Getting to work on a flight over treacherous waters

August 6, 2026August 6, 2026

Article supplied by MAF Arnhem Land. As the only scheduled regular public transport provider in East Arnhem Land, MAF plays a central role in connecting isolated people to health and housing services.

Story by Janne Rytkönen

Winding rivers and mangrove-lined creeks carve the East Arnhem Land coastline into a maze of islands and convoluted promontories, requiring long detours by track for travellers driving between communities that are relatively close as the crow flies. And those crossing to a nearby island may have to plan carefully to catch a periodic charter barge if one is available.

Today, Sharon Yunupingu, Operations Manager of a Community Housing Organisation (CHO) for East Arnhem Land Real Estate, is travelling to Milingimbi, an island surrounded by shifting sandbars and crocodile-infested, shallow tidal waters that can run like a river at peak flow.

“Without MAF, I can’t get to my job because most of it is an island,” said Sharon. “Galiwinku is an island. Milingimbi is an island, so I can’t get there otherwise.

“I rely on MAF services on a weekly basis to get to and from my workplaces.”

MAF’s regular public transport (RPT) service allows residents to catch these flights like city-dwellers might catch a local bus.

Sharon Yunupingu, Operations Manager of a Community Housing Organisation (CHO) for East Arnhem Land Real Estate said “Without MAF, I can’t get to my job because most of it is an island”.

The RPT service departs from Gove Airport.

However, this service is much more than just a convenient way to get from A to B in a region where land travel is over bone-jarring bush tracks that are often impassable in the wet season.

The scheduled routes and fixed prices enable community and healthcare organisations to consistently deliver a broad range of vital services to residents of the isolated communities in this remote corner of Australia.

“The funding would run out if we had to use charters, they’re pretty expensive,” said Sharon.

In her role, Sharon doesn’t just let and manage houses. She helps to deliver the Northern Territory Government’s Living Strong programme, for which East Arnhem Land Real Estate is the local provider.

Aerial view of a small settlement by the seaside

Milingimbi has a population of approximately 1100 residents.

Part of Galiwin’ku on approach to the Elcho Island Airport.

Living Strong is a tenancy support programme for indigenous housing in the remote communities of Northern Territory.

“We have a contract with the government, and we employ local Yolngu people,” Sharon said.

“It’s my job, as the operations manager, to ensure that our work is being done to satisfaction, so I go out there to support our Yolngu people in the region.”

Sharon sees secure and clean housing as an important ingredient in the mix of public health measures in the region.

Offloading clinic freight at Gapuwiyak (Lake Evella) Airport. (L-R) Phil Techand, Imli Jamir, Steven Biggs.

“It’s really rewarding to see that the families are taking control and doing the right thing in their houses, because this is about their health, and we need to work on that,” she said.

“I’m not the expert in that area of health, but one thing I know is, you know, when we have a rough house, then we need to get it cleaned.”

Sharon will spend a week in Milingimbi before catching a flight with MAF back to Nhulunbuy.

Despite the fixed route and schedule, that flight might sometimes make a detour at short notice.

“MAF is a very generous place,” said Sharon. “When I’m out there travelling, sometimes the pilot will say, ‘Do you mind? We need to stop off at this outstation because these people need to get from A to B.’

“You really see what MAF does for people out here in a remote area. I’ve never seen anybody say, ‘No, we’re not going there. That’s not part of the travel plans.’

Woman looking into camera on airport tarmac

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Skilled, self-sufficient, in the air by 7.30am: life as an Outback dentist

August 6, 2026August 6, 2026

How RFDS dental teams keep the Outback smiling, ahead of Dental Health Week (3–10 August)

No two days look the same when your clinic is a plane trip from the nearest town – and that’s exactly what RFDS dental teams are trained and equipped for.

“Working in rural and remote communities often requires adaptability, resourcefulness, and the ability to make sound clinical decisions with limited resources,” says Lead Dental Assistant Megan Kingham, who’s been with the Royal Flying Doctor Service since 2024. “I have learned to think on my feet and improvise.”

