From Bruges to Broome --- Dr Peter Vanrietvelde

'I chose Australia over other countries as the relaxed lifestyle, beautiful weather and scenery all appealed to me. The people are very, very friendly.'

Originally from Bruges in Belgium, Dr Peter Vanrietvelde moved to Australia in January 2003 to the beautiful remote town of Broome in Western Australia.

Upon arrival, he attended an induction week and found that working as a general practitioner in Australia was similar to what he had experienced in Belgium.

Peter is now a permanent resident of Australia and works in a private general practitioner surgery offering holistic primary care, along with a naturopath and psychologist. He notes that it is a clinical challenge to deal with the enormous variety of illnesses he encounters.

The multicultural mix of residents ensures that integration is relatively easy and Dr Vanrietvelde’s family enjoys a wide range of hobbies including swimming at the beautiful beaches, camping and four-wheel driving. Peter has even learned to fish!