The RFDS in QLD

What we do in QLD

The RFDS employs over 400 people in Queensland with positions ranging from pilots, doctors, nurses, engineers, allied health professionals, and a variety of administration and support services roles including finance, marketing and human resources. With its Queensland head office located at the Brisbane Airport, the RFDS operates 20 aircraft from nine operational bases located in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Charleville, Mount Isa, Longreach and Roma.

The RFDS's emergency retrieval service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, delivering the finest care to more than 290,000 Australians each year, that's one person every two minutes. This iconic service has expanded to provide regular transfers of patients for life-saving surgery such as organ transplants and heart surgery, delivering critical support to those who need it most.

The RFDS also delivers a broad range of essential health care services to rural and remote communities, including general practice, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, child and family health, social and emotional wellbeing, women's health and health promotion.

Latest news stories

Brisbane and Rockhampton Bases celebrate 25 years

03 Jul 2020

The Brisbane and Rockhampton Bases of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) (RFDS) both celebrate 25 years in operation today (3 July, 2020).

Read full story

Simulation technology gives Flying Doctor clear skies to tackle virus

25 Jun 2020

Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) (RFDS) medical staff are using the latest high-tech medical simulation technology to aid in the fight against COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

Read full story

Baby Daisy's Flying Doctor journey

Shantell Kennell was enjoying the perfect pregnancy, when almost overnight her blood pressure shot through the roof. Shantell was told she had severe preeclampsia, her life was in danger and the only sure ‘cure’ was to deliver her baby in a specialist unit 600km away...

More details

Meet Maddison

Maddison has flown with the Flying Doctor five times.

More details

Bases
Visitor Centres

Brisbane RFDS Base

Address

12 Casuarina Street
Brisbane Airport Qld 4008

Telephone

07 3860 1100

Fax

07 3860 1122

Email

rfds_bne@rfdsqld.com.au

Brisbane RFDS Base

The RFDS Brisbane Base commenced operations out of Queensland Ambulance's Terminal at Brisbane Airport, on 3 July 1995, with the current base location commencing operations next door in 1998.

The Base is exclusively an emergency aeromedical base, providing retrieval and inter-hospital transfers. The terminal facilitates receipt of patients transported to Brisbane by the RFDS, as well as receipt of patients transported by other aeromedical providers such as Queensland and NSW Ambulance Services. Clinical coordination is provided by Queensland Health employed doctors and aircraft tasking by RSQ.

Bundaberg RFDS Base

Postal Address - Po Box 5266, Bundaberg West Qld 4670

Address

26 Aviation Crescent Bundaberg Airport
Bundaberg West QLD 4670

Telephone

07 4131 3000

Fax

07 4131 3099

Email

rfds_bdb@rfdsqld.com.au

Bundaberg RFDS Base

RFDS Bundaberg Base commenced operations on 4 March 2002 under a unique contractual agreement with Queensland Ambulance Service. The Base operates as an emergency retrieval base, incorporating aeromedical retrieval and inter-hospital transfer services.

Clinical coordination is provided by Queensland Health employed doctors and aircraft tasking by RSQ.

Cairns RFDS Base

Postal Address - Po Box 187, Edge Hill Qld 4870

Address

1 Royal Flying Doctor Street
General Aviation Cairns Airport Aeroglen QLD 4870

Telephone

07 4040 0444

Fax

07 4040 0199

Email

rfds_cns@rfdsqld.com.au

Cairns RFDS Base

RFDS Cairns Base commenced operations in 1972 following relocation from Charters Towers. It is the largest and one of the longest serving bases in the RFDS network.

Services provided from this Base include remote medical consultations, aeromedical retrievals and primary health care clinics incorporating general practice, child and family health, Indigenous health, mental health, women's health and health promotion.

Charleville RFDS Base

Postal Address - Po Box 42, Charleville Qld 4470

Address

John Flynn Way
Charleville QLD 4470

Telephone

07 4654 1233

Fax

07 4654 1629

Email

rfds_cvl@rfdsqld.com.au

Charleville RFDS Base

RFDS Charleville Base commenced operations in 1943. Services provided from this base include medical chests, remote medical consultations, aeromedical retrievals and primary health care clinics incorporating general practice, child and family health, health promotion and field days.

