Locum Doctor Work in Western Australia: Pay Rates, Regions, and What to Expect
[10 min read | Locum Pay & Rates | May 2026]
TL;DR: Locum doctors in Western Australia can earn between A$2,000 to A$3,000+ per day, with opportunities spread across regions like the Pilbara and Goldfields. The WA Country Health Service heavily relies on locums, leading to high demand and competitive pay. Credentialing through CredWA is essential before starting any placement. For more details, visit ABC News.
- WA Country Health Service spent A$30 million over budget in 2023-24 due to locum reliance.
- Locum doctors can earn up to A$3,000+ per day in regional WA.
- Credentialing via CredWA is mandatory for WACHS placements.
Sources: 3 cited below ↓
How is the health system structured in Western Australia?
Western Australia's health system is managed by WA Health through several Health Service Providers. In the metropolitan area, the North, South, and East Metropolitan Health Services, along with the Child and Adolescent Health Service, manage health care. Outside Perth, the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) oversees a vast area of 2.5 million square kilometres, where most locum work is concentrated.
WACHS manages healthcare facilities across seven regions: Kimberley, Pilbara, Midwest, Goldfields, Wheatbelt, South West, and Great Southern. Each region has its own workforce team, with credentialing managed through CredWA, a state-wide electronic system. Credentialing is a prerequisite for starting any WACHS placement.
Rural Health West, a not-for-profit rural workforce agency, coordinates GP locum placements in remote WA. It's an excellent starting point for vocationally registered GPs or ACRRM Fellows seeking locum work in these areas.
A$2,700/day
was offered for a senior medical posting in Karratha, ABC News (2026)
What do locum doctors earn in Western Australia?
Locum rates in Western Australia are among the highest nationally, especially for rural and remote placements. According to ABC News, regional WA postings often advertise salaries exceeding A$2,000 per day, with short-term placements reaching upwards of A$3,000 per day.
For instance, a nine-week senior medical posting in Karratha was advertised at A$2,700 per day, totalling over A$120,000, including accommodation, a vehicle, and airfares. Similarly, a five-day senior medical officer posting in Northern WA was listed at more than A$15,000.
Industry data from 2026 indicates WA RMO locum rates average around A$120 per hour, although this is based on a small sample size and is lower than the SA average of A$162 per hour. Most remote WA placements include flights, accommodation, and often a vehicle, making it impractical for hospitals to expect locums to self-fund travel.
💡Smart Tip
Prioritise building direct relationships with WACHS workforce teams for better placement opportunities.
What are the key locum regions in Western Australia?
Pilbara
The Pilbara region experiences the highest GP turnover in WA. Towns like Karratha, Port Hedland, and Newman serve mining communities with transient populations, extreme heat, and limited permanent medical staff. Locum demand is constant, and accommodation is always provided.
Kimberley
The Kimberley region saw an 8.1% drop in GPs as of 2025, with the lowest number of new doctors moving in. Broome, Kununurra, Derby, and Fitzroy Crossing rely heavily on locum coverage. Aboriginal health services are significant employers, and clinical work is diverse, ranging from chronic disease management to trauma care.
Goldfields
Kalgoorlie serves as the hub for the Goldfields-Esperance region, which needs locums in emergency departments, general practice, and general medicine throughout the year.
South West and Great Southern
Locations like Albany, Bunbury, Busselton, and Esperance offer coastal living and cooler temperatures, with slightly lower rates than the remote north. However, the doctor shortage in these areas remains a pressing issue that locums alone cannot resolve.
Wheatbelt, Gascoyne, and Midwest
Geraldton anchors the Midwest, while the Wheatbelt and Gascoyne have smaller hospitals offering high per-shift rates due to isolation. These areas are ideal for locums seeking rural medicine without the extreme remoteness of the Kimberley.
High locum demand and competitive pay rates make WA an attractive option for locum doctors.
What do you need to locum in Western Australia?
To work as a locum in WA, you need:
- Current AHPRA registration, matching the level of the role.
- An ABN for contractor-based locum work.
- Medical indemnity insurance covering locum work and after-hours shifts.
- CredWA credentialing, which requires referee reports, employment history, CPD evidence, vaccination records, and a national police check. Specialists are credentialed for up to five years, others for up to three years.
- A national police check within the last two years.
- A WA Working with Children Check, as checks from other states are not valid.
- Complete vaccination records, including Hep B serology, MMR, varicella, dTpa, TB screening, COVID, and influenza.
WACHS is moving towards longer-term contracts and preferred panels over one-off agency placements. Building direct relationships with WACHS workforce teams can provide priority access to opportunities.
Distances in WA are vast, with flights from Perth to Broome taking four hours. Factor in travel days and minimum booking blocks of one to two weeks for remote placements. The Pilbara and Kimberley regions experience extreme heat, so prepare accordingly if you're from a temperate state.
