Midwifery in Alice Springs and Uluru
About the tour
Experience Australia its most remote, historic and starkly beautiful in this tour to the Red Centre, which encompasses vast Indigenous heartlands, dramatic landscapes and history ranging from ancient to pioneer to the modern day. The itinerary looks at both traditional and contemporary approaches to midwifery through specialist visits, meetings and talks.
Starting in Alice Springs, travel deep into the Red Centre with an experienced local guide. Go stargazing at pristine night skies at the Earth Sanctuary, explore the historic town of Alice Springs and learn about the Alukura Maternity Services, which is guided by the Aboriginal grandmothers to recognise and maintain Aboriginal culture and identity. Visit the Alice Hospital, designed in collaboration with the Indigenous community, and listed to a talk on the Midwifery Practitioner Model. At Hermannsburg hear of the Lukuta (women’s space) and of their maternity and child health work. Visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service to learn about their work.
As you explore the region, learn about its ancient culture and walk through some breathtaking outback scenery. Visit spectacular Kata Tjuta and see Mt Conner and the Valley of the Winds. See Uluru in the early morning on a walk and at sunset, have breakfast in the outback and marvel at the Field of Light as the sun goes down behind Uluru.
This tour is eligible for CPD. Partners are very welcome.
“All the visits were interesting, inspirational all the presenters appeared very keen to meet us. This was my first Jon Baines tour and I have had a wonderful experience meeting professionals with a similar interest and passion.” Chris Hoff - participant Chronic and Palliative Care Alice Springs 2022
Download our brochure Midwifery in Alice Springs and Uluru
Your tour leader
Theresa Clasquin
Theresa Clasquin, RN, RM, MPHTM currently works as the Senior Maternity Advisor for the Northern Territory Health based in Darwin, NT. Theresa comes from a strong public health background that has enabled her to focus her career on addressing inequities in maternal and neonatal health outcomes amongst marginalised population groups. Theresa’s experience working with Medecins Sans Frontieres in PNG and the Yemen has further driven her passion to improve population health outcomes through the implementation of effective public health initiatives.
Over the last 5 years Theresa has worked in senior leadership positions across Nursing and Midwifery contributing to significant reform over maternal and neonatal services across the Northern Territory. In her current role, Theresa is leading the establishment of the Maternal and Newborn Network with the aim of streaming services and improving the clinical and cultural safety of care across the NT. This project will see NT Health partnering with the Molly Wardaguga Research Centre to utilise their RISE Framework (Redesign, Invest in workforce, Strengthen families and embed First Nation Governance in service reform) to ensure that every women has access to care that is clinical and culturally safe.
Theresa is also one of the lead NT Health investigators supporting the Birthing on Country projects In both Galiwin’ku and Alice Springs.
Need more information?
- Tel: (Toll Free) 1-8777-398-764
- Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm
Itinerary at a glance
- Day 1: Alice Springs (Sun, 14 May) Arrive at the hotel and meet the group. Enjoy a welcome dinner and star gazing at the Earth Sanctuary, which is run by Danny Falzon and his brothers, who are also paramedics. Danny will give a talk on the work they do in in Alice Springs. After dinner, learn about local ecology, astronomy and culture and enjoy the spectacular night skies with a fully guided astronomy experience with telescope viewing at Earth Sanctuary's space observatory.
- Day 2: Alice Springs (Mon, 15 May) Visit Midwifery Group Practice, which focuses on women-centred care, particularly for women living in remote communities. Visit Alice Hospital and learn of a background to Midwifery in the NT and how the midwifery practitioner model works. Lunch at RFDS Café. Visit the Royal Flying Doctors service and learn about their work. Visit Alice Telegraph Station and the School of the Air.
- Day 3: Alice Springs (Tues, 16 May) Drive to Hermannsburg and visit the Ntaria Health Service where congress works with the Ntaria community. Visit Lukuta (the women’s space) and learn of their maternity and child health work. Visit the Hermannsburg Historic Precinct, learn of the many artists from the Hermannsburg community and region who continue to practise using the watercolour and landscape style developed through the artist Rex Battarbee by Albert Namatjira, the best known of all Hermannsburg Aboriginal artists and perhaps try some of their famous apple strudel. Drive to Simpsons Gap in the West MacDonnell Ranges and take part in a guided walk learning about the geology of the region. Enjoy a spectacular outback sunset from Anzac Hill.
- Day 4: Alice Springs / Uluru Drive out of Alice Springs to visit the Alukura Maternity Services which offers women’s only pre and post natal maternity services. The service is guided by Aboriginal grandmothers to recognise and maintain Aboriginal identity, culture, law and language. Continue to Erldunda in the precise geographical centre of Australia for lunch (and to feed the emus and kangaroos.) Continue to Uluru. Arrive and check into Uluru late afternoon and have a barbeque before visiting the Field of Light. As darkness falls and Uluru is thrown into silhouette, the Field of Light flickers into life. As far as the eye can see a swathe of gently rhythmic light shimmers across the desert as the stems of 50,000 spindles of light sway through a spectrum of ochre, deep violet, blue and gentle white. Return to the hotel.
- Day 5: Uluru (Thurs, 18 May) Drive into the desert for an early morning sunrise viewing of Uluru and light breakfast. Take a guided walking tour examining Aboriginal rock art, desert flora, wildlife and the history of this sacred site. Visit beautiful Kata Tjuta, also known as the Olgas, a group of large domed rock formations or bornhardts, and see the Walpa Gorge. Come back the Desert Gardens Hotel and at leisure. At leisure or take part in a range of optional activities available through the hotel. Optional Sounds of Silence dinner in the evening.
- Day 6: Uluru / Alice Springs (Fri, 19 May) Drive back to with a stop to see mighty Mt Conner. Farewell dinner in the company of some of the local practitioners and speakers you’ve met during the tour.
- Day 7: Alice Springs (Sat, 20 May) Depart Alice Springs after breakfast.
Tour cost
The cost of the tour is $3,486 per person sharing. The cost of the tour with a room to yourself is $4,412.