In 1965 Annette started at Dorrigo Hospital as a domestic.  As a 16 year old fresh out of school, she found her new working life very exciting and could be found helping the nurses whenever she could get the time as there were no electric beds, patient lifters or wards persons in those days.

“The hospital had 25 beds,” Annette said.

“Nurses were expected to do everything from assisting with operations, delivering babies, caring for the elderly as well as dealing with all manner of emergencies.

“The mountain road to Bellingen and Coffs Harbour was just a narrow windy track that was frequently washed out by the waterfalls that transverse the road so you did what had to be done,” Annette said.

In 1969 when enrolled nurse training was introduced at Dorrigo, Annette thought she would give it a go and has ended up providing professional care to the majority of the Dorrigo Plateau community over the years, not to mention delivering a number of babies who now have families of their own.

Some of the biggest changes over the years have been the centralisation of health services and the physical configuration of the hospital when it became a Multi-Purpose Service in 1999. Annette recalls when the education room was the old operating suite and the staff dining room the labour ward where she was born. 

“There was one occasion when a gastro outbreak occurred in town and 54 patients presented to the hospital at the same time,” she said.

“We lined them up in the corridors and everyone came in to help out.”

Dorrigo Nurse Manager Lynn Forsyth spoke of Annette’s extraordinary service at a special afternoon tea to honour a remarkable person.

“This is a significant milestone, one most of us will never reach and that’s why this celebration is so special,” Lynn said.

“Fifty years as a nurse at Dorrigo Hospital makes us feel extremely proud and we congratulate you for your selfless contribution to the health and wellbeing of the community in which we live.”