Michelle Ball Royal Flying Doctor Service

A bright light in the community

Date published

01 Feb 2018

After moving to Mount Isa just over two years ago and throwing herself into the community as a way of making friends, RFDS (Queensland Section) Flight Nurse Michelle Ball, now finds herself ready to receive a remarkable honour for her involvement in the small north-western community.


Michelle, along with her Mount Isa Base colleague, Dr Don Bowley, finds herself ready to don the uniform, take up the baton and take part in the Queen's Baton Relay ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Nominated by her colleagues for her incredible energy and enthusiasm for her adopted community of Mount Isa, Michelle said it was a totally unexpected honour. 

Michelle Ball, Royal Flying Doctor Service

"The mount Isa community has quite a few significant community members who are involved in the relay as well," she said. It's great to be a part of that. I feel a little undeserving when I compare myself to to some of the other people in the community who are taking part in the relay.

"It's an honour to be selected and totally unexpected. It's really flattering that I was thought of highly enough to be nominated."

Michelle moved to Mount Isa to be a Flying Doctor Flight Nurse, and since then has become a pivotal part of the community. She takes the fitness of the Isa BAse team seriously - getting everyone involved in fun runs and triathlons, while of course, participating in them herself. 

In the community, Michelle can usually be seen at nearly every event around town. She is part of the Mount Isa Triathlon Club Committee, the Canoe Club and the Swim Squad. 

Michelle's colleague, RFDS Medical Officer Dr Don Bowley was also nominated for the Queen's Baton Relay, and will escort the torch as it travels on one of our aircraft from Mount Isa to the spiritual home of the Service in Cloncurry on March 6.