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The CASA Briefing – May 2025
Finding a Rhyme and a Reason for Every Season
Article supplied by RFDS
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.
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).
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
Black Tie Ball raises $220,000 to support Flying Doctor
On Saturday 3 May, 360 community members from the Dubbo region and guests from as far away as Sydney came together at the Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Experience in Dubbo for the biennial Rotary Club of South Dubbo’s Black Tie Ball.
The event continued to focus on supporting the Royal Flying Doctor Service via the RFDS Dubbo Support Group (DSG), other local charities and celebrating the communities in and around Dubbo.
It was a memorable night full of community spirit, generosity, and heartfelt stories – and it raised a record-breaking $150,000 in support of the work of the Flying Doctor. An additional $54,000 was raised through an inspiring auction along with other proceeds from a raffle and silent auction drawn on the night.
For comparison, the 2023 ball raised an impressive $125,000 – making this year’s effort a new milestone and a real testament to the community’s commitment.
Two lucky raffle winners walked away with:
- A Vespa motorbike – the last of its kind in Australia, worth $13,000 and
- A $7,000 travel voucher
The President of the Dubbo Support Group, Jeanette Hamilton accepted the cheque on behalf of RFDS.
RFDS Chair Dr Saranne Cooke extended heartfelt thanks to the Rotary Club of Dubbo South and its members for their incredible generosity and ongoing support, speaking to the impact these donations will have on communities in and around Dubbo in delivering the vital healthcare services that RFDS provide.
RFDS retrieval doctor Jessica Kracht also spoke on the night sharing some emotional and meaningful stories from her experience delivering emergency retrieval services and working with patients in rural and remote areas – a reminder of why events like this matter so much.
The new addition of a multipurpose shelter for the Mobile Education Unit at the Dubbo base funded by the DSG provided a useful outdoor extension of the event space at the Visitor Experience. Once complete, it will provide even more opportunities to connect with the community and elevate our community and fundraising events.
On behalf of everyone at RFDS, a huge thank you to the Rotary Club of South Dubbo and their volunteers, our incredible community, supporters who donated auction items and raffle prizes, frontline and fundraising staff, and everyone who helped make this night such a success. It’s the care, generosity and an incredible community spirit that helps keep the Flying Doctor in the air and making a difference where it’s needed most.
Avalon Airshow 25-30 March
Article supplied by Avalon Airshow
Held biennially, Avalon 2025 will be the sixteenth airshow and aerospace industry exposition staged at our Avalon Airport home. The Southern Hemisphere’s largest airshow and aerospace and defence exposition, Avalon 2025 will once again set the stage as Australia’s own international airshow spectacular and capability showcase.
The event combines:
- An international aerospace and defence exposition – a major trade exposition for Australia’s aviation, aerospace and defence industries. Typically, attracting some 800+ participating exhibitor companies showcasing their products, services and technologies to a national and international audience.
- A three day, action-packed public airshow spectacular with breathtaking flying displays and an amazing array of static aircraft to view up close.
To purchase tickets head to the Avalon Airshow website: https://airshow.com.au/
Hugo Rockstar’s remarkable family
Article supplied by RFDS.
Hugo Taheny is a Rockstar. Not because he’s a famous musician – even though he IS a truly inspirational advocate for people with disabilities and also an elite athlete in his spare time! But as Hugo’s mum, Louise Taheny explains, in this truly inspirational Episode #124 of the Flying Doctor Podcast, her youngest son’s Rockstar status actually stems from him having ‘quite the scar’, across his entire chest.
But this is also the story of Hugo’s incredible family. The story of how Louise dealt with the life-changing repercussions of her husband’s debilitating stroke in 2015 – facing each day with the same courage and resilience she drew upon during Hugo’s infant years, when RFDS flights and urgent medical appointments were a regular feature of her family’s life. And it is a tale of the incredible courage and resilience shown by Louise and John, when their older son Will, became a quadriplegic after a devastating car accident in 2022.