It’s this kind of on-the-ground capability that sets RFDS dental care apart from anything you’d find in a city practice. As part of RFDS’s primary care program, a specialist dental van and fly-in fly-out (FIFO) clinics deliver routine and vital oral health services to communities where the nearest dentist might otherwise be a full day’s drive away.

We spoke to three of the people who make it happen.

A wider scope of practice

FIFO Dentist Sam Lawton, who flies into remote locations on a two-week on-off roster, says the tyranny of distance forces you to broaden your skill set fast.

“Specialists are often expensive and located far away. I’ve become much more confident in my skills, as oftentimes we need to perform specialist procedures ourselves” – procedures that would routinely be referred out in a metro practice, where a follow-up appointment is a phone call away rather than a plane trip.

For Sam, an Australian working holidaymaker, the role has become one of the highlights of his career. “This role has given me the chance to see more of the country while meeting and helping people in regional and remote communities. By far it’s the most interesting experience of my dental career, and something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”

Prevention starts in the classroom

Regular check-ups are one of the biggest challenges facing rural communities – the further you live from a dentist, the harder it is to catch problems early. Dubbo-based Oral Health Therapist Xiaochuan Yang tackles this by taking oral health education directly into remote schools, separate from clinical check-ups.

“In larger schools, oral health education happens chairside. We talk with children, sometimes with their parents together, about brushing, diet, oral hygiene routines and what they understand about looking after their teeth,” Xiaochuan says. Seeing up to 30 students in a single school day between 9am and 3pm is no small undertaking, and dental assistants rotate through school visits to share the load.

Sam agrees education is the long game. “From my experience, some older patients aren’t aware of how often they should brush their teeth. That’s why educating children about good oral hygiene from a young age is so important.”

On the road for check-ups

Xiaochuan’s school visits regularly reach Lightning Ridge, Collarenebri and Bourke, as well as smaller communities including Burren Junction, Pilliga and Enngonia, depending on service schedules and local need. Even harder-to-reach communities like Tilpa and Louth get a visit up to four times a year, and the team regularly provides dental services at the Macquarie prison.

A typical day starts early – at Base by 7am, in the air or on the road in the dental van by 7.30am – with the team seeing between six and eight patients before flying home around 5.30pm. In the most remote locations, an overnight motel stay is part of the job. Each visiting team is made up of two dental assistants, an oral health therapist and a dentist, sometimes joined by members of the primary health team.

The moments that make it worthwhile

Ask any of the three what sticks with them, and it’s rarely the technical work – it’s the roo runs before take-off, homemade ANZAC biscuits shared with patients, and the occasional motorbike parked outside the clinic door because that’s how the patient rode in.

“Knowing that my work could have a lasting impact on the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities is what makes working for the RFDS so meaningful to me.” Megan Kingham

For Xiaochuan, it comes back to the gap the service closes. “The most meaningful part is being able to provide practical clinical care in communities where access is a real issue. It is rewarding to know that the work can reduce the burden on families who might otherwise have to travel a long way for dental treatment.”

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The Flying Doctor records a massive year of life-saving care

August 6, 2026August 6, 2026

Article supplied by the RFDS. The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) (Queensland Section) delivered more than 81,000 occasions of care across the state last year; that’s 223 every day.

This comprises Aeromedical, Primary Health Care (PHC), Mobile Dental, Mental Health and Telehealth consultations provided across Queensland.

An additional 947 patients were transported last year, an increase of 7.28% on the previous year, while the Flying Doctor’s iconic aircraft flew an additional 395,240 kilometres which led to over a thousand extra flying hours.

Primary Health care also had a significant year with 4716 clinics completed at around 30 locations. In all, over 22,000 consultations were completed from south west locations like Eulo, central Queensland communities such as Dajarra and as far north as Lockhart River.

RFDS (Queensland Section) CEO Meredith Staib said the organisation has again done an incredible job servicing some of the state’s most remote locations.

“The Royal Flying Doctor Service exists to serve those who simply don’t have access to the type of medical care taken for granted in larger rural centres and cities,” Ms. Staib said.

“We’ve seen a significant increase in the number of patients cared for by our teams and the distances our aircraft have had to travel to get them the help they need.

