Originally published by Perth is OK
11.05.2026
Here in WA, it’s no mystery that some parts of our great expansive state sit well beyond reception and well beyond reach by road.
For large parts of the community outside the metro areas, knowing the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) is at the ready is quite literally a lifeline.
Out past the edge of the signal, beyond the wheatbelt highways and deep into the farthest reaches of WA, the RFDS is often the only thing standing between a medical emergency and no immediate care at all. Chances are, if you live, work or travel in regional WA, you know someone whose life has been touched by them.
On Thursday 14 May, RFDS WA will mark Flying Doctor Day and the anniversary of their very first flight back in 1928 by raising vital funds to support specialist training for their crew.
This year, they’re aiming to raise $1.6 million to train the aviation, clinical and ground crews who will operate the new PC-12 PRO aircraft joining the fleet. Equipped with the latest safety and flight technology, it’s the kind of investment that ensures crews can keep delivering life-saving care to people living, working and travelling across regional and remote WA for years to come.
And your donation will go further than you might think. Thanks to matched giving partners including CBH Group, Hancock Iron Ore, Westgold, Greatland Resources, Regis Resources and Sandfire, every dollar donated on or before 14 May will be matched dollar for dollar.
In 2025, RFDS WA recorded its busiest year ever, carrying out more than 10,500 patient retrievals across the state while also delivering telehealth and primary healthcare to thousands more West Aussies. That’s around 29 people every single day being brought to care by Flying Doctor crews. In WA, they transfer more than one patient every single hour.
From the Kimberley coast to the red dirt of the Pilbara and the golden paddocks of the Great Southern, RFDS WA bridges time and distance across some of the most isolated parts of the country, in situations where every minute matters.
For many Western Australians, especially those living outside the metro, the RFDS isn’t just an emergency service, it’s peace of mind. It’s knowing that even in the middle of nowhere, help is there.
Drop a donation this May 14 or sooner at flyingdoctorday.com.au and your contribution will be doubled, helping RFDS WA continue delivering life-saving care across every corner of the state.
Head to flyingdoctor.org.au to find out more.
