A Maidenwell midwife-to-be said her participation in an 18 month-long hospital placement program has equipped her to pursue her dream job in healthcare.
Lilly White, 17, was one of 10 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from the Darling Downs district to complete the inaugural Deadly Start Program, finishing up on 13 November 2025.
As part of the program, Lilly completed a Certificate II in Health Support Services and also achieved a Certificate III in Health Services Assistance after 375 hours of practical training.
The Maidenwell teenager then spent one day a week for 50 weeks at Kingaroy Hospital, shadowing senior nurses and assisting on patient calls.
While at Kingaroy Hospital on placement, Lilly personally assisted with the births of 10 babies.
She credits her participation in the Deadly Start Program with reigniting her passion for midwifery.
“I wasn’t sure if I would go into midwifery, but [the Deadly Start program] made it very definite that that’s what I wanted to do,” Lilly said.
“I’ve always liked helping people, and being able to support mums and bubs through the most vulnerable time of their lives is very special.
“Helping the health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is really important to me, so that’s what really drew me to [working in healthcare],” Lilly added.
Lilly has graduated from Nanango State High School since finishing up in the Deadly Start Program. The Maidenwell teen has received an early offer from Brisbane’s Australian Catholic University to study midwifery, and will also start a cadetship with Darling Downs Health in mid-February – again at Kingaroy Hospital.
Lilly hopes her second stint at the hospital – which encompasses another year’s worth of one-day-a-week practical work – will prepare her for her required placements later on in her studies.
When she completes her degree, Lilly hopes to stay in the South Burnett as a rural healthcare worker.
The Deadly Start Program has exceeded the expectations of Darling Downs Health, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workforce project manager Kim Besley Scott saying the majority of participants have come away from the initiative willing to further pursue a career in nursing.
“It has been rewarding to witness mentors and trainees learning from each other, strengthening and inspiring the next generation of nurses,” she said.
“The program is contributing to building a more inclusive and courageous workforce, closing the gap in health services for diverse communities.”
Alongside Lilly, three other South Burnett participants made up the inaugural group of graduates. Kayley Renouf-Dowdle from St John’s Lutheran School completed her placement at Kingaroy Hospital’s inpatient unit, Murgon State High School student Javanda Byers-Bond worked alongside Lilly in the midwifery unit, and Damon Cooper from Murgon SHS spent his time in the allied health unit’s exercise physio section.
DDH aims to embed the Deadly Start Program into its annual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce scheme over the next five years, with recruitment now underway for the next crop of participants.
Darling Downs locals currently in Year 10 may apply for a start in Term 1, 2026.
Lilly White was also the 2025 Darling Downs South West Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year, and competed in the 2025 Queensland Training Award finals.
