Early Start Australia Buderim, QLD
Supporting your therapy journey on the Sunshine Coast. If you'd like to book an appointment or simply have a question call 07 5302 6878 or make an enquiry today.
Enquire Now Call 07 5302 6878
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.
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
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
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.
Learn moreOccupational Therapy
Help your child overcome emotional, social, and physical challenges to complete everyday tasks.
Learn moreSpeech & Language Pathology
We support children and young adults with delayed speech and language.
Learn moreAllied Health Assistants
Get support from trained assistants under the supervision of Allied Health Professionals.
Learn moreGroup Therapy
Fun and engaging programs facilitated by our therapists to build connections and develop essential skills.
Learn moreSchool Readiness
Prepare your child for school or ease school transitions for confidence and independence.
Learn morePrograms & Camps
Boost your child’s therapy participation and social connections during school holidays.
Learn morePsychology
Our psychologists support your learning and development, help you understand your emotions and thoughts, and maintain and improve mental health.
Learn moreSensory 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about therapy services at Early Start Australia Buderim.
Clinic contact details
2/60 Wises Road
Buderim QLD 4556
Call
Opening hours
Monday : 8am - 5.30pm
Tuesday : 8am - 5.30pm
Wednesday : 8am - 5.30pm
Thursday : 8am - 5.30pm
Friday : 8am - 4pm
Programs
As part of your therapy journey your therapist we may recommend some specific therapy programs to assist in achieving your goals including:
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.
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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.
Read full bioLouise 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.
Read full bioEloise Hopgood
Speech Language Pathologist
Ellie completed a bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology at the University of Queensland in 2020.
Read full bioSara 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.
Read full bioMel
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.
Read full bioWe’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.
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Who we help
We offer early intervention and therapy services and support for all ages, needs and abilities.
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Our services
Our multi-disciplinary teams deliver evidence-based therapy services to help you thrive.
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About ESA
We are a national provider of early intervention therapy service and supports helping you
live a happy and healthy life.
Careers
Join our team for a brighter future in allied health where you can make a real difference in
people’s lives.