The Charleville Base services approximately 622,000 square kilometres of southwest Queensland - an area almost the size of the United Kingdom - extending from the New South Wales border to the Northern Territory and South Australia borders in the west, and the Carnarvon Ranges in the east.

Longreach RFDS Base

Postal Address - Po Box 599, Longreach Qld 4730

Address

137 B and C Eagle Street
Longreach QLD 4730

Telephone

07 4652 5800

Fax

07 4652 5899

Email

rfds_lng@rfdsqld.com.au

Longreach RFDS Base

The RFDS commenced operation in Longreach in July 2004. The Longreach Base is "non-traditional" with its service delivery focusing on Social and Emotional Wellbeing, delivered through a drive-in-drive-out model. The service provides counselling, training and support using psychological interventions for the community. The base also works with other agencies within the five shires it covers, to promote an integrated response to meet the needs of the Central Western Region.

Mount Isa RFDS Base

Postal Address - Po Box 744, Mount Isa Qld 4825

Address

11 Barkly Highway
Mount Isa QLD 4825

Telephone

07 4743 2800

Fax

07 4743 0521

RFDS Mount Isa Base commenced operations in 1964 following relocation from Cloncurry.

The services provided include remote medical consultations, aeromedical retrievals and primary health care clinics incorporating general practice, child and family health, Indigenous health, mental health and health promotion.

The RFDS Mount Isa Base services people living, working and travelling from the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north, the Northern Territory border in the west, Hughenden in the east and Bedourie in the south.

Rockhampton RFDS Base

Postal Address - Po Box 2155, Wandal Qld 4700

Address

Hangar 5, Aviation Drive
Rockhampton QLD 4700

Telephone

07 4921 2221

Fax

07 4921 2277

Email

rfds_rok@rfdsqld.com.au

Rockhampton Base

RFDS Rockhampton Base commenced operations in 1995 and operates as an emergency retrieval base incorporating aeromedical retrieval and inter-hospital transfer services.

Roma RFDS Base

Postal Address - Po Box 1521, Roma Qld 4455

Address

RFDS Hangar
Roma Airport QLD 4455

Telephone

07 4624 4500

Fax

07 4624 4504

Email

rfds_roma@rfdsqld.com.au

Roma Base

The RFDS Roma Hangar and Patient Transfer Facility commenced operation at Roma Airport in August, 2014.

The Patient Transfer Facility provides patients being transferred to and from Roma, with a more comfortable, family-friendly indoor waiting area for their carers, as well as disabled toilets and more privacy.

Townsville RFDS Base

Postal Address - Po Box 7991, Garbutt BC 4814

Address

Hanger 117, Corner Gypsy Moth Court and Viscount Drive
Townsville Airport QLD 4810

Telephone

07 4775 3111

Fax

07 4775 3511

Email

rfds_tsv@rfdsqld.com.au

Townsville Base

RFDS Townsville Base commenced operations in 1996. The services offered from this base includes aeromedical retrievals and primary health care services such as general practice.

Charleville RFDS Visitor Centre

Opening Hours:

Saturday and Sunday until 1pm.

Address

John Flynn Way
Charleville QLD 4470.

Telephone

07 4654 1233

Fax

07 4654 1629

Email

rfds_cvl@rfdsqld.com.au

Our Charleville Visitor Centre is now open on weekends!

- Saturday and Sunday until 1pm

Stockman's Hall of Fame

Opening hours

The Stockman's Hall of Fame is open from 9.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. during the tourist season.

Address

137 B and C Eagle Street
Longreach QLD 4730

Telephone

07 4652 5800

Fax

07 4652 5899

Email

rfds_lng@rfdsqld.com.au

When entering the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame visitors will be greeted with an original RFDS aircraft, a Queen Air built in 1977 now meticulously restored and suspended in the atrium of the Hall.
Gallery 4 at the Hall of Fame is devoted to the history of the Royal Flying Doctor Service with displays of radio and medical equipment from across the years. It also shows how the Flying Doctor works in the 21st century.

A highlight of the visitor centre is the full-size cutaway representation of a Beechcraft King Air B200, with the medical equipment that makes it a flying intensive care unit. You can even take a selfie in the pilot's seat. The display includes a number of interactive and audio visual features as well as sections on the Flying Doctor's medical, aviation and communication history. RFDS souvenirs can be purchased in the gift shop.