A vibrant and thriving economy in northern Australia requires healthy people and communities. However, people in the remote north continue to face the highest burden of poor health in Australia. Locally-led health systems and climate change research, including research led by and conducted in partnership with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs), is key to address these health inequities. A rapidly growing Central Australian-led research program is improving health care practice and policy across remote northern Australia through meaningful engagement with ACCHSs, other service providers, government bodies, and communities.

The Remote Health Systems and Climate Change Centre (RHC3), situated within Menzies School of Health Research, is leading research on health workforce retention, aeromedical retrievals, multidisciplinary and technology-enabled primary care, improving healthy environments, empowering remote Aboriginal women, alcohol policy, and the effects of heat on health and livability. Priorities for research are determined in partnership with local stakeholders who engage in the research process from conceptualisation to delivery. Methodologies range from citizen science approaches and participatory action research to implementation research, realist evaluation, trend mapping and clinical audits, with an emphasis on Aboriginal governance and capacity building.

Findings show that remote northern Australia is facing a primary health care workforce crisis as well as increasing health and socioeconomic challenges associated with extreme heat. Services experience high staff vacancy rates (up to 70%), struggle to fill roles across cadres including nurses, doctors, Aboriginal Health Practitioners and allied health professionals and face annual staff turnover rates of 148% for nurses and 79% for Aboriginal Health Practitioners. RHC3’s research is generating evidence to improve workforce retention, climate adaptation, culturally safe models of care, responses to violence-related traumatic brain injury, and remote research capacity. The tour of this program demonstrates the potential of remote-led research to provide a foundation for future prosperity in northern Australia.