THE Royal Flying Doctor Service received unanimous support from the Country Mayors Association of NSW members at the vital service’s recent general meeting in NSW Parliament House.

Earlier this month, the service celebrated 98 years at the Broken Hill base, commemorating nearly a century of unwavering commitment to delivering essential health care and emergency aeromedical services to Australians in need.

The 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.

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 Royal Flying Doctor Service prepares a patient for evacuation in outback Australia.

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

Two days later, 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.

CMA chairman, Rick Firman, said the iconic service has been part of outback Australia’s cultural identity for nearly 100 years.

“They save lives and continued quality of life, and provide a critical service to rural and remote communities,” Mr Firman said.

(from left) Annabey Whitehead from the RFDS, with CMA board member John Medcalf, Country Mayors Association of NSW chairman Rick Firman.

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.

The RFDS currently operates across more than 80 rural and remote communities, providing healthcare access to approximately 1.8 million residents.

In many of these areas, the RFDS is the only available healthcare provider, delivering services including aeromedical retrievals, patient transfers, primary healthcare, mental health support and dental care.

Rural and remote communities continue to experience significant disadvantage, particularly in

relation to access to healthcare services and health outcomes. Across Western New South Wales,

mortality rates are substantially higher than the state average, including 27 per cent higher for heart

disease, 46 per cent higher for diabetes, and 75 per cent higher for chronic lung disease. Hospitalisation rates are also elevated, reflecting the ongoing challenges faced by regional communities in accessing timely and appropriate healthcare.

RFDS NSW and ACT CEO Greg Sam delivered a presentation at the CMA’s May meeting, which began with a compelling video showcasing the breadth and reach of the RFDS’s work across vast distances and challenging terrain and conditions across rural and remote NSW.

“The video offered a vivid and at times moving illustration of the profound and life-changing outcomes the Flying Doctor Service delivers for rural and remote Australians – many of whom have no other access to emergency or specialist healthcare,” Mr Firman said.

“For those who rely on this safety net, it is priceless.”

“On behalf of the CMA Board and members, I have written to our Premier, Chris Minns, and our NSW Regional Health Minister, Ryan Park, to express our strong and unanimous support for the RFDS,” he said.