“These results highlight the vital work our team do and why we continue to provide the finest care to the furthest corners.

“I am humble and proud to lead a team that’s spread right across Queensland; a team that turns up for patients with care and compassion – day after day.”

The RFDS (Queensland Section) operates 26 King Air aircraft that flew almost 9-million kilometres last year and transported 13,949 patients across Queensland, highlighting the growing demand for aeromedical services in regional, rural and remote communities.

Patients transported FY 25/26 from RFDS (Queensland Section) Bases

Brisbane Base – 2,519

Bundaberg Base – 2,143

Cairns Base – 1,428

Charleville Base – 1,466

Mount Isa Base – 1,154

Rockhampton Base – 2,893

Townsville Base – 2,346

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RFDS Celebrates 98 Years of Providing Essential Health Care to Australians with Flying Doctor Day

May 28, 2026May 28, 2026

Article supplied by RFDS. On 17 May 2026, the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) celebrates its 98th anniversary and Flying Doctor Day, commemorating nearly a century of unwavering commitment to delivering essential health care and emergency aeromedical services to Australians in need.

The RFDS traces its origins to the vision of Reverend John Flynn, who sought to establish a “mantle of safety” for those living in the remote corners of Australia.

The Service was officially established on 15 May 1928 in Cloncurry, Queensland.

Two days later, on 17 May 1928, Dr Kenyon St Vincent Welch and Pilot Arthur Affleck took off in a single-engine De Havilland 50 bi-plane named Victory, bound for Julia Creek.

With no navigational aids and only a compass for guidance, the crew followed fences, rivers, riverbeds, dirt roads and telegraph lines to reach their destination.

That inaugural flight marked the beginning of one of the world’s first aeromedical services.

Sister Meg giving health instruction under the shade of the RFDS plane, 1985

The RFDS is staffed by a dedicated team of pilots, doctors, flight nurses, engineers and support crew who provide a 24-hour emergency retrieval service and primary health care to remote communities.

As demand for services continues to grow, the organisation relies on the generous support of the Australian public to deliver the best possible care to those who need it most.

Flying Doctor Day is an opportunity to celebrate 98 years of service and to honour the frontline crews who show up, every single day, for Australians living far from conventional health care. It is also a moment to look ahead.

With the RFDS centenary arriving in 2028, this anniversary marks the beginning of a landmark countdown, two years away from 100 years of service to the nation.

This milestone comes days after the RFDS was named Australia’s Most Trusted Charity in the 2026 Reader’s Digest Trusted Brand Awards, for the sixth time. It is a recognition that reflects not just a brand, but a bond built over generations, one patient, one flight and one community at a time.

As the RFDS enters its 99th year, it remains as vital as ever, and as committed as it was on that first flight from Cloncurry, to ensuring that where someone lives never determines the care they receive.

AusCheck Price Increase

May 28, 2026May 28, 2026

AusCheck price increase

Following the Federal Government’s budget announcement last week, AusCheck, within The Department of Home Affairs, have advised they are increasing the cost price of an ASIC background check by 185%. AusCheck justifies the price hike as necessary so they can operate on a ‘cost recovery model’, claiming they have been operating at loss for several years.

As a result, our new pricing structure will commence for all applications submitted from Monday 22nd June 2026. This pricing is reflective of the new industry standard. All ASIC issuing bodies are affected by AusCheck’s latest price increase.

Please email any concerns to: AusCheck.Engagements@homeaffairs.gov.au[/vc_column_text]

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Neville’s Story

May 28, 2026May 28, 2026

Article supplied by RFDS. When Neville talks about his life before connecting with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Tasmania, he doesn’t sugar coat it. “I had cancer and wasn’t expected to live.”

Neville lives in Swansea on Tasmania’s East Coast.

Five years ago, after a year‑long recovery from cancer that left his body weakened and exhausted, he was referred to RFDS Tasmania’s Physical Health program by his GP.

At the time, his strength had deteriorated to the point where he could not stand or sit without assistance, let alone walk.

He describes that period with characteristic honesty: having

“one foot in the grave and the other on a banana skin.”

