Physiotherapist - Cairns

Proactive Health is a national ecosystem of over 40 allied health businesses across 450+ locations in Australia. We unite independent clinic owners under a shared commitment to clinical excellence — providing the governance, development infrastructure, and operational support of a large network while preserving the personalised, community-driven care that smaller practices do best.

Our clinics operate as genuine multidisciplinary teams. Physiotherapists work alongside exercise physiologists, podiatrists, occupational therapists, dietitians, and social workers — not just sharing a building, but actively coordinating care and learning from each other every day.

We service clients across DVA, Medicare (EPC), NDIS, Home Care Packages, private health, and workers' compensation — giving our physiotherapists one of the most diverse and clinically rich caseloads in the profession.

About This Clinic — Cairns

Cairns is tropical North Queensland's major hub — gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest, and home to a vibrant, multicultural community of around 160,000 people. The lifestyle here is defined by warm weather, outdoor adventure, and a genuinely relaxed approach to living. It's a city that attracts clinicians who want to combine serious clinical work with a lifestyle most people only experience on holiday.

The clinic services Cairns and the surrounding Far North Queensland region. Your caseload will include musculoskeletal rehabilitation, DVA veterans — Cairns has a significant military presence — NDIS participants, aged care clients, and sports-related injuries driven by the region's active outdoor culture. The cultural diversity of the patient base, including a meaningful Indigenous population, adds genuine clinical depth and the opportunity to develop culturally responsive practice.

Addison Burns leads this clinic and brings a genuine passion for developing clinicians who want to grow and stay in the region. Addison's leadership style is energetic, supportive, and focused on building a team that people are excited to be part of. For a physio who wants to live in the tropics, treat a diverse and interesting client base, and be part of a clinic that's genuinely invested in your development — Cairns is hard to walk past.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

Physiotherapy is a profession with enormous scope — but too many roles narrow it down to one funding stream, one patient demographic, and one mode of practice. This role is different.

At Proactive Health, you'll work across the full spectrum of what a registered Physiotherapist can offer. You'll assess, diagnose, and treat patients with a diverse range of conditions — from post-surgical rehabilitation and chronic pain management to neurological conditions, aged care, and injury prevention. Your clinical reasoning will be tested and developed — not dulled by repetition.

DVA is a significant and deeply rewarding part of our work. You'll support veterans across a wide range of presentations — from musculoskeletal injuries and complex multi-morbidity to mental health-related rehabilitation. The no-gap funding model means you have the time and resources to deliver thorough, considered care. Beyond DVA, you'll also work with Medicare, NDIS, Home Care, workers' compensation, and private clients — keeping your skills broad and your weeks varied.

What Your Week Actually Looks Like

You might start your day with an initial assessment for a Medicare EPC client recovering from shoulder surgery. Mid-morning, you could be leading a group exercise class focused on falls prevention for older adults. After lunch, one-on-one treatment sessions for workers' compensation clients with workplace injuries. Between appointments, you'll collaborate with exercise physiologists and occupational therapists about shared patients, and complete meaningful clinical documentation.

Day-to-day, you'll be:

• Conducting thorough assessments including history taking, physical examination, and evidence-based diagnosis
• Developing and delivering individualised treatment plans using manual therapy, exercise prescription, electrotherapy, and education
• Managing a mixed caseload spanning DVA, Medicare (EPC), NDIS, Home Care Packages, workers' compensation, and private clients
• Running individual and group rehabilitation sessions tailored to each patient's clinical needs
• Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams including exercise physiologists, podiatrists, OTs, dietitians, and GPs
• Monitoring patient progress, adjusting treatments, and supporting functional recovery
• Maintaining high-quality clinical documentation compliant with professional and organisational standards
• Educating patients on self-management strategies, injury prevention, and lifestyle modification

What You'll Get From Us — Beyond the Salary

• Dedicated mentorship — support from experienced physiotherapists and allied health professionals to advance your skills and career.
• The Proactive Health Academy — ongoing professional development and ESSA CPD support.
• Graduate and Leadership Programs — structured career pathways for early-career and experienced clinicians.
• Clinical governance that supports your practice — supervision, peer review, and quality assurance frameworks you can trust.
• The Hot Tub rewards program — exclusive discounts and wellbeing benefits including retail and service offers.
• Real career progression — clear pathways from clinician to senior roles, team leadership, clinic management, and ownership.

• Current registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) as a Physiotherapist
• A degree in Physiotherapy from a recognised tertiary institution
• Experience in musculoskeletal physiotherapy or related clinical areas preferred
• Strong clinical reasoning, assessment, and treatment planning skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for multidisciplinary collaboration
• Ability to manage a diverse caseload across multiple funding streams including DVA, Medicare, NDIS, Home Care Packages, and workers' compensation
• Current National Police Check and relevant state-based screening (or willingness to obtain)
• Valid Australian driver’s licence and access to a vehicle

Highly regarded but not essential:

• Experience working with DVA clients and knowledge of DVA funding and compliance
• Experience in neurological, aged care, or chronic disease management
• Group rehabilitation and exercise class experience
• Previous experience in private practice or community health settings

• Competitive salary package —discussed at interview based on experience
• A genuinely diverse caseload — DVA, Medicare, NDIS, Home Care, private, and workers' compensation
• Sustainable workloads that prioritise quality over volume
• Mentorship from experienced clinicians within the Proactive Health network
• Access to the Proactive Health Academy for ongoing CPD and professional development
• Structured Graduate Program (early career) or Leadership Program (experienced EPs)
• Clear career pathways — senior clinician, team lead, clinic management, or clinic ownership
• Staff rewards program with major Australian retailers
• Wellbeing centre access
• A collaborative MDT that actually talks to each other
• The independence of private practice with the infrastructure and support of a national network

Call to Action

If you're an EP who wants clinical variety, genuine mentorship, and the freedom to develop your career on your own terms — this is worth a conversation. We're building something in Cairns, and we want the right person, not just the fastest applicant.

Proactive Health is committed to fostering a welcoming environment where everyone feels valued and respected. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disability, and people of all gender identities and sexual orientations.