Laughter and memories flowed as retired midwives from Yarrawonga District Hospital, as it was then known, reunited recently.
There was plenty of laughter, storytelling and “remember when” moments as retired midwives and nurses gathered for a reunion lunch to celebrate decades of service to Yarrawonga Health and the local community.
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Between them, the women represented generations of rural healthcare experience shaped by teamwork, limited resources, and a deep connection to local families.
Kay Hanrahan, one of the longest-serving, worked from 1963 to 2006. She still recalls her first day.
Kay Hanrahan nursed in Yarrawonga for 43 years.
“I’d never set foot in the place before,” Kay said.
“I walked in on January 7, 1963 and went straight to the theatre.”
Staffing was minimal in those days, often just one midwife on duty, and Kay’s introduction was immediate, a caesarean with Dr Van Nooten.
“My eyes nearly fell out of my head,” Kay laughed.
“You were the only person on duty, but you knew if you needed help, someone would come.”
Conditions were basic, including power interruptions and Kay recalled the time she delivered a baby with a kerosene lamp the only light.
Kay returned to Yarrawonga District Hospital, as it was then called, in 1978 and retired in 2006 after serving generations of local families.
Angela Clarke began as an enrolled nurse in 1972 and retired 44 years later as midwifery coordinator.
Angela Clarke began in 1972 as an enrolled nurse.
She worked across multiple areas for more than four decades and later studied while working shifts.
“I think that’s when my poor sleep habits began,” Angela said.
She went on to senior roles, including after-hours supervisor and midwifery co-ordinator, before retiring in 2016.
“I am forever grateful to Yarrawonga Health for providing me with so many educational opportunities,” Angela said.
Anne Johnson began work in 1978 and retired in 2005 as a midwife and charge nurse.
Charge nurse Anne Johnson retired in 2005 after 27 years.
“You really got to know the women well, it was the whole journey really,” she said.
Anne recalled emergency transfers and a 2am taxi ride, directing a driver who didn’t know Yarrawonga.
One shift during an April Fool’s Day prank stands out. Already managing two women in labour, she was told a third patient was coming.
“I was running around like a chook with its head cut off … I really did my block,” Anne said.
But later she received flowers from Dr Andrew Nichols.
Jan Sterkenburg began in district nursing in 1990 before moving into maternity.
Jan Sterkenburg says nursing was very hands on and help was always there.
“I started off helping shower elderly people and giving medications,” Jan said.
She soon moved into midwifery, often the only midwife on duty.
“You knew if you needed help, someone would come; we always worked as a team,” Jan said.
She also recalled air ambulance transfers to Melbourne and the expectation that staff would organise their own return.
“One time I went to Melbourne with a woman having twins,” Jan said.
“It was very hands-on, and everyone helped.”
Val Lawford returned in 2007 after working in larger hospitals, finishing her career in the town she grew up in and where she learned that rural midwifery demands flexibility.
“I’m actually a latecomer to the hospital,” Val said.
“I’m a midwife, but you had to do lots of things you normally wouldn’t do.”
“It was very satisfying working in a small country hospital where we were more or less our own boss.
“I had some beautiful deliveries, and I still see the mums around town.”
The lunch highlighted a very different era of healthcare, from nurses’ homes and kerosene lamps to modern systems.
And the threads of teamwork, resilience, and lifelong care ran through every story.
