Meet the team
Physiotherapy at FullLife Physio®
The ethos of FullLife Physio® is to fully listen to and gain a full understanding of the patient’s complaints before embarking on a thorough physical examination. The team agree that the foundations of successful outcomes in Physiotherapy management relies on:
a thorough assessment to uncover the root cause of a problem
comprehensive treatment using hands-on techniques
patient self-management plans to accompany the treatment
regular communication with referring Medical Professionals.
Meet the team
Peter van Gaalen
Director & Senior Physiotherapist
Dip. Physio (NZ)
Grad Dip Sports Physiotherapy (WAIT)
Grad Dip Manipulative Therapy (Curtin)
Peter trained in Physiotherapy in New Zealand, then undertook post graduate training in Sports Physiotherapy then Manipulative Therapy in Perth at Curtin University.
During his time in private practice in Perth, Peter was intimately involved with the Western Australia Institute of Sport and Western Australian Athletics Assoc. as a Physiotherapist to the Track & Field Teams at the track events in Perth as well as traveling the country and overseas taking care of Elite and Junior Track & Field Athletes.
After opening the clinic in Palm Cove, Peter became involved with the Centrals Trinity Bulldogs AFL team and was their team Physio on the ground through 2025.
Peter has developed his own Physiotherapy practices in Perth, then in Sydney from the ground up. On relocating to Cairns in 2022-23, he became aware through contact with locals that there was a lot of unmet need for Musculoskeletal Physio in the Northern Beaches so he opened Palm Cove Physio in August 2023 then expanding into Smithfield in 2025 to further meet the demand north of Cairns.
Peter maintains a strong interest and has significant experience in treatment of Headache, Neck and Back conditions as well as a long history of soft tissue management for sports injuries, postural issues, Shoulders, Knees, Foot & Ankle conditions as well as Vertigo.
Peter splits his time between the Palm Cove and Smithfield clinics throughout the week as well as spending time with each of the clinicians individually to develop their professional skills but also as a group running in-house professional development sessions. This calls on Peter’s joy of teaching and clinical education which began in Perth where he was a Clinical Tutor/Supervisor at undergraduate and post-graduate level at Curtin University.
Darrelle Taylor
Senior Physiotherapist
B.Sc Physiotherapy
Darrelle is a highly experienced physiotherapist with over 30 years of expertise in rehabilitation, musculoskeletal therapy, and injury prevention. Holding a B.Sc in Physiotherapy, she has worked across hospital, private practice, and aged care settings in both Australia and South Africa.
Darrelle has a special interest in sports injuries, spinal rehabilitation, TMJ disorders, headaches and migraines, and clinical Pilates. She has extensive experience in orthopaedic rehabilitation, workplace ergonomic assessments, dry needling and core stability training. Her previous roles include supervising physiotherapy services in aged care and working in hospital-based rehabilitation for post-surgical recovery.
Dedicated to continuous learning, Darrelle has completed advanced training in dry needling, kinesiology taping, biomechanics, and nutrition-based therapy. Her holistic approach combines evidence-based physiotherapy with movement therapy, making her a sought-after practitioner for injury management and prevention. As an avid trail runner and exercise fanatic having competed in ultramarathons, Ironman70.3 and the annual Cycle for Hope Fundraising Ride, Darrelle totally knows how it feels to be injured and how to modify training to help heal the injuries.
Darrelle splits her time between both the Palm Cove and Smithfield clinics.
Arlie Atkinson
Physiotherapist
B.AppSci
M. Phty Prac, APAM
Arlie completed her Bachelor of Applied Science/Masters of Physiotherapy Practice in regional Victoria, graduating in 2023 before relocating to FNQ early in 2024.
Since graduating, Arlie has worked in a musculoskeletal setting and enjoys treating a range of conditions, particularly sporting injuries, both acute and overuse.
She has completed further training in Dry Needling and enjoys upskilling her knowledge of treatment and rehabilitation of various injuries. Arlie focuses heavily on education and injury prevention with patients, and return-to-sport planning post injury, ultimately helping patients to reach their full potential. She uses a combination of hands-on manual therapy as well as exercise prescription to help patients improve function and take control of their rehabilitation.
