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About Us

A Commitment To Surgical Excellence And To Community

At Corangamite Surgical most of our procedures are done at Colac Area Health. Some minor procedures can be done in the clinic rooms.

We are closely associated with Colac Area Health and its Hospital Campus.

The Colac Area Health Hospital Campus website can be viewed at:-
https://cah.vic.gov.au

Meet Our Surgical Team

Our surgeons are dedicated to providing the highest standard of patient care and surgical excellence.

A/Prof Duminda Gunawardane

Duminda Gunawardane joined Corangamite surgical as a General Surgeon in 2015. He obtained his basic …

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A/Prof Frank Miller

Associate Professor Francis Miller is a general surgeon who was based at Wangaratta for 15 years prior to more …
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Dr Sean Stevens

Sean Stevens graduated from the University of Melbourne with MBBS in 2008. Sean has also obtained a Master in …

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Dr Andrew FitzDowse

Andrew FitzDowse graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from the University…

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Dr Joshua Baker

Josh graduated from the University of Newcastle in 2010. He trained in Surgery in major teaching …
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Dr Jessie Cole

Dr Jessie Cole is a General and Breast Surgeon. She is a fellow of the Royal Australasian College …
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Dr Emma Downie

Dr Emma Downie is a specialist general surgeon with advanced fellowship training in hepato-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) surgery …
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Dr Matt Marino

Dr Matt Marino is a Melbourne-based colorectal and general surgeon with an interest in all aspects of coloproctology …
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Mr Christian Sutherland

Chris Sutherland OAM graduated from Melbourne University in 1977. His residency was at Geelong Hospital. It was here …
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Surgical Precision. Exceptional Care. Superior Outcomes

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A/Prof Duminda Gunawardane

  • Associate Professor Duminda Gunawardane joined Corangamite surgical as a General Surgeon in 2015. He obtained his basic medical qualifications and initial surgical qualifications in Sri Lanka and worked as a general surgeon in Sri Lanka prior to his move to Australia. He became a Fellow of the Australian College of Surgeons in 2017, after working as a Surgical Fellow for one year at Geelong Hospital. Duminda obtained Diploma in minimally invasive / laparoscopic surgery from the University of Strasbourg in 2018. He also works as a senior lecturer in surgery affiliated to Deakin University and has a passion for teaching medical students and surgical trainees.
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A/Prof Frank Miller

  • Associate Professor Francis Miller is a general surgeon who was based at Wangaratta for 15 years prior to more recent work at Goulburn Valley Health (GVH) where he was the Clinical Director of General Surgery. He has held positions on the College of Surgeons Trauma Committee and Rural Surgery Committee for many years and was the supervisor of surgical training at both Wangaratta and GVH. He is also a reviewer for the College Trauma Verification Committee.
  • A/Prof Miller has always enjoyed teaching and is also looking forward to continuing his current interests in wound care and quality of life research. He holds the rank of Lt Colonel in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps.
  • Apart from his clinical interests, he intends to locate and walk along every beach and track in the Otway area over time and spending as much time as possible with his wife and four children.
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Mr Sean Stevens

  • Sean Stevens graduated from the University of Melbourne with MBBS in 2008. Sean has also obtained a Master in Public Health (University of Queensland) and Master of Surgical Education (University of Melbourne). Sean undertook surgical training at Austin Hospital and holds a Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in General Surgery. Sean has clinical, educational and research appointments at Austin Hospital and works two days per week in Colac.
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Dr Andrew FitzDowse

  • Andrew FitzDowse graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from the University of Melbourne in 2012. He undertook his surgical residency training at both The Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Austin Hospital, before completing his specialist training in General Surgery at The Alfred. He was subsequently awarded his Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS).
  • Andrew has further enhanced his expertise through fellowship experience in Acute General Surgery at Box Hill Hospital and in Endocrine Surgery at Footscray Hospital.
  • He performs a full range of General Surgery, including minimally invasive management of hernias and gallbladder disease.
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Dr Joshua Baker

