading and am a member of a book club, I like to garden, do pilates and enjoying travelling with my boys. I love trying new restaurants, watching foreign language films on Netflix and SBS. One of my favourite parts of meeting new families is hearing all their recommendations, whether it be restaurants, binge-worthy dramas, places to travel or activities to do with your children.
I am the Obstetrics and Gynaecology representative member of the Medical Advisory Committee of Wollongong Private Hospital and keep up to date on all Obstetric research by attending conferences annually.
