Health Hub · New Patients
Just moved to the Fraser Coast? Finding a new GP tends to slide down the to-do list until someone in the house needs a script, a referral or a sick certificate. The good news: choosing a practice in Hervey Bay and registering as a new patient takes minutes, not weeks. Here is what to look for, how registration works at Main Street Medical Centre in Pialba, and how to bring your medical history with you.
How to choose a general practice in a new town
Any GP can write a script. What you are really choosing is the practice you will rely on for the next decade — so it is worth checking a few things before you settle:
- ✓Accreditation. Look for AGPAL accreditation — independent certification that a practice meets RACGP standards for safety and quality. Main Street Medical Centre is AGPAL accredited and is also an RACGP-accredited training practice.
- ✓The services you will actually use. Having chronic disease care, skin cancer medicine, women’s health, childhood immunisations and health assessments under one roof saves referrals and repeat trips.
- ✓Billing you can predict. Ask what is bulk billed and what carries a fee — and whether you are told costs up front.
- ✓Doctors you can get to know. A practice with a stable team of GPs means you can see the same doctor, and someone who knows your history is available when they are away.
- ✓Practicalities. Opening hours that fit work and school runs, a central location, parking and wheelchair access. The practice is open Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 5:30pm, with free on-site parking at the rear.
Registering as a new patient: no paper forms
Registration at Main Street Medical Centre happens automatically when you make your first booking — there is nothing to download, print or fill in by hand:
Your first appointment: what to bring
- ✓Your Medicare card — and your concession or DVA card if you hold one
- ✓A list of your current medications, or simply the boxes themselves
- ✓Any referrals, results or medical records from your previous doctor
- ✓Details of any allergies, past surgery and family history worth flagging
- ✓Your children’s immunisation history if you are registering the whole family
A first appointment is a good time to book the basics you may have let lapse during the move — scripts about to run out, overdue screening, or a skin check if it has been more than a year.
Transferring your medical records
You do not need to arrive with a folder of paperwork. Once you have registered, your new GP can request a transfer of your file from your previous practice with your signed consent — vaccination records, results, care plans and history. Some practices charge a small transfer fee at their end, so it is worth asking. If you have upcoming referrals or recent test results, bring copies to your first visit so nothing is repeated unnecessarily.
What it costs
Standard GP consultations at Main Street Medical Centre are bulk billed for patients with a valid Medicare card, and DVA Gold Card holders are bulk billed for covered services. Without a Medicare card, a standard consultation is $89. Some procedures carry a private fee, always quoted before anything is done — the full breakdown is in our guide to what is bulk billed in Hervey Bay and on the fees page.
One rule new arrivals often trip over: for most GP telehealth appointments, Medicare only pays a rebate if you have seen a GP at that practice face-to-face within the previous 12 months, or you are registered with the practice through MyMedicare. Some exemptions apply. For most new patients, that means your first appointment with us needs to be in person — after that, phone consultations are available when appropriate.
What about MyMedicare?
MyMedicare is a free, voluntary government registration that formally links you to your regular practice. It unlocks longer bulk billed telehealth items and some care-planning benefits, and it is entirely optional. You generally become eligible once you have had two face-to-face visits with the same practice in the previous 24 months, and some exceptions apply. Reception can check whether you are eligible and register you in a couple of minutes — worth doing once you have decided this is your regular GP.
Frequently asked questions
Is Main Street Medical Centre accepting new patients?
Can I register my whole family at once?
Do I need my old records before my first visit?
Can I choose which doctor I see?
Where exactly is the practice?
New patients often ask what checks they are due for. Our guide to women’s health checks by age covers the screenings generally recommended from your 20s onwards.
Register with a Hervey Bay GP today
Book your first appointment at Main Street Medical Centre, 71 Main Street, Pialba — open Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 5:30pm. Registration is completed online in minutes, and standard consultations are bulk billed for eligible Medicare card holders.
This article is general information and is not a substitute for individual medical advice.
Last reviewed September 2026