CQ Audiology holds a periodic visiting hearing clinic in Tambo at the Tambo Multi Purpose Centre, 26 Arthur Street. Our audiologist travels out from Rockhampton for the day, so people in town and on the surrounding properties can have their hearing checked without a long trip east. It is a visiting service on selected days, not a permanent office.
Visiting-clinic days vary by location. Please call (07) 4848 6528 to confirm the next available clinic in Tambo before travelling.
Distance should not decide whether you get your hearing checked
Out along the Landsborough Highway, a specialist appointment can mean the better part of a day in the car, an overnight stay, and someone else feeding the dogs. So it gets put off. One year turns into five, the television creeps up, and phone calls become something to avoid. Bringing the clinic to Tambo removes most of that. You come in from the property or walk up Arthur Street, have a proper assessment, and get on with the day.
How do I get the most out of one visiting appointment?
When we are only in town for a day, preparation matters more than usual. A few minutes of thinking beforehand often turns one appointment into a finished job rather than the first of several. It is also worth reading what not to do before a hearing test so nothing on the day gets in the way of an accurate result.
- Write down where you struggle most: the phone, the ute cab, the shed, the pub, church, or the two way radio.
- Bring your current hearing aids along with chargers, spare batteries and any accessories, even ones you gave up on.
- Bring a list of your medicines, and mention any past ear surgery, perforations or repeated infections.
- Bring your Medicare card, and your pensioner concession card or DVA card if you hold one.
- Bring your partner, a family member or your carer, because a second set of ears helps when we go through results.
- Tell us when you book if you have had a cold, blocked ears or heavy wax lately, so we can allow extra time.
What can be sorted on the day in Tambo
A visiting clinic is a working appointment, not a token check. Most of what people in the Central West need can be finished before we pack the car, including a full hearing test with results explained to you in plain language, and adjustments to hearing aids you already own.
- Diagnostic hearing assessment, with the results explained on the day rather than posted out weeks later.
- Fitting new hearing aids, or reprogramming and fine tuning aids you already wear.
- Cleaning, retubing, new domes and wax filters, and a fresh supply of batteries to take home.
- Ear impressions for custom earplugs or swim plugs.
- Reviews and paperwork under the Australian Government Hearing Services Program.
- Practical communication advice for you and for the people who live with you.
When a trip to Rockhampton is worth making
There are limits to what a portable setup can do, and we will always tell you plainly when you have reached one. Cochlear implant assessment, anything requiring the full diagnostic suite, difficult ear wax that needs micro-suction, and deeper hearing aid repairs are handled at our main clinic at T33 & 34A, City Centre Plaza, 24 Fitzroy Street, Rockhampton. If that is where you are heading, we will book it while you are in front of us and line up everything for the same visit, so the long drive happens once.
What if a hearing aid plays up between visits?
This is the part remote patients worry about, and it is usually the easiest part to solve. Ring us on (07) 4848 6528 and we will talk it through on the phone. A surprising number of faults are a blocked wax filter, a tired battery, a dome that has slipped off, or moisture after a hot week. Batteries, domes, filters and cleaning tools can be posted out to Tambo. Where your hearing aids and phone support it, some adjustments can be made remotely without you going anywhere. If an aid truly needs to come in, we will tell you how to pack and send it, and how long you can expect to be without it. Most faults are sorted without an aid leaving Tambo at all.
How family and carers can help
Hearing is a household matter, particularly when someone is older or living alone on a property. Family often notice the change first and can make the appointment far more useful.
- Offer the lift into town and stay for the appointment if you are welcome to.
- Write down real examples: missed phone calls, the radio volume, conversations at the kitchen table.
- Help keep hearing aids charged, dry and clean during the weeks between visits.
- Keep a note of the make and model, and of anything we have adjusted, so nothing is guessed at next time.
Help with the cost of hearing care
Cost stops plenty of people in the bush before they even ring. It is worth knowing that eligible pensioner concession card and DVA card holders may access services under the Australian Government Hearing Services Program; eligibility criteria apply. Our reception team can check where you stand before your appointment, and our page on the Hearing Services Program explains how it works and what it covers.
Book in for the next Tambo clinic
Call (07) 4848 6528 to confirm the next Tambo clinic day and have your name added, or send your details through the booking form and we will phone you back. If the timing does not work, our visiting clinic in Blackall may suit, or we can arrange a time at the Rockhampton clinic. Tell us you are coming from out of town and we will work to make one visit count.
DISCLAIMER: The content on this page is intended for general educational purposes only and does not replace individual professional advice. Please speak with a qualified audiologist or your GP about your own hearing, diagnosis or care options.