Physiotherapist - Townsville

Proactive Health brings together over 40 independent allied health businesses across 450+ locations nationwide. We are a network built on a simple idea: that independent clinic owners can deliver exceptional, community-focused care when they have the right clinical governance, operational support, and professional development behind them.

Our physiotherapists do not work in isolation. They sit within multidisciplinary teams that include exercise physiologists, podiatrists, occupational therapists, dietitians, and social workers. That means coordinated care plans, shared clinical thinking, and better outcomes for patients with complex or overlapping needs.

We work across DVA, Medicare (EPC), NDIS, Home Care Packages, private health, and workers' compensation funding, so your caseload will always have breadth and your clinical skills will stay sharp.

About This Clinic — The Strand, Townsville

This clinic is on The Strand. Not near The Strand. On it. Your morning commute involves the ocean, and your lunch break is a walk along one of North Queensland's most iconic waterfronts.

Townsville is the largest city in North Queensland, home to around 190,000 people, a major military presence (Lavarack Barracks and RAAF Base Townsville are both nearby), a growing university population, and 300 days of sunshine a year. It is a city with genuine depth: excellent dining, a strong sporting culture, and access to Magnetic Island, the Burdekin region, and the Great Barrier Reef.

The clinic operates in partnership with Strand Fitness, which means you have a gym, Pilates studio, and hydrotherapy pool on site. These are not just selling points on a job ad. They are tools you will use in your treatment plans every day. When you prescribe hydrotherapy for a post-surgical knee, the pool is downstairs. When your chronic pain patient needs a supervised gym program, it is right there. This is integrated care in practice, not in theory.

The team is led by Addison Burns, who runs the FNQ Proactive Healthcare network across Cairns, Townsville, and beyond. Addison is known for building teams that are clinically strong, genuinely collaborative, and enjoyable to be part of. The culture here is grounded, supportive, and focused on giving clinicians the freedom to do their best work without burning out.

Why This Role Deserves Your Attention

This is not a volume-driven physio mill where you see 30 patients a day and forget their names by Friday. This is a genuine multidisciplinary private practice where you treat interesting patients, work alongside other disciplines, and have the time and space to deliver care you are actually proud of.

The DVA caseload is a standout feature of this role. Townsville has one of Australia's largest veteran populations, and the no-gap DVA funding model means you can provide thorough, quality care without the financial pressure to rush patients through. You will work with veterans managing musculoskeletal injuries, chronic pain, post-surgical rehabilitation, and complex multi-system conditions. It is deeply rewarding work.

Alongside DVA, your caseload will include Medicare EPC referrals, NDIS participants, Home Care Package clients, workers' compensation cases, and private patients. You will see everything from a returned serviceman rehabbing a shoulder reconstruction to a weekend surfer managing an ACL, to an aged care client working on falls prevention and mobility. The variety is genuine.

The multidisciplinary model means you are not making clinical decisions in isolation. When your patient has overlapping conditions, you are not guessing or referring blind. You are walking down the hall and having the conversation with the EP, the podiatrist, or the dietitian who is already working with them.

What Your Week Actually Looks Like

Monday morning might start with a post-surgical knee assessment for a DVA Gold Card veteran, followed by a manual therapy session for a private patient with chronic lower back pain. Before lunch, you run a group hydrotherapy class in the on-site pool for a mix of aged care and NDIS participants working on mobility and strength.

After lunch, you have a biomechanical assessment for a workers' compensation patient returning to a physical role, then a follow-up with an NDIS participant who has been progressing well with their home exercise program. Between patients, you check in with the EP about a shared veteran client's exercise tolerance and update your clinical notes.

Wednesday you might have a full day of one-on-one consultations: sports injuries, chronic pain reviews, post-operative shoulders and knees, and a DVA initial assessment. Thursday includes a Pilates-based rehab session in the studio, a couple of home visits for Home Care Package clients, and an MDT meeting where you coordinate care plans with the broader team.

No two weeks are the same. That is the point.

Day to day, you will be:

• Conducting comprehensive musculoskeletal, neurological, and functional assessments for a diverse patient population.
• Delivering evidence-based treatment including manual therapy, exercise prescription, hydrotherapy, Pilates-based rehabilitation, and patient education.
• Managing a mixed caseload across DVA, Medicare (EPC), NDIS, Home Care Packages, workers' compensation, and private clients.
• Running group rehabilitation and exercise programs using the on-site gym, Pilates studio, and hydrotherapy pool.
• Collaborating daily with exercise physiologists, podiatrists, dietitians, OTs, and other members of the multidisciplinary team.
• Coordinating with GPs, orthopaedic surgeons, sports physicians, and other external providers.
• Maintaining thorough clinical documentation aligned with Proactive Health's governance standards and DVA compliance requirements.
• Educating patients on self-management, injury prevention, and return-to-activity planning.

• Current AHPRA registration as a Physiotherapist (or eligibility for registration).
• A recognised tertiary qualification in Physiotherapy.
• Current professional indemnity insurance (or willingness to obtain).
• A valid Australian driver's licence and access to a reliable vehicle.
• Current or willingness to obtain a National Police Check and relevant state-based screening.
• Strong clinical reasoning, assessment, and communication skills.
• The ability to work independently while thriving as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Highly regarded but not essential:

• Experience with DVA clients and DVA compliance requirements.
• Background in musculoskeletal, sports, neurological, or chronic disease physiotherapy.
• Experience running group rehabilitation, hydrotherapy, or Pilates-based programs.
• Experience across multiple funding streams (NDIS, Medicare, Home Care, Workers' Compensation).
• Previous private practice or community health experience.
• Interest in veteran health, aged care, or return-to-sport rehabilitation.

• A genuinely diverse caseload across DVA, Medicare, NDIS, Home Care, private, and workers' compensation.
• Sustainable workloads designed around quality clinical care, not volume.
• Dedicated mentorship from experienced physiotherapists within the Proactive Health national network.
• Access to the Proactive Health Academy for ongoing professional development and CPD.
• Structured Graduate Program for early-career physiotherapists or Leadership Program for experienced clinicians ready to step up.
• Clinical governance that works: supervision, quality assurance, peer review, and clear clinical frameworks.
• The Hot Tub rewards program with discounts from major Australian retailers plus wellbeing centre access.
• Clear career pathways from clinician to senior physiotherapist, to team lead, to clinic management, to ownership. The ladder is real and clearly defined.
• A collaborative MDT that actually talks to each other.
• The independence of private practice with the infrastructure and support of a national network.
• $95,000 to $105,000 + superannuation + PD allowance + sign-on bonus.
• On-site gym, Pilates studio, and hydrotherapy pool as part of your everyday clinical toolkit.

If you are a physio who wants clinical variety, genuine mentorship, an on-site gym and hydro pool, a beachside clinic, and the freedom to develop your career on your own terms, this is worth a conversation. We are building something in Townsville, and we want the right person, not just the fastest applicant.

Apply now, or reach out to Stuart Smith, Head of Talent at [email protected] or 0481 179 106 for a confidential chat.

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.