As the youngest of five children, Hugo was born at 37 weeks at Yorktown Hospital in SA. But as Louise held her baby boy in her arms, she immediately had a feeling that something was ‘different’. Three days later, after a core blood was sent to Adelaide for testing, Hugo was officially diagnosed with Down Syndrome – a condition caused by a random error in cell division that results in an extra copy of chromosome 21. But this would only mark the beginning of Hugo’s health journey. Doctors quickly realised that Hugo’s heart was not fully formed – a life-threatening condition known as Atrial Ventricular Septal Defect. Louise soon learned that Hugo was also legally blind, hearing-impaired and immunosuppressed.
What followed was nearly two years of Hugo ‘failing to thrive’ and being fed through a nasal gastric tube, as Doctors waited for him to become strong enough for the cardiac surgery he needed to survive.
Then, in the middle of a busy crop seeding in 2015, Louise took a heartbreaking phone call. Her son Tom told her, ‘I think Dad might be having a stroke, I can’t understand what he’s trying to say, and he can’t get over the fence’. John spent six months undergoing intensive rehab in Adelaide with Louise by his side, while their eldest children, Edwina and Tom, left University to return home and care for their younger siblings on the farm. John’s life was forever changed and the fit and hardworking farmer could no longer work the land he loves.
Then, during the pandemic in 2022, they were dealt another blow, when their sports-loving son Will, 23, was a back-seat passenger in a shocking crash not far from the family farm. Will sustained a devastating spinal cord injury and spent 216 days in ICU and then in the spinal rehab unit. Louise didn’t come home for four months. Today, both Hugo and Will compete at a National level sports (Hugo in athletics and Will in Wheelchair Rugby) and Hugo is an inspirational mentor and health ambassador for Down Syndrome Australia.
RFDS Tasmania celebrates 2024 scholarship recipients
This article is supplied by RFDS.
Last month, the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Tasmania celebrated 2024’s scholarship recipients with a presentation held at the Rivers Edge building of UTAS Inveresk.
The seven recipients – medical, nursing and dental students from the University of Tasmania and TasTAFE – took to the stage to share their experiences and the impact of their work in some of Tasmania’s and mainland Australia’s most remote areas.
Each presentation demonstrated their passion for rural healthcare, with stories that highlighted the unique challenges and rewards of working in these communities.
The event, attended by RFDS staff, stakeholders, family, and friends, was a testament to the dedication and enthusiasm the students have for improving health outcomes in rural and remote communities.
Jemma Stevens (pictured centre), recipient of the RFDS/Commercial Travellers Association 4th Year Medical Student Scholarship shared what drove her to apply.
“My motivations for undertaking a placement with the Royal Flying Doctor Service stems from my deep passion for rural and remote medicine. Growing up in Devonport and completing placements in similar settings has given me a firsthand understanding of the unique healthcare challenges faced by these regions.”
“This placement aligned perfectly with my long-term goal of practicing medicine in rural and remote settings, where I aspire to contribute meaningfully to addressing healthcare inequities.”
Jemma Stevens
RFDS John Flynn Dental Assistant Scholarship recipient, Danielle Symons got a taste for the unique work the RFDS delivers in Tasmania’s rural and remote communities over a two-week placement with the mobile dental team. Danielle flew to King Island, thentravelled with the RFDS mobile dental vehicle to Winnaleah in the state’s north-east.
Of her scholarship experience, Danielle says, “It highlighted the importance of providing medical services to those who are often overlooked.”
Attendees were moved by the enthusiasm and commitment displayed by each of the scholarship recipients. Their eagerness to make a positive impact on rural and remote health outcomes was evident in every story shared.
The presentations not only highlighted the recipients’ invaluable experiences but also underscored the vital role of RFDS Tasmania in supporting the next generation of healthcare professionals.
RFDS Tasmania CEO, Nicole Henty, expressed her pride in the scholarship recipients and their contributions to rural healthcare. “These students exemplify the spirit of RFDS, and their dedication to serving our rural communities is truly inspiring. We are committed to continuing our support for these talented individuals as they pursue their careers and we hope they may return in the future as a member of our workforce,” Nicole Henty said.
Danielle has since joined the RFDS Tasmania dental team full-time.
