Top End team receives gong in Canberra for a program changing the lives of Territorians

A preventative health program designed to reach some of the most remote homes in the Northern Territory has received national recognition after claiming a top health award.

The Outback Active team was awarded the Rural/Remote Health Innovator of the Year prize at the National Rural and Remote Health Awards at a ceremony in Canberra on Wednesday night.

The awards celebrate the work of healthcare professionals in regional and remote communities.

Outback Active, an initiative from Charles Darwin University's Faculty of Health, is a telehealth-based preventative health program supporting older adults in remote communities by improving access to allied health services.

It also gives students the opportunity for placement in a real-world environment and to solve issues in delivering remote health services.

The Outback Active team was in Canberra to accept the award, and Dean Scholl of Allied Health Sciences Professor Nicole O'Reilly said that the program has gone from strength to strength.

"Over the duration of the program, we have seen clients regain strength, confidence, and improve their wellbeing," Professor O'Reilly said.

"One story that stands out is that of a 78-year-old man who was referred into the program by his doctor to support his bone health. The client largely relied on an electric scooter for outings due to pain.

"By the end of the 12-week program, the client walked to the shops, instead of using his electric scooter, for the first time in two years."

The Outback Active team was also the finalists for Dedication to Health in a Remote Location in this year's awards.

CDU Pro Vice-Chancellor Faulty of Health Professor Dominic Upton said the recognition was testament to the hard work of everyone involved in the project.

"In the Northern Territory we have unique challenges in delivering health care, also in training and retaining the next generation of health workers who are familiar with the challenges," Professor Upton said.

We need initiatives like Outback Active, which has involved students studying occupational therapy, health sciences and exercise and sports science, with physiotherapy involvement from 2026.

"I congratulate everyone involved in the program."

Professor Upton said the team, led by Dr Clare Quinlan and Fiona Tipping from the Faculty's Health Hub, has also reached hundreds of community members through direct engagement and social media platforms. There has been an increase in word-of-mouth referrals from seven per cent in 2024 to 14 per cent in 2025, which reflects strong community trust and satisfaction.

During acceptance of the award, the team used the platform to thank Primary Health Networks

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