When staff from Cooma Hospital took to the stage at the Southern’s 2026 Excellence Awards at Bicentennial Hall in Queanbeyan in June, they brought a sense of community, connection and courage that earned them a standing ovation.
The ‘Voices of Cooma Health’ staff choir performed a specially adapted version of Great Southern Land, with lyrics rewritten to reflect the experiences of staff working across the District. For many of those involved, however, the journey to the stage was just as important as the performance itself.
The choir began in the leadup to Christmas last year when staff wanted to bring some joy to patients who had been in hospital for an extended period.
Cooma Hospital Staff Choir
Meet the people behind the Cooma Hospital Staff Choir.
“We had some people that had been on the ward for a really long time and we just wanted to bring some Christmas joy to their day,” explained Rochelle Woolf, Deputy Director of Nursing & Midwifery.
“We decided to gather a few people and go up to the ward and do some singing.”
The impromptu performance struck a chord with patients.
“Patients really liked it. Some were crying, but they were tears of joy, and it kind of went from there,” said Donna Saddler, Site Manager and Director of Nursing & Midwifery.
What started as a simple act of kindness quickly evolved into something much bigger. Staff continued to meet, rehearse and perform together, creating connections across roles and departments.
“People are really uncomfortable about singing, actually,” Rochelle laughed. “Well, so was I. So am I.”
“I have no musical background, no musical talent,” added Donna, who became the choir master.
Despite those nerves, staff embraced the challenge. When the opportunity arose to perform at Southern's Excellence Awards, Donna expected some hesitation.
“I thought that would scare a few people off,” she said.
“But everyone’s actually really excited about it and they’ve kept coming. They’re practising like crazy at home and driving their families mad.”
Maintenance Officer David Pevere was encouraged to join the choir by wife Eileen, who had also joined.
“I don’t know too many people that don’t probably blurt out a tune in the shower,” he said.
For Rochelle, one of the most rewarding aspects of the choir has been seeing people step outside their comfort zones.
“I feel like I see a whole different side of people that come to the choir,” she said.
“What I know about those people is they’re brave, and they will try things with me.”
“Don’t ever say no, or don’t ever say you don’t like something, if you’ve never tried it,” added David.
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