Arlie enjoys treating adolescent patients and engaging them in their rehabilitation journey to help them understand how to manage their pain and function.
She is the Physiotherapist for the Trinity Beach Bulldogs AFL team for the 2026 season and therefore has a great understanding about the demands and importance of return to sport for athletes. She focuses on allowing patients to continue the sport they enjoy while minimising injury risk and maximising performance.
A keen sportsperson herself, Arlie has competed at a state level with swimming and has played netball from a very young age and in the recent years has found a love for long distance running, open water swimming and is currently training for a Half Ironman.
Arlie commenced working at FullLife Physio® in July 2025 in the Smithfield Clinic. She is also now the Physiotherapist working with Centrals Trinity Bulldogs AFL club based in Northern Beaches of Cairns at Trinity as well as a Senior Player at Centrals Trinity Bulldogs Netball.
Bailey Hurst
Physiotherapist
B.BiomedSci
Grad. Cert Human Movement Science
M.Physiotherapy
Bailey completed his Bachelor of Biomedical Science at Griffith University on the Gold Coast before moving to Canberra to complete a Masters of Physiotherapy in 2025.
During his time in Canberra, he gained extensive practical experience working with the Brumbies Rugby Union Club and as a Sports Trainer with Sports Medicine Australia, where he covered a wide range of sports and developed strong skills in managing acute on-field injuries.
Alongside his university training, Bailey broadened his expertise in the Strength and Conditioning field, earning his Level 1 ASCA qualification. He spent the year working as the Coordinator of Strength and Conditioning at Canberra Grammar School, supporting the development of youth male and female athletes.
A Far North Queensland local, Bailey returned home in mid-2025 after completing his studies and working with the Canberra Raiders NRL team, where he gained valuable experience managing athletes at an elite level. Since his return, he has provided physiotherapy services with another Cairns-based clinic and recently became involved with the Northern Pride U17 Rugby League team.
Bailey enjoys integrating his strength and conditioning background with his physiotherapy training to deliver individualised, outcome-focused, and timely treatment. He works with clients of all ages and abilities, managing the full spectrum of musculoskeletal conditions encountered in private practice.
Bailey joined FullLife Physio Pty Ltd initially in a locum capacity in December 2025 and in a part-time capacity in February 2026. He is also working with Pride NRL and St Augustines College in both a physiotherapy and strength & conditioning coach capacity nicely combining his two career passions.
Graeme Moginie
Senior Physiotherapist
Dip Physio (NZ)
Adv.Dip Physiotherapy (ATI NZ)
Dip Manipulative Therapy
Graeme also trained in New Zealand in undergraduate Physiotherapy, going on to study an Advanced Diploma in Manipulative Physiotherapy then Acupuncture which he combines with his strong Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy skills to best manage conditions that he treats.
He had a very successful Physiotherapy and Multidisciplinary practice in Dunedin, New Zealand until 2023 when he decided to sell the practice and embark on doing locum work in New Zealand and Australia in between travel and adventure.
Graeme’s special areas of interest as well as Spinal Manipulative Physiotherapy are: Men’s Health, Cancer Rehabilitation, Clinical Pilates and Post-operative Knee Rehabilitation.
Sharon Moyses
Clinic Receptionist
Sharon commenced working at Palm Cove Physio in a part-time capacity manning the phone, front desk and general administration duties. She comes with significant experience from her 20 years at Commonwealth Bank and another 20years in a front-office Reception role for a local Real Estate firm.
Her focus on Customer Service is a great addition to the team at Palm Cove Physio keeping the office running like a ‘well oiled machine’ while keeping a wonderful cheerful demeanour.
Sharon Nortier
Clinic Receptionist
Sharon started to work at FullLife Physio in June. Working both at their Palm Cove and Smithfield practices in a part-time capacity doing general administration. She is a people's person and focuses on customer service.
She has previously been in the Insurance Broker industry for over 30 years in South Africa and New Zealand and she ran her own brokerage in South Africa. She has also worked in the retail industry.
Her interests include, scuba diving, cycling, walking on the beautiful Cairns Northern beaches and travelling.
