John Flynn's Memorial and the Royal Flying Doctor Service
On the edge of Alice Springs, along the highway that leads into the desert, is a memorial to a remarkable man. Burnt orange like the surrounding landscape, it sits in the shadow of the MacDonnell Ranges in Central Australia. The memorial commemorates the life of John Flynn, who served the people of the outback by creating the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the 'mantel of safety' over the remote outback. It is fitting that the memorial to this man lies on the country to which he devoted his life's work.
Born in Central Victoria in 1880, Flynn first heard tales of Australia's vast inland
reaches from his father's business contacts who recounted stories about an
unsuccessful venture into the outback. This sparked Flynn's imagination,
igniting within him a dream to see the red soil and unending blue sky of remote
Australia.
Flynn trained as a teacher, but in 1903 he
began to study theology at Ormond College at the University of Melbourne. He
was ordained as a minister of the Presbyterian Church in 1911. Although years
had passed since the conversations he'd listened to between his father's friends,
Flynn had not forgotten his initial interest in the inland reaches of
Australia. He worked as a minister in regional churches in Victoria and
developed his knowledge of missions and outreach programs. In 1911, he took the
plunge and traveled to Smith of Dunsek, 500km north of Adelaide. Within a year
he was on his way to the Northern Territory.
He visited Darwin and Katherine and the surrounding areas. His reports back to the General Assembly in the Uniting Church were well-received and he was appointed head of the newly formed Australian Inland Mission. In 1917, a young pilot who was later killed in World War One sent Flynn a letter proposing the use of aviation to help serve the far-flung communities of the Outback. The first step on the path to the Royal Flying Doctor Service had been taken.
Flynn liaised with the head of QANTAS, and
in 1928, the first flight of the Royal Flying Doctor's Service commenced. On
board were the pilot and the first doctor of the service, Dr. Kenyon St Vincent
Welch. Subsequent flights were usually made during the day due to visibility,
and fuel dumps were established in suitable locations. Airstrips for landing
were rudimentary - often claypans, or hastily cleared bush. In the first year
of its functioning, the RFDS undertook 50 flights to 26 locations. Later, the
invention of a pedal generator allowed the mid-flight radio to be created, and
people from outstations were able to radio in when they needed medical assistance.
Flynn married in 1932 at the age of 51. Flynn's wife Jean supported him in continuing his work. Advances in radio
helped connect remote communities even further, and the School of The Air was
established in Alice Springs in 1951. Flynn passed away in the same year,
having spent his working life dedicated to the people of the outback.
Across this vast continent, his name was
mourned by those who had depended on his innovations, and those who had heard
of his work and respected him. His memorial outside of Alice Springs is today a
popular tourist attraction, but to the people of inland Australia, he means
much more. He will forever be remembered as someone who cared, and someone who
was willing to put that care into action.