Saltwater Medical

07/02/2026

🎉 Saltwater Medical turns 9! 🎉

Nine years ago, Saltwater Medical began with a big vision, a lot of courage, and a very small team.

On our very first day it was just Dr Nicola, Jen, and a part-time receptionist. We saw 5 patients, crossed our fingers, and genuinely prayed the phones would ring — having laid everything on the line to start a doctor-owned practice, while also raising two small children.

From the very beginning, Nic and Jen shared a clear vision: exceptional care without compromise, grounded in values of positivity, teamwork, integrity, kindness, professionalism, and sustainability.

Fast forward 9 years and what a journey it’s been!!!

Today, Saltwater Medical is home to 11 incredible GPs, 3 nurses, 4 receptionists, and our wonderful Practice Manager, Vicki, who helps keep everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

Jen continues to support the practice across all areas behind the scenes too— from business development and growth, to rolling up her sleeves with whatever needs doing (including cleaning toilets, building new extensions, paying the bills and everything in between).

But the biggest acknowledgment must go to Dr Nicola, whose relentless hard work, clinical leadership, and tenacious consistency in showing up — day after day — has shaped Saltwater Medical into what it is today. Her unwavering support of both our team and our patients is at the heart of our practice.

Together, we now care for over 1,100 patients every fortnight, and we feel incredibly privileged to hold such a trusted role in supporting the health of our community.

Saltwater Medical has been built not just by Jen and Nic, but by every single doctor, nurse, receptionist and team member who has joined us along the way — each person believing in the vision, sharing the values, and weaving their own unique energy, skills, and heart into the fabric of our beautiful practice.

Past and present, you are all part of this story.

One thing is still true - we are just as passionate today as we were on that very first day.

So proud of this beautiful little practice on the shores of the best little town in Australia — Caloundra 🌊💙

Thank you to our team, our patients, our family, and our community for being part of the journey.

Here’s to the next chapter! 🥂✨

04/02/2026

Great news legends!!! We've got some awesome new doctors incoming 💥!! Please welcome Dr Scott Alford and Dr Joannah Chappel to the Salty family!! Dr Scott started this week, and has recently moved to the Sunny Coast from Adelaide with his wife and young family. Meanwhile, Dr Joannah starts in a few weeks time as she has recently come back home to settle on the Sunshine Coast with her family. Both Dr Scott and Dr Jo are experienced, caring, consultant GPs with a close fit to the Saltwater vibe - best of all, they are welcoming new patients 🩺👩‍⚕️👨🏻‍⚕️

04/02/2026

Happy retirement Nurse Jenny!!! This absolute legend of Saltwater Medical has finally hung up the scrubs to enjoy a well earned retirement. Nurse Jenny has been with Saltwater Medical since almost the very beginning (nearly 9 years!!), so it was incredibly hard to say farewell to our Carrots, our Matron, our Sister and our great mate on her last day recently 🥹 But we wish Jenny and Fred the absolute BEST and we also want to say a HUGE THANKYOU, Jenny, for all you've done for Saltwater Medical, for Nic and Jen, and for the 50 years worth of nursing service you gave to the community during your career. We LOVE YOU Jenny!! ❤️👏🙏🫶💃🏽🍾🥂

24/01/2026

08/01/2026

Happy new year Salty family!! Exciting news coming very soon…who’s seen Jen in full tradie mode recently 🔨🪚🪜?

Can you guess what new service is coming to our beautiful little practice in the best town on the planet???

Comment below 👇 if you can guess (or you know), and we’ll pick a random winner from the comments to receive a special Saltwater Medical prize pack 😊!!

Also, watch Jen’s video to the end to see the beautiful sun setting over Fourth Ave…🌅

Gotta love Caloundra ❤️❤️❤️!

24/12/2025

🎄A very Merry Christmas from all the team at Saltwater Medical!

We hope you have a peaceful and joyous break with loved ones ❤️

🙏 We feel so privileged to be able to serve our community and look after our wonderful patients, alongside a fabulous team of doctors, admin staff and nurses!

2025 was epic, but 2026 will be even better. We've got 2 fab new doctors starting AND we'll have an onsite pathology service operating from mid January - welcome to the team 4cyte Pathology 👏

As we head into our 10th year in business, we are so grateful for the trust and support of our team, our patients and our community!

Merry Christmas all!!

