Meet our Allied Health team

The Friendlies Physiotherapy Service is made up of Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and a Podiatrist. Find out more about them and their interests.

Sarah Atkinson

Sara has a Bachelor of Physiotherapy and worked for Queensland Health for two years before joining The Friendlies over 10 years ago.

During her career, Sara has also travelled as a physio with the Queensland Junior Soccer Girls team to the national titles.

Sara enjoys working with all types of patients, but further training and increasing patient needs have seen her develop extra skills in

  • Dry Needling
  • Casting
  • Lyphoedema
  • Women’s Health
  • Pre and Post Natal
  • Pelvic floor
  • Bladder training
  • Paediatrics
  • Workstation/worksite assessment
  • Sports Injuries

Outside of work, Sara was heavily involved in soccer before having children and used to referee internationally. Now she loves all sports and fishing.

Tara Gribble

Tara graduated in 2014 from the Australian Catholic University in Brisbane.

Tara enjoys all areas of physiotherapy with added interest in:

  • Paediatrics
  • Pilates
  • Advanced Dry Needling

In her spare time, she likes to try to get away for a night camping or catch a wave surfing.

Cory has a Bachelor of Physiotherapy which he studied locally at CQUniversity completing his degree in 2017.
Cory has grown up in Bundaberg and has been heavily involved in soccer in the local area both playing and refereeing at State League level.
Cory’s special interests include:

  • Acute and Chronic Back pain
  • Neck and shoulder pain
  • Sports injuries and rehabilitation
  • Orthopaedic Rehabilitation

Outside of work Cory is a keen fisherman and loves spending time on the water.

Seb Martinez Physio

Seb completed a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science at the University of the Sunshine Coast in 2014. Seb then went on to complete a Masters in Physiotherapy at the University of Queensland, graduating in 2016.

Seb gained a broad experience working in Brisbane at the Mater Private Hospital with a workload of hospital inpatients and private clinic patients.

Seb enjoys problem-solving and assisting his patients to reach their optimal outcomes. In particular, Seb has an interest in:

  • Sports injuries and management
  • Orthopaedic Rehabilitation
  • Injury management for all areas of the body including neck, back, shoulder, knees and hips
  • Dry needling

Outside of work, Seb enjoys family time, the outdoors and Rugby League.

Corinne studied at the University of Newcastle in NSW and graduated with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) in 2015. She has worked at the Friendlies since October 2017. Corinne has an interest in all areas of physiotherapy. She particularly enjoys working with hospital inpatients and seeing patients following orthopaedic surgery.

Outside of work Corinne enjoys travelling in Australia and overseas, scuba diving and going to the beach.

Mitchell-Shorten

Mitch has a Bachelor of Physiotherapy which he studied at the University of Queensland, completing his degree in 2015.
Mitch grew up in Bundaberg but has spent the last 9 years studying and working in southeast Queensland. Mitch worked as a sports trainer while studying and then as a graduate worked in the community setting where he gained an interest in persistent pain. He then moved to a clinic in Noosa continuing his education in pain science, persistent pain treatment, tendon rehabilitation and honing his skills in numerous other areas.
Mitch’s special interests include:

  • Persistent and neurogenic pain with a holistic focus
  • Tendon rehabilitation
  • Degenerative shoulder injuries
  • Knee and hip osteoarthritis
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Orthopaedic Rehabilitation

Outside of work Mitch is a keen surfer and water skier and loves to travel and experience different cultures whenever he can.

Georgia Bell OT

Georgia is a Bundaberg local who graduated with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) from the Central Queensland University campus in 2018.

She has worked in the Aged Care sector and hospital inpatients before joining the Friendlies in February of 2021.

Georgia enjoys working in all areas of occupational therapy with interest in:

  • Hand Therapy
  • Older adults and home care packages
  • Completing full functional capacity assessments for NDIS
  • Providing paediatric therapy to assist with children’s development
  • Completing home safety assessments and minor home modifications
  • Trial and scripting of assistive technology
  • Completing cognitive assessments

Outside of work Georgia enjoys camping, travelling, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Julia Robinson OT

Since graduating in 2013 with a Bachelor of Health Science (Occupational Therapy) at Auckland University of Technology, I have worked in a range of settings in New Zealand including brain injury, chronic pain, vocational rehabilitation, and older adults, in both Ministry of Health and ACC funded services.

I enjoy working with a range of client groups; however, I have a particular interest in concussion management and brain injury, older adults and have recently started working in housing assessment and modification.

I have ventured over to Australia to do gain some further experience in a different health setting and do some exploring of this beautiful country.

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