King Island a ‘victim of its own success’ as it grapples with healthcare and population pressures

The mayor of King Island says it is “running out of everything” as more people flock there. There are also concerns about the lack of services on the island.

Currie is King Island's largest town, set on a scenic harbour with amazing views of the vast Southern Ocean.Located in a sheltered harbour on King Island's west coast, Currie has a history of shipwreck salvage, agriculture and fishing, with a sleepy seaside village atmosphere. Picture: Tourism Tasmania/ Stu Gibson.

“A wonderful way of life” is how Jill Munro describes residing on King Island.

“We don’t lock our houses, we leave the keys in the ignition of the car, and there are no parking meters,” Ms Munro said.

“It’s incredibly safe.

“We tell tourists who come to the island that if they get lost to go and knock on the nearest farmhouse door, and someone will help them.”

However, Ms Munro said access to health care was a major issue for those living on the remote island.

“King Islanders have to travel off the island to get treatment. There’s barely any services on the island.”

National Rural Health Alliance chief executive Susi Tegen said that for many remote communities, it was “out of sight and often out of mind”.

“Those communities contribute to the economy, they pay their Medicare levy, and they expect services that allow them to keep their health status the way it is,” Ms Tegen said.

Susi Tegen, CEO of the National Rural Health Alliance. Picture: File

“With King Island, if the service isn’t available on the island, like specialist services, they have to the mainland, and that adds a lot of costs to the individual because they’re having to leave their work and they’re having to leave their families.

“It makes it hard for communities.”

However, Ms Tegen said there were solutions for King Island.

“With a community as small as King Island, you probably can’t sustain a business full-time if you are a physio or an allied health professional.

“However, if there’s an area, such as diabetes or chronic disease, where there is more of a likelihood of needing that service, you can actually sustain a business at a local level.”

For King Island Mayor Marcus Blackie, the location was become a “victim of its own success”.

King Island Mayor Marcus Blackie. Picture: File

“We’ve run out of everything from bums on seats getting into King Island to residential housing, tourist accommodation, retirement villas and worker accommodation,” Mr Blackie said.

“So most of our problems at the moment are growing pains. I guess they’re good problems, but problems we’ve got to solve nonetheless.”

Mr Blackie said that he expected the population of King Island to increase to 3500.

“That’s the sweet spot in terms of economies of scale to fill up the sports clubs and have a bit more of a buzz.

“It’s good for business, but it won’t ruin the natural wonders we have here. That’s what we’re driving towards.

“It may take a long time to get there, but we’re on that trajectory at the moment, which bodes well for us.”