Doctors
Alice Street Medical Centre has always remained owned by General practitioners and has a low turnover of staff.
We strive to maintain the feel of a family owned general practice, with a focus on continuity of care in a rural environment.
Dr Tony McLellan
MBBS, FACRRM
Born and raised in Mackay, Dr McLellan has spent the majority of his formative years in North Queensland.
He obtained his medical degree from The University Of Queensland in 1981, and undertook his postgraduate medical training at Cairns Base Hospital including advanced training in Obstetrics and Neonatology. Following completion of his postgraduate training, Dr McLellan spent a year sailing before settling in to work as a public medical officer at the Atherton Hospital.
In 1994 he commenced private practice at Alice Street Medical Centre, providing private obstetric and anaesthetic service. Prior to Atherton obtaining any ultrasound services, Dr McLellan routinely provided ultrasound services to the community through his private practice and the hospital. He was strongly influential with the formation of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine and the advent of the Rural Generalist Program throughout Queensland. He has remained at Alice Street for 27 years. He is passionate about continuity of care and enjoys caring for his long term patient list often spanning multiple generations. He remains invaluable as a resource to junior doctors.
Dr Ed Stark
MBCh B, MRCGP (UK), FRACGP
Dr Edmund Stark graduated from the University of Leeds School of Medicine in the UK in 1988 & completed his General Practice training in Yorkshire.
He first visited Australia as a backpacker in 1987 whilst still a medical student. After a couple more trips down-under, he relocated permanently to Atherton with his family & has been at Alice Street since January 2001. Ed enjoys teaching & mentoring Medical Students & GP Registrars and also has a part-time appointment as a Senior Fellow with James Cook University – GP Training.
In his spare time he enjoys bushwalking, mountain biking, listening to music & playing guitar.
Dr Chris Earl
MBBS, BSc, FACRRM, DRANZCOG (adv)
Dr Chris Earl was born and raised in northern England. He studied medicine at University College London and after graduation decided to travel while continuing his medical post-graduate training. He then worked in New Zealand before moving to Australia in 1996.
Chris lived and worked in several locations in Far North Queensland as a rural hospital doctor and found he really enjoyed the challenges and rewards of rural generalist medicine. He completed 11 years as a hospital doctor / rural generalist specialist in obstetrics and anaesthetics and was awarded a Fellowship in the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine and an Advanced diploma from the Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Dr Earl has always taken an active role in teaching and was appointed a senior lecturer by James Cook University Rural Medical School in 2008.
Dr Earl joined the wonderful team at Alice Street Medical Centre in 2008. He felt it was a well established and well respected general practice that has always had an excellent team of doctors, nurses and practice managers and support staff who are all dedicated to supplying the best possible care to all patients.
Over the last 13 years Dr Earl has developed particular interests in holistic patient-centred care including
• Skin cancer identification and management and teaching / research
• Chronic disease management and planning
• Mental health
• Men’s health
• Family planning and IUD / Implant insertion
Chris is married to Emma his amazing wife who is also a GP working at Alice Street Medical. They have 4 great children who have all been brought up as ‘Tablelanders’ enjoying all that our great part of the world has to offer. Dr Earl has several hobbies which he enjoys – painting, fossicking, fishing, orchid cultivation and playing music.
Dr Dan Caines
MBBS (JCU) FRACGP DRANZCOG (adv)
After growing up on the Northern Beaches of Cairns, Dr Caines relocated to Townsville to complete his medical training during the formative years of James Cook University’s medical school. He undertook his basic training and completed his advanced diploma in obstetrics in Townsville prior to moving to Ayr, working in a Senior Medical Officer role at the Ayr hospital. He relocated with his young family to Atherton at the end of 2014 and commenced working at Alice Street Medical Centre in 2015. He remains the only doctor providing private obstetric services at the Atherton Hospital where he also maintains a part time Senior Medical Officer role. He remains actively involved in training of both medical students and general practice registrars in both general practice and obstetrics.
He has a strong interest in womens and child health, and provides the following procedural services:
- Obstetrics both private and share care
- Procedural contraception including vasectomy and Mirena® insertion
- Advanced skin cancer management
In his spare time he is kept busy with his family with 3 young children on their small farm, and enjoys his time in the outdoors camping and fishing.
Dr Laura Vallerine
MBBS, FRACGP
Born and raised in Cairns, Laura completed her medical training through James Cook University in 2010. She worked in various medical roles in Cairns, Hobart and Townsville, before moving to the Tablelands in 2015 with her husband. Laura has practiced as a GP in the region for the past 7 years, having time off along the way to raise their two young children.
Laura cares for patients through all walks of life, but particularly enjoys seeing children, adolescents and women. She has been involved in general practice training of junior doctors, and can often be seen sitting in with them in other clinics around the Tablelands.
When not at work, Laura enjoys spending time with her young family, pottering in her garden and catching up with friends.
Dr Emma Griffiths
MBBS, FACRRM
Dr Griffiths undertook her medical training at University College in London, graduating in 1994. She moved to Australia in 1998 and undertook her general practice training in New South Wales. She worked at the Townsville General Hospital and became a Fellow of the ACRRM in 2000.
Following her qualification she moved with her family to Mareeba, working at Mulungu Aboriginal Medical service until moving to Alice Street Medical in 2011.
Dr Griffiths maintains a keen interest in Womens and sexual Health, Indigenous Health, Child health, and minor skin procedures.
She maintains a busy lifestyle outside of work with a keen interest in cycling, hiking, bird watching, swimming and enjoys snow skiing holidays with her family. Her outdoor interests are closely linked with her strong passion for environmental issues.
Dr Gene Walker
MBBS, BSc, MPHIL, FRACGP
Dr Walker grew up in Brisbane, and attained his medical degree from The University of Queensland. During his time at medical school, he also completed a Masters’ degree in liver disease at the Princess Alexandra Hospital. He worked initially at Nambour and Gympie Hospitals on the Sunshine Coast, with a particular emphasis in Emergency, Paediatrics, and Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
After moving permanently to Atherton with his family in 2017, he joined Alice Street Medical Centre 2 years later. Gene enjoys all aspects of general practice. In his free time, Gene enjoys spending time with his family, running, and working on the garden.
Dr Kirsty Mckenzie
MBBS, FRACGP
Kirsty undertook her medical studies at The University of Queensland, and subsequently relocated to the Atherton Tablelands for General Practice training, obtaining fellowship in 2019. She has completed a Diploma in Child Health. Kirsty addresses all aspects of general practice.