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For the past six years, Exercise Physiologist and Energetic Craniosacral Therapist Hiram Brooke has been making the long journey from Sydney to Brewarrina, a remote town rich in indigenous culture, resilience, and community spirit. What began as an outreach opportunity during the height of COVID-19 is set to become a weekly commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of people living hundreds of kilometres from major services and Angel Flight is proud to help bridge the distance.
When Hiram first contacted Angel Flight in 2024 about the possibility of flights to Brewarrina, our pilots were delighted to assist, recognising the strong alignment between his work and ours, both centred on improving lives by reducing barriers and relieving stress. “Stress and trauma draw us away from where we feel centred,” he explains. “My work is about helping people better regulate their own nervous systems so they can feel comfortable in movement and in life.”
Whether he’s working one-on-one or facilitating group education sessions, Hiram focuses on empowerment, shifting attention away from dependency on health practitioners and toward an individual’s own capacity to make choices that improve their wellbeing.
Many of his clients live with chronic disease, pain, mobility issues, or multiple comorbidities. They’ve often seen several specialists and need a plan to move forward. “The load can be heavy,” Hiram says. “My initial focus is to understand their world and help them take simple steps forward.”
A typical session might involve supporting someone who hasn’t moved comfortably in months or even years due to pain, fatigue, or stress. Hiram works gently to help realign the body, rebuild confidence in movement, and give digestible insight into why they feel the way they do.
“When people aren’t comfortable in their body, they move less, sleep less, and eat more. Once we improve that comfort, everything else can begin to shift.”
A Community-Based Approach
Hiram works across multiple settings in Brewarrina, including the local hospital and the Aboriginal Medical Centre, supporting people with a wide range of needs, from cardiac rehab to neurological conditions and joint pain. Referrals come through local doctors and hospital teams.
His work has expanded to include a partnership with University of NSW, who are exploring long-term interventions to improve heart health outcomes in Indigenous communities.
In Brewarrina, collaboration is key. Hiram works alongside psychologists, psychiatrists, ENT specialists, and other visiting health practitioners. Together, they form a rotating network of support for a town that might otherwise go without.
“What I love is being able to step into any environment, whether that is in the city or in small rural towns, and help people feel grounded,” he says. “Sometimes it’s practical tools to get beyond chronic knee pain; other times it’s unwinding the stress they’ve dealt with that may be preventing their body from getting back in balance”.
Angel Flight: Bridging the Distance
By road, Brewarrina is a long and arduous 9 hour drive from Sydney (in good traffic) but with Angel Flight, Hiram leaves Bankstown at 7am and is ready to see his first patient in Brewarrina by 9:30am. He stays in Brewarrina for two days each week—a schedule set to increase to three days weekly in 2026 due to growing community need.
“Angel Flight has given me the capacity and flexibility to keep doing this work,” Hiram shares. “Every single pilot has made me feel incredibly comfortable. I always sit up front because always they’re just good people, often with better stories. Their mission to see and support people in need really aligns with what I do.”
An Intergenerational Impact
One of Hiram’s greatest rewards comes from seeing his patients pass on their learnings to the people around them. He teaches them how to move comfortably in their bodies, how to regulate stress, and how to instil healthy habits for their families.
“Seeing that education ripple outward, into homes, into children, into future generations, gives me a real buzz,” he says. “That’s the power of community health.”
Hiram’s weekly flights are more than a logistical solution, they are a lifeline connecting Brewarrina to consistent, long-term healthcare. Angel Flight’s volunteer pilots make it possible for practitioners like Hiram to be present where they are needed most, without the barrier of distance.
