May 7, 2025
Tributes have poured in for retired Nanango GP Dr Fred Morgan OAM who died aged 85 on Easter Sunday in Kingaroy.
Dr Morgan sold his Fitzroy Street surgery in 2018 and retired after spending more than 40 years working as the beloved local doctor for the Nanango community and beyond.
Fred – as everyone knew him – was also highly respected for his incredibly long working days at his surgery.
He would often 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.
Fred was born in Wondai and attended Stonelands State school.
Medicine wasn’t his first career choice after Scholarship.
He worked as a sugar chemist at Bundaberg and Mackay until heading off to Brisbane Medical School at the age of 26.
It was during his “sugar” years that he met his wife, Marcia. The couple was married in April 1966.
Fred completed his medical training in Edinburgh and arrived in Nanango more than 45 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.
He 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.
Fred became the secretary of the management committee and Marcia filled the public relations officer role.
Karinya is now run by Southern Cross Care.
Fred was also an active member of the South Nanango Rural Fire Brigade and, in his rare spare time, enjoyed flying.
In 2021, he was presented with a Medal of the Order Of Australia (OAM) for his service to medicine as a general practitioner.
Fred was formally presented with his honour by Queensland Governor Paul de Jersey AC at Government House in Brisbane.
Earlier the same year, Fred received a Lifetime Achievement Award in the South Burnett Regional Council’s Australia Day awards for his 40 years of service to the region.
Marcia died in June 2022.
When Fred’s health began to fail, he moved into Orana Aged Care in Kingaroy, where he died on April 20.
His sister, Audrey, said Fred had requested no funeral however a community memorial is expected to be held later this month in Nanango (date to be advised).
UPDATE: The community memorial for the late Dr Fred Morgan will be held from 10:00am on June 20 at Nanango Golf Club.
He was certainly a much loved family doctor to a generations of Nanango residents.
An amazing man. He would do farm visits to Glenmore to look after my childhood Nanny, often at 7pm after he finished work.
RIP Dr Morgan.
Condolences to all who knew and loved him.
He was a fantastic doctor who won’t be forgotten. He dropped everything for his patients. A few times I was in complete pain (unknown gallstones at the time) and he would meet me down at the surgery any hour of the night and help.
RIP Dr Fred Morgan. Condolences to the family.
I was a receptionist for Fred back when he had the surgery and would work late into the night with him as he would never ever turn a patient away. Dr Fred was an incredible man and extremely passionate and caring to his patients. The best DR I have ever come across. Rest in paradise Fred it was a pleasure to work with you and meet you.
RIP Fred. Your service to the community was unparalleled. You have been greatly missed by your patients and the community.
Rest easy Fred
Reunited with Marcia
Much love and gratitude for your care and support over the years , and those bloody silly jokes
Condolences to all
A fantastic, thorough & devoted doctor who went over & above what could be asked of him daily. Vale & thank you Dr Fred Morgan. Jane Mott & Ray Abernethy
As a fellow medical colleague of Dr Morgan over many years, I wish to pay tribute to Fred. I gave 30 years of my life providing rural medical care to the residents of the SB. Fred on the other hand outdid me by 10 years of dedicated service to the people of Nanango.
It is unlikely any doctor will ever match the 24/7 service and health care given by Fred as doctors seek a more equitable work / lifestyle / family life balance.
I must say I felt in awe of Fred. as I burnt out physically and mentally, at the man’s stamina to keep going well into his seventies. Fred will be sadly missed by all those who knew him and those he helped during his medical career.
VALE FRED
Thanks for a lovely article on a special person. We will never forget him
Thank you Fred for 34 years of care. You were a wonderful doctor and will be forever remembered. I will always remember your stories you told me that we laughed about together. Rest in peace Fred.
Dear Fred,
If I were to write a tribute to your life’s medical work I would add that it was a wonderful journey we travelled together during our medical student days. It was fortunate to have a study group of yourself, Dennis (pharmacist) from UK, Peter, (radiographer) from Melbourne, Mervyn (barrister), from Sri Lanka, and myself (school teacher) from Gatton.
The course would not have been possible without the constant exchange of information, ideas, solutions and social support.
We were the ‘oldies’ during the years of 1967-1972.
These were busy, busy years. We all had holiday jobs, part-time hobbies and dodgy motor vehicles.
Although we practised for many years in neighbouring, small rural communities, our paths rarely met.
In doing all the community services and caring you extended to Nanango you earned all the accolades that have been extended to yourself and Marcia.
Like myself and Peter, we could not have done all this without the help of our spouses, Marcia, Helen and Christine.
To yourself and Marcia and Fred – Rest in Peace. Your life-long wishes hopefully have been to your wishes. As we say to aviation lovers – your duties magnificently done; the hangar door can be closed.
Your achievements of almost 24/7 medical service, our gaining the MRCP (Edinburgh), gaining the pilot’s licences, the service to the community of Nanango leaves an awesome legacy.
Gerry and Christine.