The self confessed avid fisherman has been practicing medicine in the Tea Gardens Hawks Nest region for the last 20 years and has been in general practice for 50.

Graduating from medicine in 1959 Dr Pearson became interested in the field after a bout of Osteomyelitis, a bone infection, in his knee at 14 landed him in hospital for several months facing penicillin injections every few hours.

Following his graduation from Sydney University the then 22 year old moved into a group practice in the Western suburbs before moving to Tea Gardens 30 years later.

“We came here for a holiday and I saw that Dr Everett was on his own and the community was growing and I wanted a sea change,” he said.

“People in this area are very friendly and always willing to have a chat the G’day factor in Tea Gardens certainly differentiates it from the big city.”

The 73-year-old said the variety of patients including holiday makers, weekenders and permanent residents always present challenges.

“You’re learning everyday and keeping your mind active. You never know what’s going to turn up and in a small community people rely on you.”

As he draws to the end of his career, Dr Pearson said the future of medicine in Tea Gardens is concerning.

“My main concern is the future supply of doctors for this area and it’s an Australia wide problem but this area in particular we area 70 to 80km from a major hospital,” he said.

“It is hard to get good experienced doctors, a lot of doctors come and go from this region but people want continuity of care.”

While Dr Pearson has not yet set a definite date for his retirement he will be downsizing his workload over the next 12 months.