FRACS, MTrauma, PGDipAnat, B.Med

  • Josh graduated from the University of Newcastle in 2010. He trained in Surgery in major teaching hospitals in Sydney such as St Vincent’s Hospital, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital but his love for general surgery was sparked when he worked in Alice Springs and Darwin where he experienced a wide array of complex presentations in true general surgery and emergency trauma surgery. He loved the variety and complexity of surgery so much that he lived and worked in the Northern Territory for 4 years before moving back to Sydney to complete his surgical training at Prince of Wales Hospital where he did terms in Colorectal, Upper GI, HPB, Surgical Oncology and Head and Neck Surgery.
  • Josh has also completed a Masters in Traumatology and a Post Graduate Diploma in Surgical Anatomy. He enjoys teaching and was an anatomy tutor for medical students.
  • Josh has a passion for global and rural health and has worked in hospitals in Madagascar, Malaysian Borneo and doing outreach surgery to remote Indigenous communities such as Katherine and Nhulunbuy in East Arnhem land. He loves the outdoors, four-wheel driving, camping, travelling and tinkering with his cars and combined all these interests by completing the Mongol Rally, driving 50,000kms from London to Mongolia (and back again) in a 1000cc hatchback through over 20 countries in Europe and Central Asia.
  • Josh performs a full range of General Surgery including hernia repair and cholecystectomy via minimally invasive approaches, complex skin excisions, carpal tunnel release and abdominal gastrointestinal surgery. He is fully accredited by the CCRTGE for provision of gastroscopy and colonoscopy.
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Dr Jessie Cole

  • Dr Jessie Cole is a General and Breast Surgeon. She is a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and holds full membership of Breast Surgeons ANZ. Dr Jessie holds a graduate certificate of Advanced Surgery (Breast Surgery) from the University of Sydney.
  • Jessie originally hails from Warrnambool, and after working as a surgical resident at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne, relocated to Geelong to complete her General Surgical training. Once graduated, she completed further training in trauma surgery at the Royal Darwin Hospital before sub-specialising in breast and reconstructive surgery at University Hospital Geelong and Robina Hospital on the Gold Coast, Queensland.
  • Jessie enjoys treating a wide range of general surgical conditions including gallbladder disease, hernias and skin cancer. Jessie is accredited to perform both upper and lower endoscopy. Dr Jessie also holds appointments at University Hospital Geelong and St John of God Hospital Geelong where she performs oncoplastic and breast reconstruction surgery.
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Dr Emma Downie

  • Dr Emma Downie is a specialist general surgeon with advanced fellowship training in hepato-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) surgery through the Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand Hepatic, Pancreatic and Biliary Association (AANZHPBA). She provides compassionate, evidence-based surgical care to patients across Geelong and western Victoria.
  • Emma completed her medical degree at Deakin University before undertaking general surgical training through the Royal Melbourne Hospital training program. After gaining her Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS), she completed two years of specialised HPB fellowship training at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne and Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth. During this time, she developed expertise in managing complex benign and malignant conditions affecting the gallbladder, liver and pancreas.
  • Emma currently practises as a general and HPB surgeon at University Hospital Geelong and as a general surgeon at Colac Area Health. She has a particular interest in cancer surgery involving the liver, pancreas and bile ducts, including liver resection, pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure) and distal pancreatectomy. She also performs surgery for conditions affecting the spleen and adrenal glands.
  • Her broader general surgical practice includes elective and emergency gallbladder surgery, hernia repair, bowel surgery, skin lesion surgery, gastroscopy and colonoscopy.
  • Alongside her clinical practice, Emma is passionate about surgical education and improving standards of patient care. She holds a master’s degree in surgical education and serves on several leadership and teaching committees. Emma is committed to delivering high-quality care with professionalism, technical excellence and compassion, ensuring that every patient feels heard, respected and confident in their treatment.
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Dr Matt Marino

  • Dr Matt Marino is a Melbourne-based colorectal and general surgeon with an interest in all aspects of coloproctology and a commitment to patient-focused care. He completed his general surgical training at Austin Hospital after graduating with First Class Honours.
  • Matt undertook advanced colorectal training at Royal Hobart Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals and through the John Goligher Colorectal Fellowship at Leeds University Hospital. His training included robotic and subspecialty colorectal surgery, including pelvic floor disorders, intestinal failure and inflammatory bowel disease. He is a provisional member of the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSSANZ).
  • Having worked in rural communities across Australia, Matt remains committed to delivering high-quality care in regional areas. At Corangamite Surgical, he treats a broad range of colorectal and proctological conditions and performs general surgical procedures including hernia repair and laparoscopic gallbladder surgery, as well as gastroscopy and colonoscopy. He holds public appointments at Horsham Hospital with Grampians Health and Austin Hospital, and operates privately at Epworth and Northern Private Hospitals.
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Mr Christian Sutherland OAM

  • Chris Sutherland graduated from Melbourne University in 1977. His residency was at Geelong Hospital. It was here that he developed his passion for rural surgery. His post graduate studies were in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was trained in Gastrointestinal, General and Hand Surgery. He holds the Fellowships of the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He is also a member of the Gastroenterology Society of Australia.
  • Chris retired from surgery in May 2023 and continues as Medical Director of Corangamite Surgical