December 24, 2025
Darling Downs Health has urged South Burnett residents to take simple precautions to avoid unplanned trips to the Emergency Department.
During the 2024 Christmas and New Year period, more than 600 people presented for treatment at Kingaroy Hospital.
Emergency Nurse Unit Manager Dan Burke said the hospital experienced a surge in presentations between Christmas and New Year.
“We see an increase of around 30 per cent in presentations over the festive season, mostly after Christmas Day,” Mr Burke said.
“This is when services are limited in rural areas, so we generally see more people coming in.”
Mr Burke said presentations during this time often include abdominal pain, chest pain and trauma-related injuries, many that can be preventable.
“Many of the chest and abdominal pain presentations are a result of overindulgence on Christmas Day and the gastro symptoms are often linked to poor food preparation and storage,” Mr Burke said.
“We also see an increase in injuries from intoxication and risk-taking, and in particular Boxing Day brings injuries which are sometimes a result of parents trying out kids’ toys!”
Mr Burke encouraged people to consider other options for non-urgent care including:
- Virtual Emergency Care
- Cub Care for free paediatric telehealth consultations for Darling Downs residents.
