General News
5 September, 2025
Ghaie retires after 50 years
Former long time general practitioner and acupuncturist Dr Paul Ghaie recently retired after over 50 years dedicated to local healthcare and wellbeing.
Dr Ghaie migrated to Australia in 1970.
After working in hospitals in India for three years, Dr Ghaie began his career in Australia as the senior medical officer at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide Children’s Hospital, Launceston General Hospital, Queen Victoria Hospital, and finally, the Austin Hospital as a Paediatric Medical Registrar.
He settled in Maryborough in 1973, beginning a general practice with his partners at the Maryborough Medical Clinic.
Shortly after, he joined the Lions Club of Maryborough in 1974 and served as president. He became involved in projects including the completion of the Lion’s Wayside Park, the Amblyopia eye check-ups, hearing check-ups for children and providing a trolley for the local ambulance service.
He set up a rural branch of the Heart Foundation, established a support group for diabetics and provided education sessions about cancer called Cancer Crusade.
During this time, Dr Ghaie was also responsible for arranging a caravan as emergency accommodation for local women and children who were victims of domestic violence.
While working with the Maryborough Group Practice, Dr Ghaie provided treatment of trauma, home visits, delivering babies and carrying out minor and major surgeries at the hospital. Patients in turn, showed their gratitude through their friendship and by providing homegrown produce and knitted garments.
Dr Ghaie carries many happy memories of delivering approximately 1000 babies between 1973 and 1985.
In 1980, he was elected to the Maryborough City Council, be-coming deputy mayor in 1985.
In this role, he advocated to promote Maryborough retirement and aged care, and was responsible for building new supported residential services at the rear of Gillies Flats.
In 1985, Dr Ghaie relocated his family to Ballarat and established Victoria’s first regional medical acupuncture clinic.
He served on the state and federal committees of the Australian Medical Acupuncture College for over 25 years, becoming a senior lecturer and training more than 300 doctors in medical acupuncture. Overall, he was a clinical mentor in acupuncture for 40 years.
Dr Ghaie also enjoyed travelling to India, where he taught acupuncture and donated equipment to physiotherapists at the Raphael Centre in Dehradun, who house and treat residents with physical and intellectual disabilities and leprosy.
In 2010, he was nominated and awarded the Rural Doctor’s Award, recognising regional/rural doctors who have contributed to their communities for more than 35 years.
In 2012, he was awarded a Lifetime Membership from the Australian Medical Acupuncture College for his outstanding contribution.
In 2019, Dr Ghaie moved to Geelong and reduced his workload to part time, with the administrative support of his wife, Anna. Together, they developed a clinic at Saint John of God Hospital where he continued to treat many patients from the Maryborough region.
Dr Ghaie decided to retire at the end of July, 2025. Upon reflection, his experience has been rewarding. Dr Ghaie is extremely grateful for the opportunities given and the numerous people who have shared his journey with him.