Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia | Royal Flying Doctor Service

Video of the RFDS services across Australia

Australia is a big place -- 7.69 million square kilometres -- and with a relatively small population of 25 million people. Two-thirds of our population live around the regional coastlines and the remaining live across rural and remote areas -- sometimes more than an 8-hour drive to the closest township. Access to health services can be a problem.

people have downloaded The Flying Doctor Podcast. Find out what the buzz is about!

Visit the podcast

Listen to the award-winning Flying Doctor podcast, with real stories of real patients and RFDS staff on our podcast below. Click anywhere on the below map to listen.

***The Flying Doctor Podcast has been just announced as a finalist in the 2022 Australian Podcast Awards, in two categories (Best Interview and Best Branded podcast)

Podcast Episodes

How did Peter Nunn survive two accidents he shouldn’t have ?

How can something the size of a fingernail be so deadly?

How did Michael survive burns to more than 60% of his body?

How pregnant Michelle dealt with such a life-changing injury?

When crocodiles attack, but no-one is around to help you..

What did Leroy do to save his life, as his blood was draining out?

How was Jemma’s life saved – along with her newborn?

How do we help the elderly in their very last days with their final wish?

How did David do CPR on himself to stay alive?

How a COVID front-line health worker coped in a hotspot?

How did baby Calvary scare her parents before she was even born?

How Trent the baker almost lost his arm.

How The Flying Doctor started, and a priest at a dog fight

How could Rob survive this helicopter crash?

How does a city Doctor make it in the bush?

Did John Tully survive when his plane hit power lines?

Why is Sam Hughes driving a 1957 tractor around Australia?

What does Amber do when her young son suffers a severe motorbike?

What happens when a baby is born mid flight?

How did Andrew Conlon survive being swallowed by the earth?

What does the Archibald, Running of the Bulls & The Flying Doctor have in common?

Why is your mental approach to cancer so key when it comes to health outcomes and quality of life?

How did an experienced horse rider find herself in a life or death situation?

How did passengers save the life of Patrick on a commercial flight?

Young mother, dialysis, and the search for a kidney --- and a second interview:'Billy-the-kid-ney' changes Danni's life

When Chad was pulled from the pool with no pulse, how was he saved?

When you fall into a near boiling thermal mud pool in remote South Australia

What is the legend of The Motorcycle Pudding?

What does a train driver, an earth-shattering headache and a bicycle have in common?

Why did 9 year old Jake collapse at the tail end of a soccer game and stop breathing?

How did hypothermia save John Muir's life?

A skydiving lesson gone wrong changes Joe Chiver's life forever

A snake in the bed, behind the heater and under the slippery dip

Courage is served in large quantities at Gilberton Station - ask Prince Charles

How does a young pregnant mum in remote SA battle cancer?

A beloved daughter disturbs an intruder and is shot at point-blank range

How does Paul survive a horrible mountain bike accident in remote WA?

A ute rolls on a remote dirt road in South Australia

How do you land an RFDS plane in the dark in the Outback?

Flight nurse Brendan Devlin has seen it all over his 30-year career

How did they discover and save Peter, when he suffered a crippling stroke?

How did baby Jenson survive being born 4 months too early?

A highly distressed child was pulling her hair out at night...

How was 5-year-old Jack saved after being bitten by a snake?

A jackaroo is hemorrhaging in remote NT and his mates have to get him to hospital

Even the seasoned riders can sometimes get it wrong

A 10-year old boy was snorkelling when a shark attacked...

Richard is proof they breed 'em tough in the bush.

A speeding boat full of tourists collides with a rock wall in remote WA...

Richard's rally car rolled, flipped into a tree and plunged 30 metres...

What happened when a drunk 15 year old got behind the wheel?

Allan has seen and done it all — Cattle station man, born and bred

Respect, love and celebration for those we love in their last days

Helping the governesses that care for station kids

How did Mack keep himself alive, under a rolled-car, in remote Western Australia?

Glen's dad fell 4-stories and his life changed immediately...

See where our planes are flying throughout Australia on our live flight map

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Latest news stories

The Flying Doctor flight simulator visits Ryman Healthcare

30 Nov 2022

With Ryman Healthcare naming their newest village after Flying Doctor founder John Flynn, the team at RFDS Victoria decided to pay the residents a visit.

Read full story

RFDS patient calls for support this Christmas

29 Nov 2022

A Perth mother-of-two who suffered a life-threatening emergency while on holiday in the South West is encouraging Western Australians to support the Royal Flying Doctor Service (WA) this Christmas.

Read full story

Services taken for granted in the city are routinely just not possible outside metro areas, and this creates real hardship for the families and communities living in the bush.

We at the RFDS work to reduce the disparity in health service access. We bring emergency medical and primary health services to those areas that don't have access. We make it possible for people to live, work and travel across this large continent.

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to them, their cultures and to Elders past and present.