We're passionate about transforming the health industry.
Founded in 2016 by Shayne Podbury and Phil Smith, Health First Group has quickly grown from humble beginnings to become one of the largest allied health providers in the country. We pride ourselves on being a collective of health practitioners who value supportive connections and strong relationships with our clients to get them back to health, first.
Our Mission
To provide an elite standard in holistic health and wellness, while empowering lifelong relationships with employees, clients and partners across communities we serve.
Our Management Team
We have a high-performance team of diverse and talented leaders that live our mission and values.
The road to recovery doesn't always have to be a long one
We are committed to moving our clients towards full and complete recoveries as soon as possible, in the process empowering them to lead pain-free, more functional lives. Ultimately, we’re dedicated to getting you back to your health, first.
14+
Locations across Australia
40+
Allied health professionals
12+
Quality services offered
75+
Corporate wellness partnerships
Shayne Podbury
Director
After completing high school in 1995, Shayne played professional tennis for a couple of years before his career was cut short by a serious ankle injury in 1998. Pushed to pursue a career beyond the court, Shayne developed a keen interest in physiotherapy while undergoing rehabilitation for his injury. As an athlete, he was fascinated by the experience and felt compelled to help others through similar journeys.
Shayne officially graduated as a physiotherapist at the end of 2003. Over the next few years, he gained experience working across different sectors of physiotherapy before honing his skills into musculoskeletal private practice.
In 2008, he founded Active Physio Health in Gladstone, Biloela and Tannum Sands, Queensland. The following 12 years were not without their challenges, but Shayne ultimately led the company to success and sold the business in early 2020.
Determined and resilient, Shayne decided to co-found another business in December 2016 while still managing Active. He established Total Physio Group (which was renamed to Health First Group in September 2020) with fellow physiotherapist, Phil Smith, as a small clinic in Nerang, Gold Coast.
With the experience he gained during his time at Active Physio Health, Shayne strives to build Health First into Australia’s leading Allied Health Business. Now, with 14 clinics established in just 3 and a half years, it’s clear Shayne is well on his way to achieving this dream.
When Shayne isn’t overseeing operations at Health First, he can be found on the court playing tennis or at home, working on a new renovation project.
Education and experience
University of Sydney, Bsc. (Physiotherapy)
Hobbies
Basketball, AFL, Gym, Music and Travel
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Phil Smith
Director
Phil knew early on in life that he wanted to be a Physiotherapist. As a teenager, his interest in playing a wide range of sports combined with his passion for biology steered him into studying physiotherapy at Kings College University, London. At 21, he graduated with Honours in 2008 and set his sights on becoming a well-rounded, musculoskeletal physiotherapist.
The first five years of his career were spent working at a large teaching hospital in London where he got to experience not only a world class education, but the reality of working in a team of over 150 physiotherapists. During this time, Phil wanted to broaden his experience even further by stepping into the private sector. So, he also worked with a number of small organisations and private practices across London.
In 2013, Phil’s desire for knowledge and experience brought him to practice in Australia. Here, he not only discovered a new home but an opportunity to create something that he believed was missing within the local Allied Health Sector on a large scale. After 4 years of working within Australia, he co-founded Total Physio Group in 2016 (renamed to Health First Group in September 2020) with fellow physiotherapist, Shayne Podbury.
In 2016 the company had 3 clinics and by 2020 they now have 14 locations across the country. With Health First, Phil’s primary aim is to provide a city-like level of service, exceeding client’s expectations in regional locations across Australia. As Health First continues to expand its portfolio of practices, Phil hopes to enable Australians everywhere to get access to the holistic care they need.
In his downtime, you can find Phil hanging out with his toddler, playing a game of football (soccer to us Aussies) or heading out on the water for a scuba dive.
Education and experience
Kings College University London, Bsc. (Physiotherapy (Hons))
Hobbies
Soccer, Scuba Diving, Martial Arts and Travel
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Toni Podbury
Accounts Manager
Toni’s involvement with Health First Group blossomed from a few hours a week of book-keeping in the early days as a ‘favour’ to her husband, Shayne Podbury – Director and Co-owner. As the company has evolved, she has enjoyed the challenges brought on by Health First’s rapid expansion and has continuously risen to meet the demands of her position as finance manager.
