Nhulunbuy nurse Linda Alexander shares 38 years of Gove Hospital changes

The Gove District Hospital has gone through a lot since it first opened 50 years ago. Remote nurse Linda Alexander reflects on the decades of change for the area.

Linda Alexander is a nurse at Gove District Hospital and has seen a lot of change since she first started in 1987. Picture: Shaana McNaught

To say there has been a lot of change during Gove nurse Linda Alexander’s tenure would be a huge understatement.

Since starting her health career in Nhulunbuy in 1987, Ms Alexander has witnessed the rise, fall and rise again of the remote Gove Peninsula town.

Previously a member of the aeromedical service and now working as a community health centre nurse, she said some of the biggest transitions she’d seen had been mainly the use of telecommunications.

Linda Alexander when she used to work for the aeromedical service in Gove. Picture: Supplied

“One of the funny things when we first came here the television was two days behind because they would send tapes up from Perth and that would be played on the TV,” she said.

“We used to get Hey Hey it’s Saturday on a Monday.”

The Gove District Hospital is this year celebrating 50 years and Ms Alexander can still remember the day the health centre received its first phone.

“We always used the radio for communication but then the phone went on and the health workers there were really hesitant to use it so they got me to make the phone calls to the hospitals,” she said.

But the moment that stands out strongest in her mind is the near-death experience during her aeromedical nurse days.

Linda Alexander working as a nurse in the 1980s. Picture: Supplied

“We went out to pick up a young lass in labour and nobody mentioned that we were fog bound,” Ms Alexander said.

The visibility was so poor that the plane was damaged on landing.

“We managed to trim off a few mango trees,” she said.

“Both engines failed, the left hand engine restarted but the right one didn’t so we flew at 180 feet above sea level on one engine.”

Thankfully they didn’t crash and all on board walked away without injuries but Ms Alexander said other aspects of the job remained among the biggest challenges.

“I think the remoteness and being away from extended family,” she said.

“You have to get your head around the whole culture and the relationships of different people within their culture and learn to respect their culture and their traditions.”

Linda Alexander and her newborn grandchild. Picture: Supplied

But almost plane crashes and lack of connection to the outside world aside, Ms Alexander said she wouldn’t have wanted to work anywhere else.

“Here you know all the staff and I think that creates a very special working environment,” she said.

“The staff really look after each other here — if someone is really busy then someone else would jump in and help.”

And her love for the job is what will keep her going, well into her would-be retirement years.

“The day that I come to work and think nah I’m not enjoying it anymore that will be retirement — at the moment I still really enjoy coming to work,” she said.

Originally published as Nhulunbuy nurse Linda Alexander shares 38 years of Gove Hospital changes