A remote council hopes a social media video and a combined $2 million in salary packages will bring four doctors to its towns.
There have been no permanent doctors in the region for more than a year despite the opening of a state-of-the-art $20.1 million hospital in Blackall in 2020.
Blackall-Tambo Mayor Andrew Martin said the towns had been relying on locums to service residents and the tourists who caused the population to triple each season.
"No one's getting regular [health] services so that's just got to stop," he said.
"Some of our tourists are of an age demographic where they … need some health services.
"They'll just drop in in their caravan expecting to find good health services."
In a first for the region, the council will co-fund an advertising campaign with the Central West Hospital and Health Service to attract workers.
"We've got some wonderful retirement homes and nursing homes and now we can't give them the health care that they deserve and need," Cr Martin said.
Relying on locums
Acting health service chief executive David Walker, who came to Longreach as a trainee doctor at the start of his career, has lived in the outback for more than a decade.
He said the health service had worked hard to build a robust locum team while recruiting permanent doctors.
"It's a certain skill set to work in rural communities so looking for the right fit is important for us," he said.
In addition to offering accommodation, subsidised utilities and extra leave as part of the $500,000 packages, Dr Walker said the hospital wanted to work with applicants on what the available roles would involve.
"I feel enormously supported by the community through good times and bad and raised our family there," he said.
"Trying to get good doctors to these towns and provide health care for our people is really close to my heart."
Unique campaign for unique town
Cr Martin said similar campaigns to the promotional video and salary packages had worked for other regions.
"We will go around Australia with an advertising campaign showing them the delights in our district and asking them if there's anyone interested in keeping [us] healthy," he said.
"It's a bush effort trying to do something for the bush, by the bush, in the bush."
He said the community of about 1,500 people had a lot to offer newcomers.
"We're crime free, we're wonderfully welcoming people, we've got lots of assets out here," he said.
"We grow the best wool, we grow the best beef, we've got some of the best grazing country in Australia.
"But our greatest asset is our people."
