The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Tasmania is marking 98 years of delivering life-saving healthcare across Australia with a community celebration held inside one of the state's most historic aviation spaces.
In May, RFDS Tasmania invites guests inside Hangar 17 at Launceston Airport—Tasmania’s oldest aviation building—for a special evening recognising the Flying Doctor’s long connection to aviation, innovation and regional communities.
Founded in 1928, the RFDS began with a single aircraft and a radical idea: that no Australian should be denied medical care because of where they live. Nearly a century on, that mission remains at the heart of the service’s work, including here in Tasmania.
The event coincides with the upcoming redevelopment of the RFDS Tasmania Launceston base, offering a moment to reflect on the organisation’s history while looking towards its future.
“Whether people have had direct contact with the Flying Doctor or simply recognise its place in Australia’s story, this is a chance to step inside a piece of aviation history and celebrate what nearly 100 years of care represents.”
Corey Martin, RFDS Tasmania Philanthropy and Communications ManagerHosted inside Hangar 17, now home to Launceston Distillery, the evening will combine whisky, woodfired pizza and live music, with guests also learning more about the role the RFDS has played in shaping primary healthcare services for regional Tasmanians.
Local duo Why July will provide live music, and guests will have the option to take part in a guided whisky tasting among the distillery stills, offering rare access to the heritage-listed site.
Funds raised on the night will support the RFDS’s ongoing aeromedical and primary health services across Tasmania, helping ensure people living and working in rural and remote areas continue to receive timely medical care.
As the RFDS approaches its centenary, RFDS Tasmania says the milestone is an opportunity to recognise both the organisation’s national legacy and the enduring support of local communities.
You can support the Flying Doctor in Tasmania
