Australia's Royal Flying Doctor marks 80 years of service

17/05/2008 09:57:08

The Royal Flying Doctor Service is celebrating 80 years of providing health services to the Australian bush

On this day in 1928 the first Flying Doctor flight took off from Cloncurry in north east Queensland to answer a call from the neighbouring town of Julia Creek.

Their first aircraft was a biplane called 'Victory' which had only the most basic instruments and no radio.

The Australian Medical Association says the Royal Flying Doctor Service is the first and the largest aero-medical organisation in the world.

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