FLASHBACK: Dr Fred Morgan with his Comanche aircraft … both Dr Morgan and his wife Marcia are aircraft enthusiasts

January 27, 2021

Nanango’s popular GP Dr Fred Morgan has shunned publicity throughout his career, but he can’t avoid it this week after picking up two major awards.

Dr Morgan, who reluctantly sold his Fitzroy Street surgery in 2018, was awarded a Medal of the Order Of Australia (OAM) in the 2021 Australia Day Honours announced on Tuesday.

The citation reads that Dr Morgan was being recognised for his service to medicine as a general practitioner.

It notes that he has been a GP at the Nanango Medical Centre since 1981, was involved in the establishment of the Karinya Residential Care Home, is a former Queensland State Government Medical Officer and a member of the South Nanango Rural Fire Brigade.

Dr Morgan’s second award was a Lifetime Achievement Award announced at the South Burnett Regional Council’s Australia Day awards ceremony at Wondai.

Unfortunately, ill-health prevented Dr Morgan from attending Council’s ceremony on Sunday.

* * * 

Dr Fred Morgan was born in the South Burnett at Wondai and attended Stonelands State school.

He worked as a sugar chemist until he was 26 before starting his medical training in Edinburgh.

He arrived in Nanango more than 40 years ago.

One of his early achievements for the community was his leadership in the campaign to establish a retirement home for the Nanango district.

Dr Morgan helped launch a community fundraising campaign and gained the support of the then-Nanango Shire Council for the proposal.

Karinya was up and running by 1989, becoming an integral part of the community and helping local residents stay local during their older years.

Dr Morgan became the secretary of the management committee and his wife Marcia filled the public relations officer role.

When Karinya was taken over by Southern Cross Care, the money that had previously been donated by the Nanango community was returned to the now-South Burnett Regional Council and helped fund the cost of roads and infrastructure for Nanango’s Heritage Lodge project.

This joint project, which offers long-term housing for people with disabilities, was developed by South Burnett CTC with assistance from Heritage Nanango Community Funding.

Dr Morgan is also known and respected for his incredibly long working days at his surgery.

He would work from dawn until late at night, seven days a week.

His care also extended to home visits, a rare service these days, and “one-on-one” assistance for community members, such as carting pods of water or attaching a farm gate.


 

8 Responses to "Popular GP Honoured In Awards"

  1. Well-deserved, a lovely man who took great care of his patients. He also has a wicked sense of humour. Many jokes have been told over the last 27 years. All good wishes to him.

  2. This would have to be one of the most deserved awards. Fred had been our family doctor since the early ’80s and helped bring both our now adult children into the world. I can certainly vouch for his long and committed hours, having been on the receiving end of one of his long days. Congratulation Dr Fred. And Marcia, too.

  3. I worked for Dr Morgan. Believe me, our days were certainly interesting. I remember doing an evening shift once when Cathy, the evening shift receptionist was on leave, and called my husband at 11:40pm to pick me up as we had finally finished. He certainly cared for and loved his job and patients.

    Good times, Fred.

    – James & Robynne Rankin

  4. My entire family benefited from Dr Fred’s amazing care and sense of humour. My husband Hugh had many wonderful extra years because of Fred’s amazing ability to diagnose.

    We love and admire Fred .💕

  5. Dr Morgan and his wife Marcia certainly made me feel heard and appreciated. I worked for Dr Morgan and Marcia for some time and they certainly showed me compassion, understanding and love during my time with them. It’s been some time now and I still miss not working with them. They’re both magnificent people.

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