When Emma Turner first discovered her seven-year-old son, Fred, had Type 1 diabetes, they were literally living in the middle of nowhere. The outback Queensland town of Blackhall even boasts a memorial to Australia's famous 'black stump'! But after Fred's symptoms suddenly became life threatening, Emma found herself sitting next to the pilot in the cockpit of an RFDS plane, with her gravely ill son on board.  ********** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is...

When transport company owners, Ella Reindler and her husband Dave, set out on ‘one last trucking trip’ from Perth to the remote Kimberley, they knew it would likely be their last road trip together as a couple, before their new baby arrived. But nobody expected that, at just 35 weeks pregnant, Ella’s waters would break in the middle of nowhere and hundreds of kilometres away from any medical care.  What followed was an anxious overnight long haul to the nearest hospital, with a very pregnant...

The story of Gayle and Mac Shann has been featured twice on ABC's Australian Story and it has even been voted as Australia's favourite story. After Gayle's life-changing accident on a remote cattle station in Queensland, they have had to adapt to a new life, despite one arm being amputated and the other being paralysed.  **************************** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some...

Barry was travelling with some work colleagues on his way back to Mount Isa from a remote mine site when the driver lost control of the ute, it flipped and Barry was left hanging from his seat belt.  When he released his belt he fell directly on his head, instantly felt pain and saw stars. He knew it was bad. ******** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and...

Danielle and Boyd Keenan live with their two young daughters, August (Augie), 11, and Willa, 9, in Broken Hills, NSW. It is a community they adore and the home where extended family are, but when Augie was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in October 2019, the remote city they love  was a long way away from diabetes treatment. ******** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from...

Jane Oakley-Lohm is a central figure in the story of Marla, a remote township in South Australia that sprung up from a roadhouse created in the 1980's. Jane spent 11 years in Marla and admits she has red dirt in her veins. Though she found it lonely at times, Marla was also the hub of the district and anything that went wrong ended up on Jane's doorstep - which is just more proof that people who live in the outback are strong, courageous and caring people. ** This podcast includes a gory...

Have we become too complacent about snakes? Tom had been parked on the side of a rural road when he stepped out to greet his wife. He felt a small sting or bite on his foot, and bent down to see a small snake disappearing under his car. He was some 30 minutes from a hospital and thought it was no big deal, as it did not hurt. ******** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback...

Melissa Domiati went to hospital to have her wisdom teeth removed and was not particularly  concerned or worried, but the routine procedure went terribly wrong when she had an allergic reaction to the anaesthetic. She woke up two days later, in Perth, in ICU and unable to move. Melissa's poetry can be found here: https://mybook.to/flowersfromthefarm  Details on Melissa's work with the longevity lab can be found...

An avid opal miner, Dan was fossicking alone, when he lost his footing and fell into a deep abandoned mineshaft, some 22 metres (7.5 stories) deep in the earth. No one knew where he was and it took more than 24 hours for the alarm to be called that he was missing. The search for Dan then began. ******** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have...

Adam and his wife Kate were enjoying a family beach holiday with 8 other families. Four of the men went out on a jet ski and blow-up couch to have some fun, but things took an unexpected turn. ******** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is always the best promotion for a podcast – so if you enjoy this podcast, or a...

Shirley is an avid traveller, and as a single older woman, she does not shy away from 4WD tours in some of the remotest parts of South Australia and Northern Territory.  She was out on a tag-about tour and had been feeling good all day but as the sun went down she collapsed by her camp bed and lay on the ground for a number of hours before she was discovered by fellow campers. ******** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey...

Dr Mardi Steere has had a long and fascinating career as a doctor, both in Australia and overseas - but she returned some 5 years ago to her hometown of Adelaide, and joined the Royal Flying Doctor Service, where she now plays a vital role in the delivery of both our emergency medical and our primary health care services in South Australia and Northern Territory. In this interview Mardi talks about how she came to be a doctor, her adventures (many) overseas, and her work today in caring for...

