Australia’s Governor-General and Patron of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Her Excellency Sam Mostyn AC, placed a national spotlight on the health needs of rural and remote communities this week.
In an unsusual sighting, the RFDS brought the outback to the lawns of Parliament House where Mostyn was able to step inside a fully equipped RFDS aircraft simulator. She was then able to witness the Service’s state-of-the-art mobile dental clinic, and how aviation and innovation remain at the heart of lifesaving care for country Australians.
Royal Flying Doctor Service
Founded in 1928 by Reverend John Flynn — who dreamt of a “mantle of safety” for those who lived thousands of kilometres from a doctor — the RFDS has grown from a single leased De Havilland aircraft into one of the world’s most comprehensive aeromedical organisations. For nearly a century, it has delivered emergency retrievals, primary healthcare, mental health support, and essential dental services to some of the most isolated communities on earth.
That legacy remains vital today. Last year alone, the Flying Doctors made more than 337,000 patient contacts, travelling the equivalent of 25 laps around the globe to reach Australians spread across 7.13 million square kilometres. For many remote families, pastoral workers, First Nations communities, and travellers, the RFDS isn’t just a service — it’s a lifeline.
This week’s event also saw Mostyn join RFDS Federation Chair Tracey Hayes and CEO Emma Buchanan in celebrating the Service’s evolving mission, including pioneering advances like portable brain-scan stroke helmets and life-saving RFDS Medical Chests. The launch of the new Parliamentary Friends of the RFDS group, co-chaired by Claire Clutterham MP and Senator Alison Penfold, further underscored bipartisan commitment to rural and remote healthcare.
Nearly 100 years after its first flight, the Flying Doctors continues to embody Flynn’s vision. And it shows the resilience of the nation’s spirit that health care should never be out of reach no matter how vast Australia’s distances.
