Our
Team
Trusted, holistic healthcare for the Mallee border community.
Meet the dedicated team behind your care. At Mallee Border Health Centre, we bring together a diverse group of highly experienced professionals who share a single goal: supporting your health and well-being. By combining our varied medical backgrounds, we are able to provide complete, holistic care for you and your family – led by locals you know and trust.
Dianne Thornton
Nurse Practitioner
Di Thornton has been nursing since 1973 in many varying nursing roles and countries and has found a renewed passion for hands on nursing care as a Nurse Practitioner (NP). She completed her Masters of NP – Rural & Remote through the University of Queensland in 2012, and was endorsed soon after.
Di piloted a NP role in General Practice and including Aged Care for CHSA, between August 2012 and June 2013 with very positive evaluations. Di continued to work in this role – employed by Loxton Medical Practice in Pinnaroo, up until December 2015.
Opening her own NP Practice & Health Centre, Di is looking forward to the growth of her new business with a variety of other Health practitioners.
Dr Peter Hamilton
General Practitioner
Peter provides a visiting service from Loxton. He graduated from the University of Adelaide in 1984, worked and studied in the Adelaide teaching hospital system for 5 years with a focus on anaesthetics and psychiatry. He completed the Diploma of Obstetrics in 1986.
From 1988 to 1991 worked for the Lutheran Church in Papua New Guinea, largely on the island of Karkar. This was a busy but highly rewarding assignment during which Peter learnt much, especially in the areas of surgery and obstetrics (being responsible for the delivery of over a thousand babies in 3 years).
Peter completed his College of GP training (at that time called “The Family Medicine Program”) and, after a number of locum jobs around the state, moved to Loxton “for a couple of years”. Twenty two years later he has no regrets and still very much enjoys being part of this special community.
Peter is married to Bronnie and has 2 adult children. Enjoys running, swimming, cycling, tennis, golf, camping, bushwalking etc.!!
Special Medical Interests: Obstetrics, Psychiatry, minor surgery, family practice.
Sharlene Milich
Nurse Practitioner
My role as a Nurse Practitioner includes a variety of challenges and rewards each day. The most rewarding aspect for me as a Nurse Practitioner is the ability to provide a holistic approach. I love every aspect of being a Nurse Practitioner and feel that I am finally working to my full potential as a nurse.
Assessment, diagnosis, prescribing medications, referrals for imaging, blood tests and collaborating with specialists, education, counselling and support are just a few roles in a regular day. Focusing on you as a whole person while treating specific health problems in the context of family, work and other commitments is my goal.
Katherine Daniel
Physiotherapist
Katharine has been a physiotherapist for 20 years, mostly working in rural areas, and lives locally at Panitya. Katharine has had extensive clinical experience in managing sports injuries, musculoskeletal conditions and rehabilitation and she has also worked in paediatrics and women’s health.
Katharine has also trained in acupuncture and dry needling. Katharine is especially interested in helping clients to understand their injuries and bodies as a whole with a view to understanding and taking control of their own health and well-being.
Lauren Deaves
Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW)
My name is Lauren Deaves and I am a qualified and experienced accredited mental health social worker. I completed a Bachelor of Social Work at Charles Darwin University in 2021 while working in the sector full time. I have experience in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Strengths Based Practice, Narrative Therapy, Family Interventions, and group programs using a holistic lens.
For the past 10 years I have undertaken roles working in specialised schools with complex young people in South Australia such as FAME Flexible Learning Centre, SASY Specialised Assistance School for Youth and at Junction Australia as a mentor for youth under the Guardianship of the Minister. I was a case manager in the FLO program at Campbell Page and ran camps for Indigenous youth in South Australia. Currently I work in Victoria as a Mental Health Practitioner at a Regional P-12 School.
DEAVES SOCIAL WORK has been created to support the rest of the community with their complex needs. I can accept referrals for self managed or plan managed NDIS plans seeking social work support. Additionally, referrals for people that need one on one support with mental health diagnoses such as depression, anxiety, bipolar, borderline personality disorder or trauma and developmental disorders. I can also support individuals with grief or family complexities.
To book an appointment with Deaves Social work call 0480 575 692
Visit web site
Daniel Evans
Podiatrist
Daniel graduated with a Bachelor of Podiatry in 2021 from the University of South Australia. He works part-time as a Podiatrist with SA Health at the Lyell McEwin Hospital.
He has an interest in all podiatric interventions including: biomechanics, diabetic foot care, paediatrics and routine care. He also has a keen interest and skill in performing ingrown toenail surgeries and providing wound care.
Kerri Wilson
Speech Pathologist
Kerri is a Speech Pathologist with over 10 years of experience. This experience has been gained predominantly working in the public education setting in rural South Australia, most of these in the Riverland.
Kerri lives locally in Pinnaroo and is a mother of 2 young children and understands the challenges of juggling all that life can throw at you! Kerri has a strong professional interest, passion and experience in providing support to children and their families living with and embracing neurodiversity.
Kerri enjoys working with children and empowering families to support speech, oral language and literacy based development; working alongside all stakeholders to ensure the best outcome for the child and their family. Kerri can offer services to clients aged 0 – 18 years.
Theresa Gum
Practice Nurse
Theresa was born in Lameroo and has nursed ever since leaving school. She was an enrolled nurse until her early 50’s and then graduated from Renmark university as a registered nurse.
Mother of four and grandmother of twelve beauties.
Aoibheann Schroeder
Practice Nurse
Janelle Hyde
Practice Manager
Jill Beer
Receptionist
Kasey Berlin
Receptionist
Karalee Handreck
Receptionist
Born in Murrayville, Karalee has lived in the Mallee for most of her life. She is happily married to a farmer and is mother of two beautiful children, Brax and Zoe.
When not in the office as an receptionist at MBHC you will find her on the road as a quarantine inspector at the border getting plenty of vitamin D.
Morrison Polkinghorne
Receptionist
Morrison has relocated back to Australia from Cambodia where he lived for almost a decade. There he set-up and ran a boutique hotel and has had numerous art exhibitions around the world.
Morrison lives with his partner in The Last church in Murrayville.