Portal:Australia/Featured picture/Week 8, 2007

A sign on Eyre Highway indicating that a RFDS emergency airstrip is ahead. There are 4 such strips on the highway.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (RFDS, informally known as The Flying Doctors) is an air ambulance service for those living in the remote inland areas of Australia. It is a not-for-profit organisation which provides both emergency assistance and primary health care to people who cannot easily access a hospital or general practice due to the prohibitive distances of the Outback. The service, founded in 1928 by The Reverend John Flynn, also assists with distance education.

Photo credit: Hossen