The muscle mass he needed for everyday movement had gone, and a bout of COVID and pneumonia had taken his breath. While he needed physiotherapy to recover, the nearest service was a 40‑minute drive away, a journey that did more harm than good.

What Neville needed wasn’t just clinical support. He needed care that was local, consistent, and tailored to his condition.

That’s where RFDS Tasmania came in.

Relearning movement, rebuilding strength

Through the Physical Health program, Neville began working with RFDS clinicians in his own community. Slowly and carefully, he started to rebuild.

“It was quite a journey, being taught to walk again, using different muscles, breathing.”

With weekly one‑on‑one and group sessions, the focus wasn’t just on recovery, but on understanding his body. Things like how to move safely, how to rebuild strength, and how to maintain progress over time. The support was personal, practical, and grounded in Neville’s day‑to‑day reality.

Over time, the results spoke for themselves.

Neville regained his strength and just as importantly, he regained his independence.

“Having somebody that cares”

Today, Neville can do things he hasn’t been able to do for 10 or even 15 years, long before his diagnosis. He credits his progress not just to the exercises or the sessions, but to the understanding behind them.

“Having somebody that cares, rings you up and says, ‘is everything alright?’”

That consistent, local contact made all the difference. It helped Neville stay motivated, supported, and confident enough to keep pushing forward, even on difficult days.

“It has been a godsend to be able to get my health back…. It’s a joy to wake up. I’m very thankful for that.”

Care that strengthens whole communities

RFDS Tasmania’s Physical Health program supports people living with long‑term illness, including cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal conditions and dementia. Delivered by Exercise Physiologists, Physical Health Workers and Rural Health Workers embedded in their communities, the program helps participants build functional strength, maintain mobility, and improve quality of life.

For people living in rural and remote areas, like Neville, access is everything.

Reaching people where they live doesn’t just improve individual health outcomes. In Neville’s experience, it strengthens the fabric of the community itself.

“Having it local here is absolutely fantastic… It makes a town. There are people that go to these groups and support each other. It brings people together.”

And for many Tasmanians like Neville, local support is life‑changing.

IFFR Newsletter February 2026

March 23, 2026March 23, 2026

Article supplied by IFFR.

View the February 2026 IFFR Newsletter click here

Meet Dr Ben

March 23, 2026March 23, 2026

Article supplied by RFDS. In August 2025, the Royal Flying Doctor Service opened its first bricks-and-mortar GP clinic, the RFDS Goldfields Health Centre in Kalgoorlie. Dr Ben Banwait is the Medical Director and Business Manager.

You have a lot of experience working as a GP in regional communities. What do you enjoy about working in the bush?

It’s the sense of connection. In regional communities, you’re not just treating symptoms, you’re caring for people you know, people whose stories you understand and often entire families over time. There’s a humility that comes with that responsibility. Patients place enormous trust in you, and that is something I never take lightly. I also value the resilience and generosity of regional communities. People look out for one another and it’s rewarding to be part of that fabric.

What does a typical day look like for you at the clinic?

My days are varied, which is part of what makes the role so meaningful. As a clinician, I spend time seeing patients at our Kalgoorlie clinic and also participate in the RFDS fly-out and drive-out Primary Health Care clinics across the Goldfields. These outreach clinics bring care closer to people who would otherwise need to travel long distances and they help ensure access to healthcare is equitable across the region.

Alongside my clinical work, my role as Medical Director involves overseeing clinical safety, governance and service planning. Balancing these roles keeps me grounded in both the day-to-day realities of patient care and the long-term vision of what regional healthcare can be.

What has been the feedback from patients about coming to a GP clinic established by the Royal Flying Doctor Service?

Patients often tell us how reassuring it is to receive care through a clinic run by the RFDS. We have a long and trusted history, and that trust really matters in regional communities. Many people feel comforted knowing their local GP service is connected to an organisation that understands distance, isolation and the realities of regional life.

Is there a particular area of health care that is of interest to you?

I have a strong interest in chronic disease management and preventative health, particularly in regional settings. Helping people manage long-term conditions closer to home can make a profound difference to their quality of life. As Medical Director, I’m also passionate about attracting additional healthcare options, such as allied health and visiting specialists, so communities can access more care locally.

