After moving from South Australia to Tom Price for a fresh start with her family, Sarah Rix swapped running her own business for a nursing career.
Balancing study with a shift-working husband and two young kids in a remote town, she discovered CQUniversity and Pilbara Kimberley University Centres (PKUC), which offer a Bachelor of Nursing that enables students to complete their entire degree in the Pilbara.
“I’ve volunteered in ambulance services in both South Australia and WA and I’ve always been somewhat involved in health, and I knew I could make a career for myself and become a nurse,” she said.
But placements took her far beyond Tom Price — from Kalgoorlie to Port Hedland, Maningrida in Arnhem Land, and even Nepal.
“I just wanted to try new things and to have that opportunity to see how other places do it,” she said.
“Nepal is a Third World country, so everything is costed; every pair of gloves, every syringe.
“Seeing healthcare in places like Nepal, where families must pay upfront for treatment, really put into perspective how fortunate we are in Australia.”
Now a graduate, Ms Rix will start a 12-month grad role at Tom Price Hospital. She is among 21 students in the first CQUniversity cohort to complete a full nursing degree locally in the Pilbara.
PKUC hosted its annual graduation celebration at the Red Earth Arts Precinct in Karratha on June 6, honouring the achievements of regional students completing a wide array of higher education courses.
Ms Rix earned the Rio Tinto Spirit of the Pilbara Award for her peer support and community spirit.
Other standout awardees included Emma Jackson, recipient of the Roy Hill Rising Star Award for her unwavering dedication, and Bella Korewha, named Roy Hill Nursing Student of the Year for her academic excellence and patient care commitment.
“This nursing cohort is proof that with the right support and local delivery models, regional students can complete high-quality university degrees without leaving their communities. It marks a new chapter in accessible, place-based education in the Pilbara,” PKUC chief executive Susan Grylls said.
The evening also featured the announcement of the 2025 PKUC scholarship recipients. With a record 52 applications — double the number received in 2024 — PKUC awarded $51,000 in scholarships aimed at supporting students from the Pilbara and Kimberley regions overcome financial barriers to higher education.
With study hubs in Karratha, Port Hedland, Onslow, Tom Price, Broome and Kununurra, PKUC currently supports 444 students and is anticipated to exceed 600 by the end of 2026.
