Health

The region has a diverse range of health facilities and services.

Major hospitals are located in Whyalla, Port Lincoln and Ceduna. These facilities have been substantially upgraded – i.e. a $36 million development at Ceduna Hospital 2010; $69 million at Whyalla Hospital 2012; and a $39 million upgrade of Port Lincoln Hospital in 2015.

Eight smaller hospitals at Cummins, Elliston, Streaky Bay, Tumby Bay, Wudinna, Cleve, Cowell and Kimba provide a range of multi-purpose services, including residential aged care in some towns. Community health centres are provided in Port Lincoln, Tumby Bay, Cleve, Whyalla, Lock, Wudinna and Ceduna; and dedicated Indigenous health centres are located in Port Lincoln, Ceduna, Whyalla, and Yalata.

In 2014 the region had 24 general practice medical clinics staffed by 65 FTE doctors. The largest numbers of doctors were located in Whyalla (28), Port Lincoln (16) and Ceduna (5).

The Royal Flying Doctor Service provides health services, patient transport, emergency evacuations and medical retrieval services across the broader region, primarily with critical patient transport to metropolitan Adelaide.

Aged Care facilities are provided throughout the region at Whyalla, Port Lincoln, Ceduna, Cleve, Cowell, Cummins, Elliston, Kimba, Tumby Bay, Streaky Bay, and Wudinna.

Due to the ageing of the regional population, a number of LGAs are investigating opportunities to extend aged care facilities and service provision.

The rollout of the Australian Government National Disability Insurance Scheme during 2017-18, is expected to increase the demand for support services for people with a disability, and create new employment and investment opportunities for service providers.

For further information see Country Health SA website.

Education and Training

The region has numerous education and specialised training centres, which offer a diverse range of courses and employment-related programs. This includes 39 government and 5 private schools. 11 government secondary schools have Trade Training Centres which provide courses to address industry skills shortages in aquaculture, agriculture, cooking, and engineering.

Whyalla is the region’s main tertiary education centre, offering the only university facility as well as specialised TAFE workshop facilities for trade and other programs.

Specialised secondary schools include:

  • Cleve Area School, Sims Farm. Sims Farm is a 400-hectare property specialising in dry land agricultural education for aspiring farmers. This is the largest school farm in regional South Australia and is managed commercially with a merino flock, prime lamb production and wheat, barley and oats enterprises. The school has boarding facilities and attracts students from across the Eyre Peninsula and rural South Australia.
  • Cowell Area School. The school provides a two-year aquaculture course trains students for direct entry into the oyster industry. The training uses a 2-hectare research and development oyster lease, and includes the purchase of spat and sale of on-grown oysters to market.
  • Cowell Area School. The school provides a two-year aquaculture course trains students for direct entry into the oyster industry. The training uses a 2-hectare research and development oyster lease, and includes the purchase of spat and sale of on-grown oysters to market.
  • Cummins Area School. The school’s Agriculture Trade Training Centre offers programs in agricultural studies and provides students with the opportunity to complete a Certificate II in Agriculture.

Tertiary education facilities include:

  • University of South Australia, Whyalla Campus. The university offers on-campus and on-line learning in various fields. The Centre for Regional Engagement has programs to meet the needs of regional Australia, in business, accounting, nursing, rural health, applied statistics, social work, community well-being, and foundation studies.Associate and Full Degrees in Metallurgy and Mechanical Engineering are available to meet the needs of the mining and resources sector; and a Bachelor of Education provides primary teacher training. The campus hosts two research centres. The Centre for Rural Health and Community Development conducts research into regional development, health and community-based studies. The Regional Sustainability Centre is researching innovative options for long term regional sustainability.
  • TAFE SA Regional. TAFE has main campuses in Whyalla, Port Lincoln and Ceduna, and smaller facilities at Wudinna, Cleve, and Kimba. Most of the training is delivered via flexible external options supported by IT, and mobile facilities are available to provide courses in smaller townships. The Whyalla facilities have been substantially upgraded to provide courses in solar and other renewable energies in collaboration with industry partners.
  • Minnipa Agriculture Centre. The 1,200 hectare farm is operated by the South Australian Research and Development Institute. The facility conducts research and development cereal growing programs for low rainfall environments and investigates innovative best practice farm management.
  • Lincoln Marine Science Centre, Port Lincoln. The facility provides tertiary education in marine biology and ecology, oceanography and aquaculture. Post-graduate studies are available at Honours, MSc and PhD levels. The facility is a research centre for Flinders University, SARDI Aquatic Sciences and Biosecurity SA. Research activities are undertaken by resident and visiting specialists.
  • Australian Maritime and Fisheries Academy, Port Lincoln. The AMFA is the only industry owned and operated development and training organisation in the Southern Hemisphere. The Academy provides courses for the operation of coastal vessels, from elementary sea safety to skippering large commercial vessels. Industry-based training for senior secondary school students wanting a career in the commercial fishing, aquaculture and maritime industries are also provided.

Your success is our business

For companies and industry planning to do business or locate operations in the region, Regional Development Australia Eyre Peninsula offers a range of support services.

Our staff are committed to working with potential investors to help secure rapid and straightforward approvals for new projects, business partners, other incentives and assistance including:

  • Infrastructure advice for business and industry
  • Facilitation of infrastructure development projects
  • Facilitation of investment projects
  • Skills development
  • Access and contact with business and services networks
  • Research assistance for new, expanding or diversifying businesses
  • Sourcing of funding
  • Sourcing of grants
  • Small business advice
  • Market research
  • Export development assistance

RDAEP is dedicated to working with your business to ensure that a base in the region provides a competitive edge over other locations.