BSc, BHB, MBChB,
FRACS General and
Bariatric Surgeon
BSc, MBChB, MRCS (England),
FRACS General,
Upper GI and Bariatric Surgeon
Weight loss surgery is for life. That’s why you need to be sure your surgeon has a proven plan for success, and is with you every step of the way.
Renowned surgeons, Dr Benedict Mackay and Dr Garth McLeod offer patients in the Townsville region access to the highest quality weight loss surgery and care. We are pleased to now be consulting from the rooms Level 3 of the Clinical Practice Building. Your procedure will take place at the Mater Hospital in Pimlico.
“It’s more about the health gain, rather than the weight loss.”
Dr Garth McLeodBSc, BHB, MBChB, FRACS General and Bariatric Surgeon
“People struggling with obesity deserve access to safe, modern surgical weight loss solutions that actually work to help them lose weight and keep it off for good.”
Dr Benedict MackayBSc, MBChB, MRCS (England), FRACS General, Upper GI and Bariatric Surgeon
Dr Benedict Mackay is a bariatric, upper gastrointestinal, and general surgeon with advanced training in laparoscopic and robotic techniques. After graduating from medicine at the University of Manchester in the UK, Dr Mackay trained across the UK, New Zealand, and Australia. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the Gastroenterological Society of Australia. In 2017, Dr Mackay completed fellowship training in bariatrics in Brisbane under Dr George Hopkins. He was then selected by the ANZGOSA post-fellowship training scheme for a second year of training at St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne.
With a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to weight loss surgery, Dr Benedict Mackay offers cutting edge surgical methods underpinned by a commitment to improving the overall wellbeing and life expectancy of his patients.
Dr Garth McLeod is a General and Bariatric Surgeon with extensive experience in Surgery and Emergency Medicine across New Zealand and Australia. After graduating from Auckland University School of Medicine in 1998, Dr McLeod spent over a decade in surgical and emergency roles. He spent six years in General Surgery and Urology, and five years in Emergency Departments, often in rural settings. Dr McLeod began advanced surgical training in 2010 and became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2014. He completed a 12-month Bariatric Fellowship with Dr George Hopkins in Brisbane, gaining experience in more than 500 bariatric procedures.
His patient-centred approach emphasises multidisciplinary care, lifelong lifestyle support, and sustained health outcomes after surgery. Focusing on helping to cement the lifestyle changes patients require to have every chance of long term success.
Kirrilee Rayner is an Accredited Practising Dietitian, Accredited Nutritionist and Diabetes Educator with extensive experience across hospital, community, and private practice settings. She is dedicated to helping individuals reach their health goals through practical, evidence-based, and personalised nutrition guidance. Kirrilee is passionate about empowering clients to make sustainable, enjoyable, and nutritious lifestyle changes that support long-term wellbeing. Her areas of clinical interest include weight management, bariatric surgery, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders (IBS, IBD, constipation, diarrhoea, stoma management, short bowel syndrome), heart disease, kidney disease, malnutrition, and oncology. She also provides tailored nutrition advice for pregnancy and fertility.
Kirrilee’s warm, supportive approach helps clients build confidence in their food choices and achieve balance through realistic, everyday nutrition strategies.
Christopher Kondos is an ESSA Accredited Exercise Physiologist with over six years of experience in the health and fitness industry. He holds a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science from the Australian Catholic University in Sydney (2019) and a Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology from Charles Sturt University (2022), where he received the Executive Dean’s Award. Christopher is passionate about the science of exercise and its role in managing chronic health conditions, disabilities, and injuries. He has experience in cardiac rehabilitation and is an approved SIRA provider. His special interests include metabolic health, diabetes, cardiac conditions, weight management, and neurological health.
He works with individuals of all abilities in person and via telehealth. No matter your circumstances, Chris can get you moving!
BMI is one of the leading ways of measuring obesity, find out if you’re a candidate for surgery. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by their height in meters squared. The Nation Institute of Health defines normal weight, overweight and obesity according to BMI.
While some people are able to manage excess weight through diet and exercise, 95% cannot and weight loss surgery provides another option.
Patients who have a BMI greater than 35, and patients with a BMI greater than 30 and experiencing health complications associated with excess weight are excellent candidates for bariatric surgery.
Costs include:
It’s also recommended to have someone at home to help you for the first five to seven days after surgery with tasks like cooking, laundry, housework and caring for children.
Most patients return to work two to four weeks after bariatric surgery.
For some patients, this can be mentally challenging, so we partner with allied health professionals to provide ongoing support on your weight loss journey before and after your bariatric surgery.
Australia and New Zealand Metabolic and Obesity Surgery Society
Australia and New Zealand Gastric and Oesophageal Surgery Association
Outcomes of Bariatric Surgery in Australia – Annual Reports
Australia and New Zealand Obesity Society
American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