Dr Nic, Jen and the Salty Legends
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P.S. If you need medical care during the break you can call our after-hours service National Home Doctor on 13 74 25, or you could attend the Caloundra Minor Injuries and Illness Clinic on West Terrace (8am-10pm Mon-Sun).

We reopen at 7.30am on Monday 5th January, 2026.

22/12/2025

🎄 Our Annual Christmas Charity Donation 🎄

For the past 9 years, since opening Saltwater Medical, our team has proudly continued a tradition close to our hearts — our annual Christmas charity donation.

Each year, our doctors and staff donate personally, and the practice matches whatever is raised. This year, together, we raised $1,050, which we were honoured to donate to the Wildlife Warriors Animal Hospital at Australia Zoo 🦔💚

This year’s donation felt especially meaningful. Throughout the year, our Practice Director and co-owner Jen has spent countless hours as a volunteer community advocate, lobbying for urgent action to restore our waterway and rebuild our barrier island — vital work to help protect Caloundra from storm surge and erosion, restore the amenity of our waterways, improve water quality, and address ongoing bar safety issues.

That advocacy became deeply personal with the story of Edwina the Echidna. During one of her many visits to the island following the destruction caused by Cyclone Alfred, Jen came across an echidna stranded on a rapidly shrinking scrap of isolated land left after the erosion and destruction of the northern spit of Bribie Island. In the weeks that followed, as we realised that scrap of island was rapidly washing away, with dwindling food and freshwater, Jen went back half a dozen times searching for the echidna. Some of the missions were alongside wildlife carer Sybelle Foxcroft, also with Jen’s niece, Rose. Unfortunately, we couldnt find the echidna, although we saw many signs of life.

Ultimately, it’s believed Edwina was washed off the island and forced to swim for her life to Golden Beach, as one fateful Saturday morning in July, an echidna was rescued by Dave, a volunteer member of the Coast Guard Caloundra - QF4, who spotted her just metres from shore, going under for what appeared to be the last time.

Dave jumped into the water to save her and, once she was safely ashore, soon realised she was the same echidna the Jen and the community had been searching for. Suffice to say, Jen’s phone “blew up” with calls from half of Golden Beach — a community that had been anxiously following Edwina’s story.

Dave brought Edwina to Saltwater Medical that morning, but recognising she needed specialist veterinary care (not GP care!), Jen transported her to Australia Zoo. Edwina had a lot of water in her airways and then spent over two weeks receiving expert treatment at the Wildlife Warriors Animal Hospital before being given a ride home by Jen and the Coast Guard, and being successfully released back into the wild at Lighthouse Reach, a few kilometres south of the breakthrough caused by Cyclone Alfred.

There’s a link to one of the many news articles about this story in the comments 👉😃

A heartfelt thank you to Wildlife Warriors and Australia Zoo, and to all the incredible wildlife carers and volunteers in our community who work tirelessly to rehabilitate and protect Australia’s beautiful animals.

From all of us at Saltwater Medical — thank you for helping us support work that truly matters 💙

10/12/2025

🎄✨ A little Christmas reminder from the team at Saltwater Medical! ✨🎄

The festive season is fast approaching, so now’s the perfect time to make sure your prescriptions are sorted before the holidays.

📌 Our Online Repeat Script Request service will pause after 19th December 2025, so please get your requests in early to avoid any last-minute stress. If you need an appointment for your script, we’re here to help.

Thanks so much, and we hope the lead-up to Christmas is merry, bright, and stress-free! 🎅💙🎁

01/11/2025

Coast Guard Caloundra - QF4 nice one 👏👏👏 We’re very proud of our Practice Director/Owner, Jen. She’s been out advocating for our barrier island, our waterway and Caloundra a lot this year - all as a volunteer and someone who passionately cares about our community and the special pace we live 👏👏👏👏

31/10/2025

Happy Halloween 🎃 👻 !!! Any excuse for a dress up and some fun at Saltwater Medical!!! We promise they are a very capable, professional medical team 🏥🩺🤔🙈 And a special shoutout of thanks to our amazing receptionist, Keri! It’s her last day with us today as she moves on to a new chapter. Thanks for being an incredible member of the Saltwater Medical team, Keri ❤️🫶🙏👏

31/08/2025

We’re hiring! Superstar Medical Receptionist required - casual role - approx 15-20 hrs per week. Join our team of salty legends! Must have GP practice experience, awesome customer service skills and good attention to detail. If you know someone who fits the bill, get them to send thier CV to vicki@saltwatermedical.com.au.

17/04/2025

Happy Easter Salty Family!! 🐣🐰