Dr Katrina Starmer works with our RFDS Queensland team. This is not the first time Katrina has been on the Flying Doctor podcast. Look up episode #5 and you will hear about the time Katrina was sent out to pick up a ranger who had been mauled by a crocodile. Katrina tells of how she was inspired to become a Flying Doctor, years ago, when she was out mustering on a remote property that belonged to the family of her school friend. Katrina is also running a wonderful program called Survive25...

Had a lovely, relaxed chat with renowned Australian actor, Stephen Peacocke, who plays flight nurse 'Pete Emerson' on the RFDS TV drama. We talk about growing up in regional NSW, mustering cattle by motor-bike on a remote station, becoming an actor, and then his most recent work on set as 'Pete Emerson'. The 'RFDS' TV drama is available on demand, on 7Plus after Series 1 and 2 aired on Channel 7.  Series 3 is in scripting and will be filmed in 2024 and then coming to screens in Australia and...

Over the last two years, as part of the Endemolshine Australia team, Ian Meadows has been the writer, co-creator and co-producer of 'RFDS' the TV drama that has been filmed and aired on Channel 7 (and now available on-demand on 7Plus). The 'RFDS' show has been aired to broad audiences across Australia and to some 14 countries overseas. Ian has never been personally transported by the RFDS, but as a result of his work he has become intimately involved with our work across the country, so...

Juliette has a severe medical condition that impacts her quality of life and makes every day a challenge. She has been transported by the Royal Flying Doctor Service many times -  several of which were for critical care, and her road ahead will always be a rocky one -- but Juliette is optimistic and she has the support of her loving family. ****** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful...

Back in 2008 Jason was working for Rio Tinto at Jabiru, in the Kakadu National Park in the NT, a full 3 1/2 hours drive from Darwin. He and his wife were living in this remote part of the country when their young son got croup. In this interview we delve into the dramatic story of how his young son was saved, despite storms, a rapidly approaching nightfall, and a toddler who was not breathing well.  We also talk about Jason's current work in the mining industry, running automated equipment...

Steve Mogridge was driving his work vehicle between townships in country Western Australia when he lost all sensation and control of the left side of this body.  Listen to him recount his story on that highway and how he managed to get to help and save his own life. ***** Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have interviewed. Word of mouth is...

Philip lives in regional Victoria with his seeing-eye dog Sally. A few years ago Philip had to get laser surgery on his only eye that had partial sight, and needed help to get to the hospital and back again, so the Royal Flying Doctor Service patient transport service assisted him. This podcast interview is a glimpse into the life of someone who lives independently with a disability (and takes on that challenge with gusto and enthusiasm).  Philip has been listening to the Flying Doctor...

Sarah Ward, a busy working mother, was not feeling great and had increasingly bad stomach pains, but kept putting off getting medical advice as she considered she had just overeaten rich food and needed a lie down and time to recover. She didn't want to use the limited health resources in her remote community, feeling they were needed for other people who were actually unwell -- but not realising she had a ruptured appendix and infection was spreading throughout her body. When this was...

Living in far north Queensland is not for the faint of heart. Emma Jackson lives on Wolverton Station on Cape York Peninsula and in this podcast she talks to what occurred when a guest had a 'widow-maker' heart attack and how her life was saved, and also describes what happened when a large snake tried to eat her son while he was sleeping. ++++ Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful...

Jacinta Jones has been a flight nurse with RFDS Queensland for 17 years and there is little she has not done or experienced. In this episode we get to walk in Jacinta's shoes and learn about the inner workings and 'behind the scenes' of an RFDS flight nurse. learn about the highs, the lows and what she loves about her job. ++++ Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from...

Greg Keynes was mustering cattle by helicopter in a remote part of Western Australia when he experienced engine failure and shortly after found himself in a crumpled mess at the bottom of a gorge. He had a near-death experience but was luckily found and rescued from his perilous circumstance. ++++ Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners and those we have...

Leanne Liddle is an Arrernte woman born and raised in Alice Springs, who tells of growing up in a racist environment, her work as the first Aboriginal policewoman in South Australia, her many touch points with the Flying Doctor, and her current work as one of our RFDS Board members in South Australia/Northern Territory. ++++ Thanks so much for listening to the Flying Doctor Podcast. It is lovely to have you along on the journey with us. There has been some wonderful feedback from listeners...