Globe-trotting doctor returns to Ohakune

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 31, 22 January 1985, Page 2

Globe-trotting doctor returns to Ohakune

IFor the second year in a row, Dr Ross Ogle has come back to Ohakune for six weeks to act as locum for the area while Dr Perera is away. Ross and his wife Trish have come back to the area because of the recreational facilities it offers. They have

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Rosalind

Donald

just returned from nine months overseas and now believe that New Zealand is hard to beat. "If you want to do activities like rafting and jet boating in Europe, you have to really hunt it out and then you have to pay and pay and pay! " says Ross. "But it's all here around Ohakune." During their stay, Trish and Ross have tried white water rafting on the Tongariro River and jetboating on the Wanganui with Ruapehu Outback Adventures. They have done many walks around Mt Ruapehu, swam at Lakes Reserves, and barbecued with friends.

Ross and Trish are from Tauranga, where they lease sixacres. They are presently building an agricultural shed on the land and plan to. plant 570 Persimmon trees this year. . The first harvest of the crop will be in four years, when they will export the fruit to the large Japanese market. Trish, a registered nurse, now has a job at Tauranga Hospital and in-between farming the land, Ross will continue locum work. His next job will be relieving for a doctor at the Thames Health Centre. Ross started his Med. School Training when he was 16. At 18, he did his basic training with the army in Waiouru. In 1982 he worked as a first-year house surgeon at Tauranga Hospital. He was a second-year house surgeon at Thames Hospital. In December of 1983, he and Trish came to Ohakune while Dr. Perera was on holiday. They then went overseas, first to the United States where they bought a

Chevrolet and travelled the country in it. In England, they both worked at the David Lewis Centre, the biggest centre for epileptics in England, which is set in 250 acres of land. The Ogles were amazed at the rigid class structure at the centre, "and I think we amazed them, because we dared to treat everyone the same," says Ross. This week Ross is going into the Army Training Group at Waiouru for 20 days. After that, they will return to Tauranga. Dr. Perera will be back on duty from next Monday. He has been on holiday with his family in Sri Lanka.