Welcome to the Charleville base!

The following information will provide an introduction to our base to help you settle in quickly.

Charleville

Base information

  • Address: The Charleville Base is located at John Flynn Way, Charleville.
  • Telephone: 07 4654 1233
  • Email: rfds_cvl@rfdsqld.com.au
  • Office Hours: 8:30 am – 5pm

Base Leadership Team 

Base Support Manager: Liane Spencer - 0428 412 659 - lspencer@rfdsqld.com.au

Nurse Manager- Aeromedical and Primary Health Care: Jo Mahoney - 0428 412 653 - jmahony@rfdsqld.com.au

Medical Lead- Primary Health Care: Dr Charles Ellis-Hallett - 07 4656 5900 - cellis@rfdsqld.com.au

Medical Lead- Aeromedical: Dr Rob Cardwell - 0487 230 311 - rcardwell@rfdsqld.com.au

Senior Base Pilot: Terry Latchman - 0409 638 549 - tlatchman@rfdsqld.com.au

The team
  • Doctors
  • Nurses
  • Pilots
  • Mental Health Clinicians
  • Engineering
  • Practice Coordinator
  • Administration
  • Medical Students
Aircraft
  • 1 seated plane for clinics
  • 2 aeromedical plane
Services

Charleville is a traditional RFDS base, meaning we have both types of Primary Health Care Clinics: Aeromedical retrieval and Inter-hospital transfers. These are referred to as ‘fly and conduct’ clinics.

  • Monday: Clinic staff fly in on Monday arriving around 4pm. They spend the afternoon preparing for clinics commencing Tuesday. Monday night is spent in Charleville in RFDS accommodation.
  • Tuesday (Week 1): Tuesday arrive to base at 6am then fly to clinic. Fly to Jundah then onto Birdsville to overnight (one night away). Accommodation is the Birdsville hotel and caravan park if hotel is booked out.
  • Tuesday (Week 2): Tuesday flight of week two will be an overnight in Windorah (one night away)
  • Wednesday (Week 1): Wednesday is spent in the Birdsville clinic, then back to Charleville
  • Wednesday (Week 2): Yaraka and Stonehenge on Wednesday, then back to Charleville.
  • Thursday: Thursday of both weeks is spent in Thargomindah.
  • Friday: Fridays alternate between Yowah full day or Eulo/Yowah half days.
  • Saturday: Due to flight scheduling, there are no commercial flights out of Charleville on Saturday so use this time to conduct administration tasks.
  • Sunday: Fly out on Sunday back to Brisbane arriving around lunch time.

Orientation

  • On your first day at the Base, you will receive an orientation to the Base. 
  • A member of the team will meet you at the airport – either your Buddy, leader or one of our Pilots.
  • You will also be set up with IT equipment (lap top, phone etc), Swipe Card Access, ASIC, and be given an opportunity to complete required e-learning.

Accessing the base

  • On your first day, please ask for your manager at reception
  • After hours, use your staff swipe card or contact the Base Support Manager
  • HOW TO GET A STAFF SWIPE CARD

Accessing the base car

  • Collect keys from Base Support Manager.
  • If after hours, the keys will be on the reception desk in an envelope with your name on it and car registration number.

What to pack

It is recommended that you research weather conditions in the location you are heading to prior to packing. Some locations get very cold in winter and very hot in summer. Bring items that will help you feel comfortable when you are not working, and that will assist in maintaining your lifestyle. Swimmers and walking clothes/shoes are always handy items to bring.

Phone reception

Phone reception can be difficult to obtain in regional areas. We suggest that you have a Telstra sim card activated on your personal phone so that you can stay in touch with family and friends however Optus does also work in Charleville.

Accommodation

There are a mix of apartments and houses for RFDS employees which are all equipped with washing machines and drier. You will be allocated one of these. Details for these properties are as follows:

24 Racecourse Drive - Units 1-5

24 Racecourse Drive - Units 1-5

  • Access: Key entry
  • WiFi password: will be available at the unit
  • Special requests: Please remove rubbish from units and place in wheelie bins
226 Parry Street - House

226 Parry Street - House

  • Access: Key entry
  • WiFi password: will be available at the unit
  • Special requests: 
    • Remove rubbish and place in wheelie bin
    • Put wheelie bin out for collection on Tuesday night;
    • Please put sprinkler on and water the yard but not between 11:00am and 3:00pm.

ADD OTHER ACCOMMODATION - NEED PHOTOS (CHECK GOOGLE MAPS)

At the end of your stay

  • Please strip bed and put all used linen and towels in the linen bag or just on the floor in the bathroom.
  • Please remove all food / perishables from the fridge.

Arranging travel

The Base Support Manager will coordinate all your flight and accommodation bookings. You should expect to receive communication from RFDS via email to confirm all your bookings. QLD health staff book in to travel out to clinics where they provide Allied Health services.

    Nearby facilities

    • Groceries:  The local IGA is open 8am to 7pm on weekdays. On weekends, it is open 9 am to 5pm.
    • Coffee and Gift Shop: Charlottes Nest (owned by one of our flight nurses)
    • Milk Bar on Alfred
    • Rusty Lane (drive-thru)
    • Butchers: Dunnes Meats, Western Butchery, IGA
    • Bakery: Heinemanns Bakery in Alfred Street

    Lifestyle

    Charleville has plenty of sporting teams to be involved in, great social sport in netball, cricket, golf, touch football, indoor volleyball, lawn bowls, pilates, rifle/shot including mixed comps/social fun.

    ACNC registered charity, Reptrack Survey thirteen times most reputable charity, and Readers Digest trusted brand winner from 2021 to 2025.