Community
30 January, 2026
Medical mentor Citizen of the Year
WITH a shortage of doctors one of the biggest issues facing many communities, Dr Barry Morphett has worked tirelessly to attract, train and retain medical professionals in Warrnambool.
Dr Morphett moved to Warrnambool with his young family in 1984 to work as a physician and gastroenterologist.
But it was his role in helping to establish Deakin University’s medical training presence in Warrnambool, including the clinical school based at South West Healthcare, that has seen him recognised as the 2026 Warrnambool Citizen of the Year.
For many years, Warrnambool has been a key training site for Deakin medical students during their clinical years, and more recently has supported a pathway for some students to complete all four years of their medical degree in a rural setting.
Dr Morphett said the long-term goal had always been to encourage as many graduates as possible to return and work in the region.
“Over the course of time, we’ve had somewhere between 250 and 300 people graduate, and what we’ve tried to do is to get as many as possible back into the local scene,” he said.
“Some of those people now are on the staff for the clinical school. So they’re involved in teaching students, whereas five or ten years ago they were students themselves.
“If you took all of our graduates out of the Warrnambool medical scene, there’d be a mighty big hole.”
Dr Morphett said the program’s strength wasn’t just the quality of training, but the way students became part of the Warrnambool community.
“The general community, they engage with them. The students live in houses scattered throughout Warrnambool. We didn’t want them to be in an enclave,” he said.
“The number of people who tell me that they met up with one of my students and how nice they are.”
He said that sense of connection was an important part of encouraging graduates to stay and work locally.
“There’s a cohort of 30 students that are from the area, they’re doing their years one to four in Warrnambool, and we’re hopeful that by having them embedded into the local medical scene early, that they will stay,” he said.
“In 2026, there are six or seven of our graduates who have gone to the Base Hospital, and we’re hopeful that this will continue to grow.”
Dr Morphett said the success of the Warrnambool program was built on the support of many organisations and individuals working together.
“Whilst I get all the kudos for setting it up, it wasn’t just me and we had a core group from the start,” he said.
“And in the community, everyone is willing to help, even though they’re really busy.
“The support that we’ve had from everybody in the medical environment has been absolutely off the charts.”
Dr Morphett thanked his wife Sharyn for her support over the years.
“My dear wife has taken the brunt of me having to do a lot of on-call stuff, you might be away all night, or have a disrupted weekend, so she’s been fantastic and super supportive.”
Warrnambool mayor Cr Ben Blain said Dr Morphett had become one of the city’s proudest ambassadors.
“Warrnambool is the medical hub for south-west Victoria, serving a population of more than 100,000 people,” he said.
“We’ve got the best of both worlds. A major regional health service and a lifestyle where everything is close by.
“That’s what makes it such a great place to train and keep skilled medical professionals.
“This program has been such a massive success. It’s a big win for residents, for local health services and for the long-term health of our community.
“And it wouldn’t have been anywhere near as successful as it has been without the dedication of Dr Morphett and the team over many years.
“His enthusiasm for medicine, for education and for Warrnambool is infectious, and I’m very proud to call him our Warrnambool Citizen of the Year.”
