Sonia Henry has released a new memoir which recounts her journey from a medical intern in the city to a solo GP in the outback and it’s all thanks to her Jamberoo roots.

“Growing up in the country has shaped me, even subconsciously, in my connection to being in a place that’s not the city,” says Sonia, who has a long family history in the town.

“I grew up in Jamberoo and was the school captain at Jamberoo Public School. My grandfather was the local vet in Kiama for many years and started the Kiama Alpine Club,” says Sonia, whose parents still live in the area

“I am really proud to be from the South Coast.”

Sonia is the bestselling author of Going Under, her debut autobiographical novel which tells the tale of the stresses, failures and triumphs of a young doctor.

She says her dual worlds, as a doctor and writer, go hand in hand.

“Being a doctor has provided me with fantastic material to write about, while writing has helped me cope with being a doctor,” she says.

Put Your Feet In The Dirt, Girl, her new memoir, explores her connection to the land, the concept of home and identity and recounts the challenges she faced in the tiny mining town in the middle of the Western Australia desert.

“One of the most challenging things was the lack of access.

“When you’re out there, you’re on your own. There are no hospitals within 400 or so kilometres and the flying doctor service is understaffed, so you’re really relying on your wit,” she says.

“It’s about knowing oneself, and to truly know yourself you have to understand the context in which you exist; and there’s city Australia and remote Australia.”

Sonia, who is passionate about improving health equity for people who live in regional and remote parts of the country, now spends part of every year working as a GP in remote Australia. She heads off again next month.

Put Your Feet In The Dirt, Girl is out now, available at all major retailers. RRP $34.99

Have a story you’d like to share? Tell us about it cassandra@thebuglenewspaper.com.au