Buderim - Early Start Australia

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Therapy services to help you thrive

Early Start Australia Buderim QLD provides occupational therapy, and speech pathology services on the Sunshine Coast to support children and families.

Our therapy services can help you and your child build and develop skills, so everyone can reach their full potential.

We tailor our approach to your needs and support you and your family at every stage.

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Meet the team

Feeding Group

Term 2, 2024 program. Contact us now for expressions of interest.

Minecraft Group

Term 2, 2024 program, Tuesday’s 3-4:30pm. Minecraft masters is an evidence-based program designed to help child develop their skills in communicating and socialising with others. Contact us now for expressions of interest.

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Clinic contact details

2/60 Wises Road
Buderim QLD 4556

Call

1300 372 439

Email

[email protected]

Open Today: 8am - 5.30pm

Make an enquiry Get directions

Immediate availability for Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology assessments and
ongoing therapy. Contact the clinic to book an appointment today.

Support from 0 to 18 years, for all needs and abilities

Our multidisciplinary team at Early Start Australia Buderim is experienced in delivering therapy for infants, children and young people aged 0 to 18 years.

We provide support for a range of conditions and behaviours including Autism Spectrum Disorder, developmental delays, speech and language concerns, motor skill impairments and developmental challenges (Cerebral Palsy, developmental coordination disorder), anxiety, depression, trauma, attachment and sensory regulation difficulties.

Enquire Now Call 07 5302 6878

What you can expect at Early Start Australia Buderim

Early intervention: We offer a strong early intervention program for children up to nine years old.
Teen and young adult support: Our passionate Buderim therapists are experienced in building capacity in teenagers and young adults.
Strength-based approach: We take a strength-based approach to foster independence and resilience in school-aged children.
Assessment and diagnostic services: We deliver comprehensive assessments to guide personalised therapy plans and support a diagnosis.
Supporting early learning: We can support early learning centres and kindergartens with Kindy Uplift services.

Multidisciplinary team: Get the support you need easily in one location with our multidisciplinary team of occupational therapists, and speech pathologists working together to help you reach your goals.
Flexible service delivery: Our services can be delivered in our clinic at Buderim, via Telehealth, and we offer mobile services around the Sunshine Coast in the home, school, and community settings based on your personalised therapy plan. We also have a therapist providing services to the Gympie area one day per week.

Funding models: We work with a number of funding/rebate models. As a NDIS registered provider we work with agency-managed, self-managed, and plan-managed participants. We can also accept Better Access to Mental Health Care Plans for psychology services, or, for Private Health Insurance policy holders may be eligible for a rebate depending on your policy. We also work with Enhanced Primary Care plans for OT and Speech

Enquire now

1300 372 439

How we can help you

At Early Start Australia Buderim we’ll work with you to tailor the right strategies and therapies to help you live a happy and healthy life

Assessments

We deliver comprehensive assessments to support formal diagnoses and inform intervention strategies.

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Occupational Therapy

Help your child overcome emotional, social, and physical challenges to complete everyday tasks.

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Speech & Language Pathology

We support children and young adults with delayed speech and language.

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Allied Health Assistants

Get support from trained assistants under the supervision of Allied Health Professionals.

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Group Therapy

Fun and engaging programs facilitated by our therapists to build connections and develop essential skills.

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School Readiness

Prepare your child for school or ease school transitions for confidence and independence.

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Programs & Camps

Boost your child’s therapy participation and social connections during school holidays.

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Psychology

Our psychologists support your learning and development, help you understand your emotions and thoughts, and maintain and improve mental health.

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Sensory Gym

Our specialist sensory gym is designed to offer sensory integration therapy, which can be beneficial for children with sensory processing issues.

Let’s get started on your therapy journey

Starting therapy can often be a confusing and challenging time. If you are not sure where to start, that’s ok. We’ll be here to guide you when you’re ready.

Call us on 07 5302 6878 or complete the enquiry form. We’ll contact you to discuss your needs and goals and discuss how we can best support you.

Enquire now Call 07 5302 6878

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about therapy services at Early Start Australia Buderim.

You don’t need a general practitioner referral to see a speech pathologist or occupational therapist on the Sunshine Coast.

Contact us today to discuss your needs and request an appointment.

You should seek advice from a speech and language pathologist on the Sunshine Coast as soon as you have concerns about your child’s speech, language, communication or feeding development. Its never too early. Contact us today to discuss your needs and request an appointment.

You should consider seeing an occupational therapist on the Sunshine Coast if you have concerns about your child’s behaviour or if you notice that they are not reaching early milestones at the same time as other children.

You may also be recommended by your child’s teacher, or a GP, specialist or child health nurse.

Contact us today to discuss your needs and request an appointment.

That’s ok. That’s why we are here, to help guide and support you on your journey.

The first step is to give us a call to discuss your situation and what type of appointment might be best suited to your needs.

Our services extend to the following suburbs and the greater Sunshine Coast area:

Buderim
Bli Bli
Caloundra
Coolum
Currimundi
Kawana
Kuluin
Maroochydore
Mooloolaba
Mountain Creek
Palmwoods
Sippy Downs

We also provide services to the Gympie area one day per week. We provide services in-clinic, in the school or home environment.

During your initial appointment (either in person or via telehealth) you will have the opportunity to meet with a therapist to discuss your goals and reasons for seeking therapy services.

Depending on your situation, this appointment may also involve an assessment.

It’s beneficial to bring along any relevant documents such as doctor’s referrals, funding letters, custody/parenting orders or reports that may be helpful for us to see.

If your child has a NDIS plan, please bring this with you as well.

Additionally, you will receive an email containing consent forms and important documents to read and sign.

Depending on the therapy and how flexible you can be with appointment days and times there may be a waitlist to access some therapy services on the Sunshine Coast.

