Locum at Lameroo & Pinnaroo, SA
About Lameroo & Pinnaroo
Lameroo and Pinnaroo are twin rural communities situated 40 km apart in the Mallee region. These towns offer a peaceful working environment with a strong agricultural heritage and welcoming local population. You’ll work across both sites, contributing to emergency, inpatient, and GP clinic care with the support of a regular salaried GP team.
Key facts about Lameroo & Pinnaroo Hospital
Hours and On-call
Ward Rounds:
- Lameroo: 8:30 AM daily
- Pinnaroo: 9:00 AM daily
- Conducted prior to consulting; managed by the on-call doctor
Clinic Hours:
- Lameroo: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Mon–Thu), 1-hour lunch
- Pinnaroo: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM (Mon–Fri), 1-hour lunch
- Appointments scheduled 4 patients per hour (15-minute slots)
- One emergency/follow-up slot reserved each hour
Emergency Department:
- Average of 3 presentations per day per site
- On-call coverage required during placement, particularly for admitted patients
- Locums typically cover weekend shifts if booked for a full 7-day period
Location:
Mallee Region, SA Health
Payment Frequency:
Weekly payroll via DNA Payroll or monthly via SA Health
Orientation
- On-site induction provided on arrival
- Orientation to clinical systems, ED processes, and hospital routines
- Contact details and handover from local team arranged pre-placement
- Please arrive the day before your first shift where possible
Why work at Lameroo & Pinnaroo
Lameroo and Pinnaroo offer the kind of rural generalist work that keeps your skills sharp across the board. You’ll move between GP consults, inpatient care, aged care and emergency presentations, with the right balance of structure and variety. Clinics are run at a sensible pace, ward rounds are predictable, and the ED sees steady but manageable activity.
The team is small and supportive, so you’re never just covering shifts in isolation — you’re part of a group that values collaboration and good communication. It’s the kind of environment where you can practice full-scope medicine, build confidence in solo decision-making, and still know you have reliable nursing and admin support around you.
For doctors who want meaningful rural practice without the intensity of bigger hospitals, Lameroo and Pinnaroo give you space to do the work properly and make a clear impact in the community.
The facilities and services at Lameroo & Pinarroo
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Lameroo District Health Service
• 6 acute beds
• 8 aged care rooms
• Consulting practice with 3 rooms
• Practice nurse support and full admin team -
Pinnaroo Soldiers Memorial Hospital
• 8 acute beds
• 13 aged care rooms (mostly twin-share)
• 1 consulting room
• Small nursing team and admin support
Complexities, inpatients, and ED presentations
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Inpatients:
• Daily ward rounds required at both sites (Lameroo and Pinnaroo)
• Mix of acute care patients and aged care residents
• Reviews typically low to moderate acuity, but solo decision-making often needed -
Emergency Presentations:
• Around three ED presentations per site per day on average
• Primarily low to moderate acuity (falls, minor injuries, chest pain, exacerbations of chronic disease)
• Occasional higher-acuity cases requiring stabilisation and retrieval support -
Complexities:
• Full responsibility for admitted patients during your placement
• On-call coverage for ward and ED presentations, particularly on weekends
• Balancing GP clinics with inpatient and emergency care requires strong organisational skills
• Rural context means limited o
Hospital team and culture:
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Small, dedicated GP team:
• Dr James Rothgrew – 2 days/week
• Dr Harmonie Wong – currently on leave
• Dr James Buchanan – 2 days/week across Karoonda & Lameroo
• Dr Murray Barson – 3 days/fortnight, mainly Karoonda
• Locum doctors provide essential additional coverage across both hospitals -
Nursing & Admin Support:
• Lameroo: practice nurses rostered 7 days/fortnight
• Pinnaroo: practice nurses rostered 3 days/fortnight
• Both sites supported by experienced admin staff who manage flow and systems -
Culture:
• Collaborative environment where doctors, nurses and admin work closely side by side
• Strong sense of community trust — locum doctors are welcomed and valued, not treated as outsiders
• Emphasis on teamwork, good communication and mutual respect
• Doctors often describe the placements as supportive and collegial, with a clear appreciation from patients and staff alike
Mental health support:
Access to both EAP and DNA's partnership with MyMirror
Impact on local community:
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You’ll be one of only a handful of doctors providing care across two towns, which means your presence directly determines whether patients can access local services or need to travel long distances.
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Farming families rely on the clinics for ongoing primary care, preventive health and acute issues that can’t wait for city appointments.
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Aged care residents depend on daily medical input — your ward rounds and continuity of care are central to their wellbeing.
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In emergency cases, you’re often the first and only line of care until retrieval arrives, giving you a visible, vital role in safeguarding the community.
