News

Chief Exec RFDS Emma Buchanan receiving award from Cathy Johnson from Readers Digest

Reader's Digest Most Trusted Brand Charity 2025 announced

13 Jun 2025

The Royal Flying Doctor Service is humbled to have been announced, for the 5th consecutive year, as Australia’s ‘Most Trusted’ charity brand in the Readers Digest Trusted Brands Australia 2025.

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22 Jan 2018

Rural Mental Health Crisis

In the last year the Flying Doctors have seen 24,500 people to provide mental health counselling. "We could double or triple that service tomorrow and still not touch the surface," Mr Laverty said.

08 Jan 2018

A day in the life of an RFDS Flight Nurse

I could be a midwife one day, a critical care nurse the next and working in primary health the day after.

08 Jan 2018

Filling service gaps in remote communities

A NEW mobile outreach program is helping improve access to dental services in remote Tasmanian communities. Starting with Circular Head in the north west, the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Tasmania is providing free screening, preventive and restorative dental services...

Picture of RFDS workers and clients outside circular head Aboriginal corps
04 Jan 2018

Partnership helps Michelle hit health goals

GEORGE Town woman Michelle Turpin credits a partnership approach – which involved setting her own goals then being supported to achieve them – with helping her health turn a corner.

Picture of Michelle who has been helped with her diabetes
28 Dec 2017

RFDS Tasmania's Stephen Stone Wins Gong

Stephen Stone, the first Tasmanian to win Exercise Physiologist of the Year award could be your local rural health worker.

Stephen Stone on his bike
08 Dec 2017

What drives an RFDS Flight Nurse - Laura Bratby

In a job where no two days are the same, flight nurse Laura Bratby is motivated by mental resilience, a supportive team and knowing she’s helping people who need her the most.

What drives an RFDS Flight Nurse
01 Dec 2017

Qantas Matching Frequent Flyer Donations to RFDS

This Christmas, our friends at Qantas are supporting the RFDS by matching Qantas Frequent Flyer member donations between 23rd November and 25th December 2017.

22 Nov 2017

New Dentist for the RFDS in Tasmania

RFDS Tasmania welcomes their first ever full time dentist to the team, the gregarious and internationally experienced, Dr Lorika Strickland.

17 Nov 2017

Teddy bears go to hospital

The kids at this Launceston Primary School took x-rays, listened to hearts, and gave asthma medication - to their donated teddies of course! Toothbrush kits were supplied to each child by RFDS

02 Nov 2017

My fundraising trek

“Walking the five days of the Larapinta trail to raise funds for the RFDS, was an amazing experience.”

an outback red dirt scene
01 Nov 2017

My Dad, Alf Traeger (1895 – 1980)

Then one day the Rev. John Flynn walked in. He needed a portable and reliable generator to provide sufficient power for transmitting messages to and from the isolated people of the outback. And so the pedal radio was invented.

alf traeger and young dughter approx 1940s
31 Oct 2017

Margaret’s sweet last ride

Well, what a great service. The most caring attendants and the ‘Rolls Royce’ of ambulances. They even stopped at Mums favorite ice cream shop at The Cow Shed, Avoca! Mum passed away at 3:45am on Sunday 26 February.

RFDS Non Emergency Patient Transport Story Margaret
29 Sep 2017

A passion for remote health care

“You have to be flexible - other people might call it resilient, but you must have the flexibility to work in a huge range of environments. You must be adaptable.”

12 Sep 2017

Flying Doctor calls for stricter regulations for children using quad bikes

Quad bike accidents are among the leading causes of on-farm child accidents and deaths in Australia, with 20% of child deaths between 2001 and 2015 attributed to quad bikes.

Quad bikes need stricter regulation