On 29 June 1995, the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) (Queensland Section) opened the doors to a new base in Brisbane, connecting Queenslanders to life-saving specialist care in the city.
More than 110 corporate, government and medical representatives gathered on the tarmac of Brisbane Airport to celebrate the milestone, and to witness the new Super King Air aircraft that would service the region.
Back then, the RFDS Brisbane Base was a small but busy operation with one aircraft, four nurses, three pilots, and various doctors on call from the major Brisbane hospitals when needed.
RFDS Nurse Practitioner Maree Cummins, who has served more than 34 years with the Flying Doctor, was part of the original crew when the Brisbane Base opened and still remembers the first flight on 3 July 1995 from the Queensland Ambulance’s Terminal.
“This was a really exciting opportunity as it meant we could reach more of the state and connect patients to many specialist services at tertiary facilities in Brisbane,” Maree said.
“Having our crews and aircraft permanently at the base meant we didn’t have to rely on chartered flights and could respond faster and be available 24/7.
“It also meant we could collaborate more with other retrieval services on a regular basis.”
The base marked a new chapter for the Flying Doctor as demand for the service grew, and so did the ever-evolving team.
Now, three decades on, the base is home to three aircraft and more than 110 staff, including the Operations Control Centre (OCC) where a team monitors a constant stream of real-time data to support frontline crews across the state.
RFDS Nurse Manager – Aeromedical Justine Powell has served more than 22 years with the Flying Doctor and said last year alone, the Brisbane Base team transferred more than 2,350 patients.
RFDS Brisbane Base has played a vital role in Queensland’s healthcare network. For 30 years, it’s been a lifeline for patients in remote and regional areas needing urgent, specialized care,” Justine said.
“There are specialties here, such as cardiac surgery, spinal injuries, burns, cancer treatment and neonatal care that you can’t get anywhere else in the state.
“RFDS Brisbane Base has touched thousands of patients and brought comfort to families and communities for 30 years.
“And it will continue to do so for the next 30 years in our new home at the Aeromedical Hub.”
The Aeromedical Hub is a new facility, fully funded by the Queensland Government, as part of the Brisbane Airport Corporation’s Future BNE program.
It will feature new patient transfer facilities, state-of-the-art hangars for fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, administration areas, training areas, and a medical base for regional patient and donor transfers.
It will also streamline the state’s leading aeromedical healthcare providers, including the RFDS (Queensland Section), Retrieval Services Queensland (RSQ), LifeFlight and Queensland Police Service Aviation Capability Group to operate under the same roof.
Brisbane Airport CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff said there’s nothing like the scale of Brisbane Airport’s Aeromedical Precinct anywhere in the world.
“This groundbreaking project will significantly enhance the level of care for Queenslanders needing urgent treatment in Brisbane,” he said.
Construction has commenced and the new Aeromedical Hub is expected to be completed by December 2026.
The RFDS Brisbane Base team will gather again on 3 July to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the base and to honour the first flight.