Is there a particular health issue you see a lot of in the Goldfields?

We see a high burden of chronic illness, including diabetes, heart disease and respiratory conditions. Mental health needs are also significant. These challenges are often made more complex by distance and limited access to specialist services, which is why strong, accessible primary care is so important.

Do some of your patients drive a long way to see a GP?

Yes, for some of our patients seeing a GP involves planning an entire day around travel. This is why accessibility sits at the heart of everything we do. Our fly-out and drive-out clinics help reduce that burden and ensure people aren’t missing out on care simply because of where they live. Improving access isn’t just about geography, it’s about making healthcare work for real lives.

Why do you think it’s difficult to attract and retain GPs in regional areas?

Regional practice can be demanding. Clinicians often face professional isolation and the practical challenges of distance. Supporting safety, wellbeing and sustainability is critical. GPs need strong teams, good governance and a sense that they belong. When clinicians feel supported and connected to a clear mission, like that of the RFDS WA, they’re far more likely to stay, grow, and build long-term careers in regional communities.

Meet Dr Pip

March 23, 2026March 23, 2026

Article supplied by RFDS. Dr Pip Baker grew up on a dairy farm in northern Victoria and graduated in Medicine from the University of Adelaide. After completing her internship and residencies in Adelaide’s tertiary hospitals, she headed bush to undertake her General Practice training.

Pip spent four years on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island working as a Rural Generalist before taking a locum position in Balgo, in the remote East Kimberley, on a fly-in, fly-out basis. In 2024 Pip and her partner Courtney both joined the RFDS, Pip in Primary Health Care and Courtney in Retrieval Nursing. After 18 months working at the RFDS Port Hedland base the couple recently relocated to Broome with their campdog Rolly.

What attracted you to being a GP in remote and regional WA?

I think I have the best job in the world. I love the people, I love the style of medicine, I love the places. I love flying and have started to learn to fly myself.

I don’t think I could ever go back to suburban general practice. My patients have lived courageous lives and have so many stories to share. I hold different opinions to many of them, but we can have a good debate and put things aside to ease their ailments.

What are the locations you run primary health care clinics in?

In the Pilbara I visit Nullagine, Yandeyarra and Marble Bar. In the Kimberley the clinics are in Yakanarra, Djugerari, Koorabye, Kadjina and four stations.

How does the ‘tyranny of distance’ affect the health outcomes of the patients you see regularly?

Too many times I see patients forced to accept ‘any care’ rather than the care that is appropriate for them. There are limited choices to see a doctor of a different gender, culture or age. There are often limited or no choices for allied health support and telehealth services can’t always fathom how hard it is to change your diet and exercise habits in January in Marble Bar.

In the worst of circumstances, and for a variety of reasons, people avoid accessing services at all.

The patients we visit in some of the most isolated parts of the state have a higher disease burden, are later to receive a diagnosis and suffer the consequences in long-term outcomes. The RFDS can’t be everything to everyone, but we can push hard to provide services that people would choose, even if they had more choice.

If your patients didn’t have the RFDS run clinics in their community, how would they access GP services?

Most patients in the Pilbara would have a two and half hour drive to Port Hedland or Newman and the services there are already working overtime with supply not meeting the demand of residents.

A patient from the Kimberley talked to me about accessing healthcare over the wet season, when the RFDS is unable to visit their station. She said the blood test her husband needed is unlikely to happen because by then their road will almost certainly be closed. It would cost about $5,000 for a charter plane to collect him and then again to fly him home. The mail plane only comes once week so if he went one way on that and did a charter flight back the cost might come down to about $3,000, factoring in accommodation too.

Most communities we visit in the Fitzroy Valley have a two hour drive to Fitzroy Crossing Hospital for the nearest available health care. They can be cut off completely during the wet season and we often end up bring other supplies for the community in our charter plane.

Are there particular health issues you see a lot of at the clinics you run?

I spend a large amount of time managing Chronic Kidney Disease, Diabetes and Ischaemic Heart Disease, as well as managing skin conditions such as tinea, scabies and impetigo.