If you are unable to attend a session, we require notification at least 2 business days before the appointment during February – November; or 7 days before the appointment during December and January.

Yes! We are a registered NDIS provider, and we work with agency-managed, self-managed, and plan-managed participants.

We also offer early intervention services for children up to nine years old.

Contact us today to discuss your needs and request an appointment.

Programs

As part of your therapy journey your therapist we may recommend some specific therapy programs to assist in achieving your goals including:

For children moving into Prep. This program is offered online and face-to-face as well as being delivered in Kindy centres.

Through this group your child will, practice prep readiness skills including: – fine motor skills (e.g. prewriting shapes, pencil grasp, scissor skills)
– Social Skills (e.g. turn taking, sharing)
– Whole Body Listening
– Gross Motor Skills (e.g. ball skills)
– Conversation skills
– Following instructions

Our Occupational Therapists are trained and experienced in Feeding Therapy using the evidence-based Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) approach.

Feeding therapy starts with a feeding assessment. Therapy can then be offered individually with a child and parent/caregiver, or in a group.

Conversation skills
Electronic communication
Choosing appropriate friends
Humour
Get togethers
Handling arguments and bullying

This is a School Holiday Group Program for children aged 13-17 years

Meet the ESA Buderim team

Mary Gornik

Practice Principal and Senior Speech Pathologist

Mary is a highly experienced speech pathologist, manager and coach/trainer with over 25 years of clinical, leadership and management experience. Her professional experience encompasses a variety of settings including government, private, NFP, education, early childhood, peak body (Speech Pathology Australia) and community.

Read full bio

Georgina Pearce

Occupational Therapist

On maternity leave from December 2024. Skilled at creating a safe space for her clients to practice new skills without fear of making mistakes, Georgie embraces her positive and upbeat personality to quickly build rapport, motivate and create good connections with her clients and their support network.

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Sally Platt

Senior Occupational Therapist

Sally is a passionate and experienced OT who loves meeting, building relationships and working with children and their families to help them overcome any difficulties or obstacles that they may be facing.

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Louise Skuthorpe

Senior Occupational Therapist

Louise is a dedicated and fun occupational therapist, with a passion for helping children and adolescents achieve their fullest potential through hands-on, engaging therapy. She has a particular interest in supporting children through play-based therapy and assistive technology, using tailored, meaningful sessions that align with each child’s unique goals and strengths.

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Zoe Lyttle

Occupational Therapist

Zoe has experience providing targeted assessment, ongoing therapy in the clinic, school, community and home environment, and with implementing group therapy programs such as prep readiness, Lego social/play skills, and feeding therapy groups, and executive functioning/social ‘cook and chat’ groups for teens.

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Kahla Biffanti

Occupational Therapist

On maternity leave in 2025. Dedicated, passionate and committed to holistic care as a paediatric occupational therapist with experience in addressing a spectrum of conditions, including ASD, ADHD, DCD, global developmental delay, intellectual impairment, and specific learning disorders.

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Vanessa Heaton

Team Leader & Speech and Language Pathologist

Meet Vanessa, a vibrant and dedicated speech pathologist with a passion for unlocking the power of communication.

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Annalee Dwyer

Annalee completed a bachelor’s degree of Speech Pathology at James Cook University, Townsville in 2019. She has experience working with individuals through the lifespan, delivering both individual and group therapy.

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Eloise Hopgood

Speech Language Pathologist

Ellie completed a bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology at the University of Queensland in 2020.

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Sara Van Hooydonk

Speech Language Pathologist

Sara is a dedicated and enthusiastic speech pathologist, and is passionate about creating a supportive, engaging, and empowering environment for children to develop their communication skills.

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Lisa Montgomery

Lisa joined Early Start Australia as an Allied Health Assistant after a background in teaching, specialising in special education and early childhood all over Queensland.

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Mikaylee Boss

Mikaylee has been apart of the Buderim ESA team since 2022 previously working in a therapy assistant and admin role.

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Mel

Mel joined Early Start Australia as an Allied Health Assistant after a background in early childhood and teacher aide throughout schools in regional and south east Queensland.

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We’re hiring!

Early Start Australia is part of the APM Group, a global human services provider now enabling better lives for more than 1 million people each year. To view all current opportunities to join our team visit the APM Careers website by clicking the button below.

Browse open roles

Useful links

Early Start Australia Buderim, QLD

Therapy services to help you thrive

Feeding Group

Minecraft Group

Clinic contact details

Call

Email

Immediate availability for Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology assessments andongoing therapy. Contact the clinic to book an appointment today.

Support from 0 to 18 years, for all needs and abilities

What you can expect at Early Start Australia Buderim

How we can help you

Let’s get started on your therapy journey

Frequently Asked Questions

Clinic contact details

Call

Email

Opening hours

Programs

Meet the ESA Buderim team

Mary Gornik

Practice Principal and Senior Speech Pathologist

Georgina Pearce

Occupational Therapist

Sally Platt

Senior Occupational Therapist

Louise Skuthorpe

Senior Occupational Therapist

Zoe Lyttle

Occupational Therapist

Kahla Biffanti

Occupational Therapist

Vanessa Heaton

Team Leader & Speech and Language Pathologist

Annalee Dwyer

Eloise Hopgood

Speech Language Pathologist

Sara Van Hooydonk

Speech Language Pathologist

Lisa Montgomery

Mikaylee Boss

Mel

We’re hiring!

Early Start Australia is part of the APM Group, a global human services provider now enabling better lives for more than 1 million people each year. To view all current opportunities to join our team visit the APM Careers website by clicking the button below.

Useful links

Who we help

Our services

About ESA

Careers

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Immediate availability for Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology assessments and
ongoing therapy. Contact the clinic to book an appointment today.