Former Armidale GP Dr Mark Henschke injured in cycling collision with rubbish truck

Dr Mark Henschke was cycling when he collided with a garbage truck at Toormina, where he now lives near Coffs Harbour.

ACM understands Dr Henschke was transferred to Gold Coast University Hospital, where he is now fighting for his life.

It is believed the truck was pulling out from the curb when the collision happened on the morning of Thursday, November 10.

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Dr Henschke, 72, is now retired, but dedicated the bulk of his working life to Armidale with a passion for people from "the bush" around New England.

He was a general practitioner and obstetrician in a career which spanned multiple decades, and in 2006 he was awarded an OAM for his services to medicine as a GP and to the community of Armidale.

Dr Henschke joined the Faulkner St Medical Practice in 1981.

He was also a visiting medical officer with the Armidale Health Service, providing antenatal, intrapartum and post-natal care to obstetric patients.

"Armidale is one of the few rural centres where women have the option of their family doctor delivering their baby, and I am working hard to try and maintain that," he said at the time.

When he arrived in Armidale more than 20 intellectually disabled people lived in a hostel in Rusden St, which was about to close down because of financial difficulties.

Through the housing sub-committee, government funding was secured to set up the first housing program for the intellectually disabled outside of Sydney.

He was the vice-president and a member of the steering committee of Challenge Armidale and the convenor of the Housing Sub-Committee where he is a life member.

He eventually moved to Coffs Harbour where he was a senior lecturer at the Rural Clinical School (University of NSW) while working in the emergency department of the Coffs Harbour Hospital.

Dr Henschke has been a regular participant in the Tour de Rocks Charity Bike Ride which runs from Armidale to South West Rocks each year in April.

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