Dr Debra Ibbotson
General Practitioner
A lifelong science lover, Dr Debra Ibbotson knew she wanted to be a Doctor from a young age. In 1997, she graduated from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, and worked in her own private practice for several years.
In 2008, Dr Ibbotson and her family made the move to Australia, where they settled in Emu Park, which she calls paradise.
In 2010, she obtained her Fellowship with the Royal Australian College of General Practice. Dr Ibbotson says being a GP gives her the greatest diversity in her day to day working life, and appreciates being able to build long lasting bonds with her patients.
Dr Eirik Ytterland
General Practitioner, Emu Park
A cut finger being stitched up in a doctor’s office was what put the then 20-year-old Dr Eirik Ytterland on the path to the medical field, spanning from Norway to Poland to Australia.
Dr Eirik obtained his medical degree in Poland, before returning to his home country of Norway, where he trained to be a General Practitioner. He has spent his career working in rural and remote areas, including completing his internship in rural Norway and spending a year working in the oncology/palliative care ward at a regional hospital.
Dr Eirik was a partner in two practices and completed specialist training in 2018. In 2021, he and his young family made the move across the world to Emu Park, Australia.
He has gained his Fellowship through the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, and has a particular interest in chronic disease management, men’s health and minor skin surgery.
Dr Eirik in 2024 is practicing at both Emu Park and Complete Skin Solution. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at Complete Skin and Tuesday Friday at our practice in Emu Park.
Dr Jorien Meijer
General Practitioner, Emu Park
A graduate of medical school in the Netherlands, Dr Jorien is fondly called Dr Jo by her Australian patients. She has worked back and forth between Australia and the Netherlands since she graduated from the University of Groningen in 2014.
In Australia, Dr Jo spent time doing research at the Royal Children’s Hospital, worked in ICU in Sydney, and the Emergency Department in Brisbane. In early 2022 she moved to the Capricorn Coast where she joined the Family Practice in Emu Park.
Her passions are working with children and women, and has a particular interest in chronic disease management. She has completed a certificate in Child Health and is working towards her Fellowship in General Practice.
Dr Julie Burke
General Practitioner, Practice Partner
Dr Julie Burke’s office has been an essential pre-travel stop for Central Queensland travellers for several decades.
Dr Burke graduated from the University of Queensland in 1985, before working in metropolitan hospitals for 4 years. After working and travelling through the United Kingdom, Dr Burke joined the Yeppoon Family Practice as a GP in 1994, where she’s now a Practice Partner.
It was Dr Burke’s interest in travel medicine that led to the Yeppoon Family Practice to become a founding member of the Travel Medical Alliance in 2005. Her expertise allows patients to access the best up-to-date advice and vaccines for their travels, including making the YFP the only Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre on the coast. Dr Burke says she particularly loves travel medicine as she gets to hear the adventures her patients go on.
Not only is Dr Burke an expert in travel medicine, she also specialises in women’s health and runs a Women’s Health Clinic. Her knowledge is wealth shared as she mentors other doctors at the practice, and ensures all doctors at the practice have access to the latest travel health information.
Dr Michael Donohue
General Practitioner, Practice Partner
Dr Michael Donohue is one of Yeppoon’s longest standing general practitioners, graduating from the University of Queensland in 1978, and joining the Yeppoon Family Practice as a Practice Partner in 1986. Dr Donohue has a particular focus on ageing patients, geriatrics, men’s health and vasectomies, as well as cardiac and chronic respiratory problems. He enjoys building long term relationships with his patients as they return to him over the years.
With over 4 decades worth of experience, Dr Donohue is not only a highly in-demand GP, but also a mentor to new doctors who pass through the doors at Yeppoon Family Practice.
He has a Post-Graduate Diploma from the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and is a Fellow of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine. He has also spent time as a Lecturer for the University of Queensland Rural Clinic school and as a Queensland Government Medical Officer.
Dr Nicholas Wong
General Practitioner, Practice Partner
Dr Nick Wong is a University of London graduate (Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School 1988). After studying and training as a General Practitioner in the UK, he travelled to Queensland, Australia and was employed with Queensland Health. He served 4 years as a solo Medical Superintendent at Yeppoon Hospital before becoming a Practice Partner at the Yeppoon Family Practice in 1996.
Dr Wong is a father of four very musical and medical children. He enjoys farming and music. He has a passion to bring on the next generation of medical practitioners and is dedicated to his work on the Capricorn coast.
Dr Wong works every second Friday at our practice at Emu Park.
Qualifications – BSc, MBBS, AMC, MRCGP, FRACGP, FACRRM
Dr Beth Skilbeck
Dr Skilbeck is a part time Australian GP, sharing her time between Zilzie and Yeppoon practices.
Dr Skilbeck graduated from the University of Liverpool UK in 1992. Her General Practice training was gained in the UK with a Royal College Membership of General Practitioners. She has obtained Diplomas in child health, minor surgery, family planning and obstetrics with gynaecology.
Dr Skilbeck fell in love with Australia when she was working as a GP locum on the Gold Coast in 1998. She has spent 11 years working as a GP in Sarina, before moving to Yeppoon.
Dr Skilbeck sees herself a traditional family doctor with special interest in women’s health, IUD insertion, mental health and minor surgery. She is a GP registrar supervisor and contracted by James Cook University to assess the training of the local registrars.