“Combining my passion for healthcare with the chance to reach those in need, no matter where they are, it made the decision to join RFDS an easy one. I feel privileged to become a part of such a vital organisation, doing incredibly important work. I would highly recommend to anyone that has the chance to experience the organisation through the scholarship program to grab it with both hands.”
RFDS Tasmania offers multiple scholarships annually to medical and dental students, supported by the University of Tasmania (UTAS), TasTAFE, the Fairbrother Foundation and Commercial Travellers Association (CTA).
All RFDS Tasmania scholarships provide recipients the opportunity to experience living in rural and remote Australia and deliver health programs to communities otherwise isolated from these vital services. Every placement shapes a recipient’s future practise as health care providers as delivering health care in rural and remote settings involves a skillset that reflects the unique setting they are in.
Have your say on guidance for radiotelephony procedures
Article supplied by CASA
We’re seeking feedback on our draft advisory circular (AC) on radiotelephony procedures.
Clear, concise and accurate radio communications is an essential component of aviation safety. While it is not practicable to detail phraseology examples suitable for every situation, the use of standard phrases when transmitting a message reduces the possibility of ambiguity.
The purpose of our draft AC is to provide a comprehensive resource of standardised and best practice radiotelephony procedures to help ensure uniformity in radiotelephony communications.
This is the first AC relating to radiotelephony procedures, so we are seeking feedback as to whether the content provides adequate guidance on:
- how to provide clear, concise and accurate radiotelephony communications
- the use of standard phrases in radiotelephony communications.
Consultation closes on 11 February 2025.
Flying high at Broken Hill’s newest tourist attraction
Article supplied by RFDS. Broken Hill’s latest tourism experience has opened its doors with the Royal Flying Doctor Service’s (RFDS) new Outback Heritage Experience officially open to visitors thanks to $5.5 million in funding support from the NSW Government.
The upgraded attraction is co-located with the RFDS’s 24/7 operational base and shares the important story of the RFDS in outback Australia and captures the resilient spirit of the communities it has serviced for more than 96 years, thanks, in large part to the contributions and stories of the many communities and supporters who have helped the RFDS to operate for almost a century across Far Western NSW.
Celebrating a long history in the Far West
“The Far West is an important home for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. It is the location of one of our first bases, and remains one the largest RFDS bases in Australia,” Greg Sam, CEO of the Royal Flying Doctor Service South Eastern Section, said.
“From one Flying Doctor and a pilot, through to the team of more than 100 health and aviation specialists we have in Broken Hill and the surrounding area, our story is intertwined with the communities we support. It is this shared and unique history that visitors can expect to be immersed in at the Outback Heritage Experience.”
Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said the attraction will celebrate the service while adding to Broken Hill’s tourism draw-cards.
“The Royal Flying Doctor Service provides a vital service to remote and regional NSW, with so many lives been touched by the important work they do and the NSW Government is proud to support this fantastic project highlighting the amazing work undertaken by the RFDS,” Minister Moriarty said.
“The newly opened Outback Heritage Experience will let visitors experience a unique combination of history, aircraft and technology as they learn about the proud tradition of the Royal Flying Doctor Service,” Minister Moriarty said.
“We thank the NSW Government for helping to bring this new facility to life – it not only acknowledges the tremendous work of our people, but will serve as a constant reminder of the determined and courageous spirit of the communities that call the Far West home,” Greg Sam said.
“The newly opened Outback Heritage Experience will let visitors experience a unique combination of history, aircraft and technology as they learn about the proud tradition of the Royal Flying Doctor Service,” Minister Moriarty said.
“We thank the NSW Government for helping to bring this new facility to life – it not only acknowledges the tremendous work of our people, but will serve as a constant reminder of the determined and courageous spirit of the communities that call the Far West home,” Greg Sam said.
Roy Butler, MP for Barwon expressed his gratitude for all the RFDS has done in the Far West.
“Very few organisations can say that they have as a deep a connection to a community as the Flying Doctor. Not only do they provide essential and lifesaving services to communities far and wide, but they also attract skilled specialists and tourists into the Silver City.
