OQNT Optometrist of the Year announced

Congratulations to Fiona Moore on winning the Optometry Queensland Northern Territory (OQNT) Optometrist of the Year Award. Presented at the Optometry Clinical Conference on 9 August, this Award celebrates Fiona’s extraordinary innovation and leadership, as well as her valuable contributions to education, research, advocacy, and community service within our profession.

As co-founder of independent practices in Rockhampton and Yeppoon, Fiona has delivered high-quality eye care to Central Queensland for decades, while supporting the Rockhampton Base Hospital Eye Outpatients Clinic. Her expertise in emergency eye care has been instrumental in regions with limited public ophthalmology services, as she often coordinates urgent referrals and critical patient transfers to Brisbane.

In her role as former OQNT President, Fiona has helped shape strategic planning, governance, workforce development, and advocacy for the profession. Her leadership was instrumental in achieving a comprehensive understanding of Queensland’s public optometry workforce, creating new employment opportunities and strengthening collaborative models of public eye care.

A passionate educator and mentor, Fiona shares her expertise at conference presentations and in leading publications on therapeutic prescribing, collaborative care, and ocular disease management. Widely respected for her practical advice, strategic insight, and unwavering support of colleagues, Fiona’s contributions continue to strengthen the profession and improve access to quality eye care for regional communities.

Thank you, Fiona, for your continued dedication to eye health throughout regional Queensland and to the profession of optometry.

We also congratulate the finalists on their outstanding contributions to our profession: Dr Shelley Hopkins (optom), Dr Ursula White (optom) and Hiromi Yoshikawa. Read more about all the finalists here.