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The towns have a strong appreciation for their doctors — locums are seen as part of the local team, not just a stopgap — which means the impact of your work is noticed and valued.
Accommodation & Travel details:
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Flights / Travel Assistance
• Travel support is available for locums (confirm specifics when booking)
• Most doctors drive — Lameroo and Pinnaroo are approx. 2.5 hours (200 km) east of Adelaide
• Vehicle access is essential as public transport in the region is very limited -
Accommodation
• GP House – Lameroo (on-site): 3-bedroom family home with fenced yard and 2-car garage. Family and pet friendly.
• Locum Flat – Lameroo (on-site): 1-bedroom self-contained unit with shared laundry.
• Townsend Unit – Lameroo (off-site): 2-bedroom self-contained unit with garage and fenced yard. Family and pet friendly.
• Allocation depends on availability and doctor preference, with options suited to both solo locums and those travelling with family.
Things to see & do in Lameroo & Pinarroo:
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Wide Open Spaces: Classic Mallee country with big skies, flat horizons and star-filled nights — a complete change of pace from the city.
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Conservation Parks: Murray-Sunset National Park (Vic) and Billiatt Conservation Park (SA) are nearby, offering bushwalking, birdwatching and a dose of quiet wilderness.
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Local Produce & Markets: Seasonal farm stalls and community markets give you a taste of the region’s grain, lamb and local goods.
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Day Trips: Easy access to the Riverland for wineries and water activities, or head across the border into Victoria for small-town exploring.
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Community Life: Both towns host regular sporting events, footy and netball games, and small but welcoming pubs — a good way to meet locals.
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Family-Friendly: Quiet streets, parks and open spaces make it a safe and easy option for doctors travelling with partners or kids.
DNA Healthcare success stories
We’ve had the pleasure of placing thousands of healthcare professionals at hospitals and organisations across Australia. Hear about their experience with DNA Healthcare.
Beverley Anne from DNA Medical Recruitment was a pleasure to deal with. Honest, efficient and professional at all times.
Doctor
Beverley is the best agent for me – she responds efficiently, goes above and beyond in finding me the most suitable shifts, checks up on me to make sure I’m okay almost daily and you can tell she genuinely wants the best for you. Thank you so much, Beverley, for making everything so smooth for me!
Doctor
I couldn’t recommend Bev the team at DNA Recruitment more highly.
Having been away from hospital practice for 2 years, I was a little nervous stepping back into acute medicine. The team were very understanding and supportive and found a well-paid locum job in a very welcoming team in a Regional Hospital. There was always good communication, arranging all the paperwork and constantly checking in to see how the job was going, and the accounts team were very happy to work with my requests to enable sacrifice of pay to increase Super contribution.
A great experience. I would recommend to any who are looking to engage in locum practice to contact DNA Recruit.
Doctor
Bev was recommended to me by another doctor, and I can see why. From our very first contact, she has been warm, encouraging, and extremely helpful. I’ve had some difficult personal circumstances, which I was afraid would affect my ability to work. Bev has gone above and beyond to find me work, and been incredibly supportive throughout the process.
I’ve worked with several locum agencies in the past, and most of them just do the bare minimum (which I don’t begrudge). But Bev has been an absolute joy to have as my agent, and I’ve already referred another colleague to her. Even Veronika in payroll has been very helpful, friendly, and accommodating. I haven’t worked with anyone else in DNA Recruit, but so far I have only good things to say about them.
Doctor
Thank you Bey you’re adorable. I’m sure you appreciate how competitive the recruitment market is and it’s no secret i have dealt with several agencies (who often advertise the same opportunities) – but one by one shed them in favour of you because in addition to being so damn professional you have a genuine bedside manner which helps to make the tedious process of organising things trip after trip that bit easier – a fact which has not gone unnoticed, and I am grateful for.
Anaesthetic Locum
Thank you Bev, you are amazing! I am impressed with how quickly you managed and sort things out! Thanks for advocating for me.
Doctor
DNA Medical Recruitment provide a warm, caring service to Doctors, and they are an absolute pleasure to deal with. Bev is my consultant, and I could not ask any more of her. She is always ready to help, nothing is an issue and she bends over backwards to ensure that I am moving to a position that suits me. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending DNA to any of our colleagues, whether it be nursing or medical. Thank you Bev for all that you do.
Doctor
I have worked with David over the last year and he is professional, reliable and always keeps me up to date with work matters. David also responds to emails and phone calls promptly which assists me with managing my work schedules. There were occasions in which David had to chase the primary employer for clarification few hours be for my shift, and David has come through with the necessary clarification. I would highly recommend David’s leadership and honesty when it comes to managing your locum placement.
Anaesthetic specialist
