The Royal Flying Doctor Service may be marking its 80th birthday this year but it’s not the only organisation celebrating the milestone. The Presbyterian Church of Australia is pretty happy about it, too.
It was the Presbyterian minister, Rev John Flynn, who first dreamt of taking flight to offer medical services in the outback and today he is revered for his insight and dedication to God’s work in establishing what became the world’s first comprehensive aerial medical organisation.

This year the Service is celebrating not only John Flynn’s dream but the incredible technological advances in medicine, aviation and communication which have allowed the Flying Doctor to bring the Bush and coastal cities closer, along with the spirit of Australians whose courage continues to inspire the RFDS to provide excellence in aero-medical and primary health care across Australia.

The Presbytery of Western Australia in May this year resolved to take several actions in relation to the RFDS anniversary: to note with thankfulness to God that May 17 2008 marks the 80th anniversary of the very first flying doctor flight, when the VICTORY flew Dr K St. Vincent Welsh from Cloncurry to Julia Creek (Queensland)and back as part of the ministry of the Australian Aerial Medical Services of the Australian Inland Mission of the Presbyterian Church of Australia; note that the Royal Flying Doctor Service (West Australian Section) is currently facing unprecedented calls on its services and commend its work to the support of the congregations and people of the Presbyterian Church in Western Australia as a charitable organisation.
Presbyterian Inland Mission (PIM) Superintendent, Stuart Bonnington, said the PIM, which is the successor ministry in the Presbyterian Church of Australia to the Australian Inland Mission founded in 1912 with Dr Flynn as its first Superintendent, was very proud of its links with the RFDS.

“A ministry of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, the PIM has an expanding network of patrol ministries in Western Australia, South Australia, NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory,” he said.

“The PIM is also involved in a growing range of caring/Philanthropic/community assistance activities - including the provision of relief to assist with the impact of drought, isolation, suffering and medical emergencies. These ministries and activities are offered freely to all and any of the people of the great Outback and Inland of the Commonwealth of Australia, in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.
“For many who live within the ever expanding ministry areas of the PIM, life continues to be very hard indeed. This makes the labour of the patrol teams of the PIM more and more demanding but also increasingly important, as by the power of the Holy Spirit they touch a growing number of people with Christian love.”