Toni’s finance background began with bookkeeping and accounts in a previous company. She has studied Business Administration and is currently furthering her studies in the area of Accounting and Bookkeeping. Prior to her work in finance and with Health First Group, Toni gained her Veterinary Nursing qualification and worked in the veterinary industry for many years.
When she’s not spending time with her family and two labradoodles – Winnie & Nellie, Toni enjoys reading, adventuring and exploring new places.
Hobbies
Family, Travel and Reading
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Rochelle Peyrac-Coughlan
HR Manager
Rochelle has extensive experience in the HR sphere, and her passion is in driving workplace performance and growth, helping organisations shape their culture, and empowering people to realise their true potential through learning and development.
Education and experience
Rochelle has her degree in Bachelor of Business, with double major in HR Management and Marketing, as well as currently completing her MBA at Griffith University
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Laura Flannery
Marketing Manager
Growing up in New Zealand, Laura’s passion for marketing has seen her work in a number of roles across a range of countries.
After managing the digital marketing of a research company in London for a few years, Laura came back to this side of the world to join the marketing operations of a global coatings company for the Australian & New Zealand markets. Having acquired over 8 years experience in her field, Laura now manages the marketing department at Health First Group and is passionate about the difference that best practice social media and informational marketing can make in the health industry.
When Laura is not spending time with family and friends or giving pilates a go, she is happiest when creating - whether that's helping to grow an online community, working on digital strategies or attempting pottery.
Education and experience
The Open Univeristy, net101, TAFE Queensland
Hobbies
Pilates, Pottery and Baking
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Robert Whitehouse
Business Development Manager
Robert has a Bachelors in Business. He has had vast experience in Sales, and in more recent years been working more in the corporate sector. His skill-set includes sales and customer service, management of sales teams, leadership, business planning and reporting, and creating networks and partnerships. He was previously the general manager of Goodlife Health Clubs, and has a passion for health.
Education and experience
Bachelors in Business
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Debbie Wilson
Admin Manager
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Jack Curtis
Marketing Coordinator
Passionate about people, Jack completed his bachelor studies in Business and Commerce in 2018 and has since worked in multiple roles across the customer service space. As Marketing Coordinator at Health First, Jack organises and creates engaging content for the company to help facilitate their engagement with the local community. He also assists with campaigns to reach new clients and offer them access to quality healthcare. When he’s not hard at work, Jack’s love of the outdoors will see him keeping active on the footy field or heading out to surf any chance he gets.
Education and experience
Griffith University, Bsc. (Business / Commerce, Marketing and Finance)
Hobbies
Hiking, Football and Surfing
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Toby Catt
Social Media / Marketing Assistant
Living locally for the majority of his life, Toby loves to travel but always manages to find a way back to the pristine beaches and warm weather of the Gold Coast. Toby completed his Bachelor of Business, majoring in Marketing and Sports Management in 2017. Since then, he has worked in a wide range of industries including Banking, Transport, and Hospitality whilst spending a year abroad in the UK. As the Social Media/Marketing Assistant at Health First, Toby is passionate about making a positive impact for all clients by ensuring their wants and needs are put first. He is eager to continue to learn within the industry whilst providing engaging and educational content for everybody to enjoy. When he is not spending time with friends and family, Toby loves discovering new places, trying new food, playing football, and watching all types of sport.
Education and experience
Bachelor of Business
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Georgia Swannie
Office Coordinator
Georgia spent 7 years in hospitality before moving into administration. Having worked with people her whole career, Georgia draws on her experience as well as her studies in EN to help her see to the needs of patients. As the Office Coordinator at Health First Group, Georgia helps every department through their journey to run efficiently and to the high standards of the company. When she’s not working, Georgia likes to spend time with her loved ones and catch a game of Rugby League - go Penrith!
Education and experience
Diploma of Enrolled Nursing (Division 2)
Hobbies
Family and Rugby League
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