“The RFDS has also been a part of the lives of people in outback NSW for nearly a century, providing for the health needs of people in remote areas, stepping up to ensure there are services where none exist and provide services that the government and other operators can’t provide.
So it is important to tell that story, not just for tourists, but for all those whose lives have benefited from the service. The new Outback Heritage facility is a fitting tribute to the organisation and the people of the Far West, it is another attraction that will bring more tourists out west for a unique experience and will help the local economy” Roy Butler said.
A boost to tourism
The new tourism attraction will bring more visitors numbers to the region, support the local economy, and create new local jobs, which will build on the $216 million spent on tourism in Broken Hill in 2023.
Broken Hill also took out the number two spot of the Wotif Aussie Town of the Year awards for 2024, demonstrating yet again how the Silver City continues to punch above its weight as a destination for intrepid travellers, adventure seekers, history buffs, music lovers, architecture enthusiasts and foodies.
“It’s another wonderful attraction which, alongside the history of the town, the vibrant cultural scene and major events, will ensure new and regular visitors keep coming back to Broken Hill over and over again,” Greg Sam said.
“We hope the new Outback Heritage Experience will introduce future generations to our organisation, and inspire people to become supporters, nurses, doctors, pilots and other specialists and professions that we need to help this region to thrive.
About the new facility
Housed in a refurbished hangar, the Outback Heritage Experience includes a museum with interactive displays, tributes to the doctors, pilots and flight nurses who have worked for the service, a movie theatre and shop. Visitors can also stroll through a showcase of aircraft dating back to the 1930s.
The upgrades also include accessibility improvements and new carparking to improve access for all vehicle types – a major drawcard for Broken Hill’s popularity as a Drive Tourism destination.
The upgraded Outback Heritage Experience is one of two RFDS tourism attractions in NSW – one in Broken Hill and in Dubbo.
Your appreciation empowers emergency care
Article supplied by RFDS.
Thanks to the thoughtfulness of our supporters, Emergency Retrieval team members were inspired working through the holiday season.
Here’s what some of our frontline staff had to say about these beautiful messages.
“It’s so wonderful to have our hard work appreciated. Whenever we go out on a job we are met with immense gratitude – These cards are a lovely seasonal addition. We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without the support we receive, and this service wouldn’t be nearly as fun without the incredible communities that colour and flavour outback Australia. Thank you all so so much!”
Dr Mina Arsanious
“So great to receive this card and lovely message.”
Shannon Nott, Executive General Manager Health & Clinical Services/Chief Medical Officer
“It means the absolute world to have our hard work within the Primary Health Team appreciated and acknowledged and know that the work we are doing is not going unnoticed.”
Abbey Barratt – Primary Health Nurse
“Thank you for all the support and thoughts, we appreciate your support.”
Jayden Foster, Senior Base Engineer
“Receiving such a special card makes us feel appreciated within our role.”
Kerry-Lee Hassan – Flight Nurse
Thank you for your beautiful messages. We also have a special video for you – click the button below to see what you achieved in 2024!
The RFDS committed to the Best for the Bush – in partnership with the Australian Government
Article supplied by RFDS The Royal Flying Doctor Service is delighted to have yesterday signed a long-term Strategic Partnership with the Australian Government until 2031-32, cementing the shared commitment to together improve the health of people in rural and remote communities.
This Strategic Partnership aligns with the ongoing support for critical RFDS services by the Australian Government and follows the Federal Budget announcement in May of this year of an additional $71.3million over 3 years for the RFDS to support the delivery of essential health services. The funding enables the RFDS to continue to deliver primary healthcare, mental health and dental services across rural and remote areas in the face of rising costs.
Speaking at the signing of the Strategic Partnership, Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon. Mark Butler MP said:
“Over nine decades, the RFDS has provided a lifeline for people who live, work and travel in rural, remote and very remote Australia”
“The strategic agreement between the Commonwealth and the RFDS is part of our commitment to working together as genuine partners to improve health outcomes for people in the bush. Our government is committed to ensuring no-one is left behind in having access to health and medical care”.
“This additional investment from the Albanese Government ensures the RFDS can continue to provide world-class healthcare services”.