On behalf of our Royal Flying Doctor Service staff, volunteers and supporters, we wish Australia a safe and happy festive season! Across the country, the RFDS will be there to help - whenever and wherever our rural and remote communities need us most. Whether you’re working, living or visiting regional and outback Australia this summer, our RFDS Doctors, nurses, dentists, physiotherapists, mental health practitioners and allied health staff, along with our dedicated teams of pilots, engineers and front-line staff, remain committed to delivering essential health care - 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Thanks to the generous support of local communities, individual fundraisers, business partners and government, the RFDS has also continued to deliver exciting innovations and grassroots health care initiatives to local communities, across the country, in 2025.
In regional South Australia, the RFDS is continuing trials of a world-first stroke scanner, in collaboration with the Australian Stroke Alliance and technology company EMVision. The device, a portable lightweight RF scanner, will have the capability to diagnose the type of stroke a patient is having, opening the door for quicker triage, transfer and treatment decisions by health professionals - ultimately increasing the chance of a successful recovery.
In the Top End, the RFDS is dedicated to helping Territorians return home safely to remote and isolated communities after significant hospital stays. In April, Otto suffered a serious stroke in his community of Gunbalanya, 300km east of Darwin, requiring an urgent aeromedical evacuation to Royal Darwin Hospital. This meant returning home to Arnhem Land wasn’t as simple as booking a flight or jumping in a car. A flying lifeline home: Otto’s journey back to Arnhem Land | Royal Flying Doctor Service is just one of many the RFDS has made possible and a timely reminder that the trip home is sometimes the most significant part of recovery.
In Victoria, patients are now receiving emergency doctor consultations without leaving home, thanks to a new RFDS pilot program. The Non‑Emergency Patient Transport (NEPT) Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) Referral Pilot was launched in June 2025, and has already referred 95 patients, with 80% patients being safely managed at home. Supported by VVED, Ambulance Victoria, and endorsed by the Department of Health, the program reduces unnecessary hospital transports, preserves ambulance capacity, and delivers patient‑centred care. Building on this success, RFDS is working to embed this referral pathway across the NEPT sector.
In NSW, the expansion of Primary Health services from Dubbo to serve six key remote communities in north-west of NSW is an example of the continuing efforts of the RFDS South Eastern Section to meet the needs of local people. Over the last three years the provision of these clinics has evolved from the delivery of services by a primary health nurse and ad-hoc General Practice clinics, to scheduled, frequent full GP clinics, supported by additional nurse-led clinics and diabetes education. Just one example, in the isolated mining community of Grawin, where locals have no access to healthcare without travelling to Lightning Ridge. Clinic visits to Grawin have increased from 19 clinics and 311 occasions of care in 2023 to 43 clinics and 615 occasions of care in 2024. RFDS deliver more primary health clinics to Western NSW than ever before | Royal Flying Doctor Service
In Western Australia, the RFDS Goldfields Health Centre - supported by Northern Star Resources and Curtin University through the Goldfields University Department of Rural Health - has officially opened in Kalgoorlie. Delivering much needed general practitioner services to the Goldfields community, the RFDS Goldfields Health Centre will also serve as a training hub for allied health students, providing regional placements through the Goldfields University Department of Rural Health. Students will gain hands-on experience working alongside RFDS GPs and nurses to deliver holistic, community-based care.
And the RFDSWA dental team continues to delivery much-needed oral health care to remote communities, including an extended visit to Western Australia’s Ngaanyatjarra Lands in 2025. Over 50 patients were treated during a two-week, winter visit - including people who had travelled in from surrounding communities like Patjarr, Wanarn, Warakurna, Blackstone and Wingellina. A fortnight by the border for our Dental Team | Royal Flying Doctor Service
2025 has also been an exciting year for RFDS Queensland Section, after the new RFDS base at Mount Isa was completed. The $32 million facility improves patient care and response capabilities and enables the entire Mount Isa team to operate under the one roof. As part of this upgrade, the refurbishment of an original 1960s RFDS Drover aircraft will soon be completed. The plane will eventually take pride of place at the entrance to the new base. Work is also well underway on the construction of a new Patient Transfer Facility (PTF) at Emerald in Western Queensland. The PTF is expected to be operational by March.
And RFDS Queensland has also launched RFDS Radio – Connecting Outback Communities. People can listen to the streaming service via the iHeart Radio app, with the channel featuring news, music, and RFDS stories, presented by two AI generated voices called Joe and Evie. RFDS Radio Queensland | Royal Flying Doctor Service
RFDS Tasmania marked a major milestone with the renewal of its 10-year aeromedical contract, ensuring life-saving care continues for Tasmanians in every corner of the state. There has also been strong and enthusiastic community support for the launch of an innovative anti-vaping school education program this year, tackling one of the most pressing health challenges facing young people today. The program comes at a crucial time, with vaping rates among young Tasmanians rapidly increasing. The program comes at a crucial time, with vaping rates among young Tasmanians rapidly increasing. Recent data from QUIT Tasmania reveals that 33% of students aged 12-17 have tried vaping, a sharp rise from 13% in 2017.
RFDS Tasmania Media contact: Lauren Wynder PH: 0455 110 050
RFDS QLD Media contact: Jamie Rule PH: 0407 595 014
RFDS WA Media contact: Alexa Coetsee PH: 0438 941 058
RFDS NSW Media contact: Therese Raft, 0407 583 854
RFDS VIC Media contact: Charlie Sayer PH: 0426 153 730
RFDS SA/NT Media contact: Kogo.Fujiki-Mayo PH: 0438276181
