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Welcome to the

Albert Coates Memorial Trust

The Albert Coates Memorial Trust is a volunteer-run, Ballarat-based organisation which, since 1998, has raised funds to present medical scholarships for regionally based nursing and medical students, registered nurses and doctors based in Victoria, Australia. The Trust celebrates the life and contribution to Australia of Sir Albert Coates. 

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    Recipients Announced for the 2026 Loddon Mallee Region Nursing Scholarships

    2026 Rural Emergency Nursing Scholarship Program - Loddon Mallee Health Region Nurses have been announced.  
    Awards ranging from $3,200 to $4,200 have been presented to:

    Sandra Sierra Flores, Mallee Track Health
    Course:  Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner); Berwick Campus

    Libby Gore, Bendigo Health
    Course: Master of Advanced Clinical Nursing (Emergency Nursing). Monash University, Bendigo

    Joanne Kane, Rochester & Elmore District Health Service
    Course:  Rural Isolated Practice Registered Nurse (RIPRN) Course; Cunningham Centre, Queensland

    Maddy Wright, Swan Hill District Health
    Course:  Graduate Certificate of Critical Care Nursing; Deakin University.

    Richard de Crespigny AM
    Author of QF32 and Fly!

    2025 Coates Orator

    Federation University Australia and the Albert Coates Memorial Trust presented the 2025 Coates Oration on Wednesday 19 November 2025, with Richard de Crespigny AM.

    The Oration included a powerful description of the terrifying engine explosion on Flight QF32 in 2010. Loud sound effects made the description all the more real. Richard de Crespigny’s presentation then oved to ‘Resilience – From Cradle to the Grave’ giving an insight into ways of coping with life’s difficult times. Over 200 people attended the oration and the audience had a very engaging and meaningful encounter with the orator.

    After the Oration the Albert Coates Memorial Trust held its 2025 Oration Dinner, with over 120 people attending. The highlight here was the range of nursing and medical students who spoke of the impact of their scholarships on their studies and careers. 

    See the Events Page for more details of the 2025 Oration.

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