What is the best part of your job?

That’s easy – the people. The RFDS people are great, but the patients are truly inspirational.

Apart from work, how else have you and Courtney become part of the local community in Broome?

The crew at the RFDS base have been incredibly welcoming, helping to make the Kimberley our home, from sharing produce from their garden to helping us beach launch our boat.

Finding a Rhyme and a Reason for Every Season

May 14, 2025May 14, 2025

Article supplied by RFDS

Four generations of Herring family members are featured in this photo

When this black and white photo of four generations of the Herring family was captured, back in 2018, it would be Wes Herring’s grandfather, Fred’s, last trip to the family’s Gum Park station. The 28,000 hectare family farm, located near Broken Hill in the Central West of NSW, had been run by the Herring family since 1915. But when this photo was taken, Gum Park had been in the grip of drought since 2016 and all the dams had run dry. Wes, also pictured with his young son Angus and his father Peter, had recently taken over the running of the farm, after spending his late teenage years and early twenties ‘learning the trade’ of agriculture as a farm hand on over three million acres on a farm in SA and as a rural contractor. But Gum Park was so much more than Wes’s family farm. School of the Air, rabbit shooting and shearing in school holidays were all an integral part of Wes’s childhood. But like so many other farmers, the stress of drought and all the other random acts of Mother Nature’s wrath were pressing down upon Wes’ shoulders. In hindsight, he can see the signs of his depression building, in the form of a short temper, fatigue and turning to alcohol and solitude for support. Like so many rural men, Wes didn’t know how to ask for help or even if he needed help. His Black Dog was circling and the young father and husband felt trapped and in despair. Until the moment when, with a loaded gun pointed at his chin, Wes ‘woke up’ and knew he needed urgent mental health support. Within days, his nearby RFDS GP and RFDS Mental Health Nurse were caring for Wes’s wellbeing and getting him the support, the medication and the information he needed to recover.

Wes's new book features his own poems and personal memoir

In this truly poetic Episode #132 of the Flying Doctor Podcast, Wes Herring takes listeners on a beautiful and heartfelt journey through agriculture, life on the land and family. Today, Wes is in a much better place. With support for friends, family and the wider community, along with the RFDS’s We’ve Got Your Back Program, he and his family made the tough decision to sell the family farm, to start a new farming life near Deniliquin in NSW. And Wes has turned to bush poetry to tame his Black Dog and help him along his mental health journey. With his new book of poems and something of a personal memoir of his journey and life, Wes hopes he can help other rural men who might be struggling to seek out help and mental health support. He also hopes that his poetry, along with community driven initiatives such as the RFDS We’ve Got Your Back Program, will encourage broader community conversations across rural and remote Australia, around the importance of ‘all body and mind’ health programs. Because while the stigma of mental health has greatly reduced in recent years, everybody’s mental health journey is unique. But there is ALWAYS help at hand, no matter where you live.

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or are with someone who is, call 000 if it is an emergency. For direct and ongoing support, call Lifeline Crisis Support (13 11 14), Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) or Rural Aid (1300 175 594).

A We've Got your Back cap pictured against a sunrise

Ongoing research by the RFDS RN031 Mental Health D6.indd suggests that each year, around one in five, or 960,000, remote and rural Australians experience a mental disorder. The prevalence of mental disorders in remote and rural Australia is the same as that in major cities, making mental disorders one of the few illnesses that does not have higher prevalence rates in country Australia compared to city areas. At least not on paper. Yet suicide and self-harm rates are higher in remote and rural Australia than in major cities, with residents of very remote areas twice as likely to die from suicide as city residents. The same research models highlights that farmers, young men, older people, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) Australians face the greatest risk of suicide.

Want to know more about growing the conversation in YOUR community? You can find out more via We’ve Got Your Back | Facebook OR our NSW-based RFDS We’ve Got your Back Champions – who all have lived experience around mental health challenges in rural Australia – are always happy to be contacted directly:

Richard Wilson 0438 093 682 champion.richard@outlook.com or Jane Martin 0431 469 984 champion.jane@outlook.com or Brendan Cullen 0437 188 980 champion.brendan@outlook.com

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