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.
2027 Rural Nursing Scholarship
The 2027 Dept. of Health Region receiving rural nursing scholarships for study is the Gippsland region.
Online applications can be made from 6 July 2026. The closing date is 28 September, 2026.
The scholarships are to assist with course fees for a period of up to 12 months, commencing from January 2027.
- Nurse Practitioner
- RIPRN (Regional and Isolated Practice Register Nurse)
- Critical Care Nursing

2025 Coates Trust Rural Nursing scholarship recipient Karen Stewart, Great Ocean Road Health Service

2026 Coates Trust Orator Announced
The 2026 Coates Oration will be presented by the Hon. Ted Baillieu AO on Tuesday, 24 November at Federation University, Mount Helen Campus, Ballarat. The oration commences at 6.00pm.
The Oration will be followed by the Annual Coates Oration Dinner from 7.30 pm, held at the Albert Coates Complex, also at the Mount Helen Campus.
The Hon Ted Baillieu AO served as Premier of Victoria and Minister for the Arts from 2010 to 2013. In 2006 he was elected leader of the Victorian Liberal Party. He was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1999 to 2014. He is an Adjunct Professor at Swinburne University School of Design. In 2022 Mr Baillieu was awarded an Honorary Doctorate at Swinburne University. He was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2020.
BOOKINGS
Click below to book for the Oration Dinner which is $70.00 per head.
Bookings for the Oration Only will be opened soon via another QR code.
FURTHER INFORMATION AND ENQUIRIES
Click Here for link to more Booking Information and contact details for enquiries, dietary requirements etc.
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.
See Richard de Crespigny's 2025 Oration by clicking on the link below. The Oration begins at the 7m 25 s point.















