Celebrating 25 years of rural health

A quarter century of University of Sydney rural health in the Northern Rivers was celebrated with a day of reflection, connection and new beginnings at UCRH in Lismore on Thursday 10 September.

University leaders, staff, students, alumni, health partners and community supporters came together to recognise the people and partnerships behind UCRH’s first 25 years, while also looking ahead to the opportunities that will shape its future.

University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Mark Scott AO joined the celebrations, which included the unveiling of a new artwork, the renewal of a major regional health partnership and the announcement of a new community engagement event for Lismore.

The milestone day concluded with the Past Present Future reception at Lismore Regional Gallery, celebrating UCRH’s journey from its beginnings in 2001 to its role today as a collaborative hub for rural health education, research and workforce development.

Honouring Country and community

The day began at UCRH’s Lismore campus, where Professor Scott met staff and joined the unveiling of Map of Bundjalung Country.

The artwork was created by UCRH staff members Tracey Piccoli, a Galibal and Bundjalung woman, and Associate Professor Emma Walke, a Nyangbul and Bundjalung woman.

Through flowing waterways and carved mountain forms, the work reflects the landscape, culture and stories of Bundjalung Country. It will remain permanently in the UCRH foyer as a visible acknowledgement of Country and the continuing place of Aboriginal knowledge, culture and leadership within the UCRH community.

A partnership supporting the next generation

A major focus of the day was the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Sydney and Northern NSW Local Health District for a further three years.

The agreement continues a partnership spanning 25 years and supports clinical placements, medical training pathways, workforce development, simulation training and rural health research.

“Few partnerships are more important to our work in the region than our relationship with Northern NSW Local Health District,” Professor Scott said.

“The MOU reflects the scale and maturity of that collaboration and provides an ongoing framework for its continued growth.”

The partnership supports student placement programs across medicine, dentistry, allied health, nursing and midwifery. Medical students undertake placements in hospitals, Aboriginal medical services, mental health services and general practices across the region.

Fifteen UCRH medical students currently completing placements at Lismore Base Hospital have indicated an interest in remaining at the hospital to undertake their internships in Northern NSW.

Professor Vicki Flood, Head of Rural Clinical School, Northern Rivers and Director of UCRH, said this showed how rural education could help create a strong local workforce.

“This demonstrates that what we set out to achieve as two institutions is working: training students in a rural setting and creating a pipeline into the local rural workforce.”

The agreement also supports collaborative research, including Doctor of Medicine student projects and broader studies responding to regional health priorities.

Bringing big ideas to Lismore

The anniversary celebrations also looked to the future, with Lismore City Council and UCRH announcing a new partnership to bring the globally acclaimed Raising the Bar program to the Northern Rivers.

The inaugural Lismore event will be held in May 2027.

For one night, the program will transform local venues into informal pop-up classrooms where community members can hear free and accessible talks from researchers and experts. The talks will explore the ideas, discoveries and technologies shaping the world, as well as issues that matter locally.

Professor Flood said the program would create a new way for the Northern Rivers community to connect with the University.

“For 25 years, UCRH has been part of the fabric of the Northern Rivers. We are more than a partner in this region, we are a vital part of how we deliver education, research and community engagement.

“As we celebrate that milestone, we’re also looking ahead. Raising the Bar is about opening our expertise more widely to the communities we serve, bringing ideas, expertise and conversation into community spaces and creating new opportunities for connection.”

Stories from a quarter century

The Past Present Future reception at Lismore Regional Gallery gave current and former staff, students, alumni, partners and supporters an opportunity to reconnect and celebrate their shared contribution to UCRH.

The event featured the Corridor of Memories, a visual journey through milestone moments from UCRH’s first 25 years, along with 25 Years, 25 Stories, a collection celebrating some of the people who have shaped the Centre and its impact.

Together, the anniversary projects capture the relationships, experiences and community connections that have helped UCRH grow over the past quarter century.

They also reflect the values that will guide its next chapter: working alongside communities, supporting students and health professionals, strengthening the rural health workforce and continuing to build knowledge that responds to the needs of rural and regional Australia.

The Corridor of Memories is available to view at UCRH’s Lismore campus until the Community Open Day on 17 November 2026, and the stories can also be read online.