Page 50 - RFDS TASMANIA - Senior Health Studies presentation _ Final Version v4_Neat

Our History on

$20

The Australian $20 note
depicts the story of founder of the RFDS,
the Rev. John Flynn

In the clear window is the compass because in 1913, 15 years
before aeroplanes brought medical assistance to the Outback,
‘Flynn of the Inland’ and his Patrol Padres were reaching the pioneers
of central Australia on camels, using a compass for navigation. Flynn
purchased 5 camels in 1913 for his patrol padres.

In the bottom right hand corner is one of Flynn’s padres, the Rev. College
Harland, riding a camel named ‘Char’.

On the left is the aircraft ‘Victory’, the timber and fabric bi-plane leased in 1928
from the newly established Q.A.N.T.A.S for two shillings per mile flown.

Our first pilot, Arthur Affleck, flew our very first ‘flying doctor’, Kenyon St Vincent
Welch, in this DH50 from Cloncurry to Julia Creek to visit a newly established
bush nursing centre. The distance travelled was 85 miles.

Beneath Victory is the pedal-operated radio receiver, invented by Alfred Traeger
in 1929, to enable people living on isolated stations to call for emergency help
from the ‘Flying Doctor’. A Traeger Transceiver is on exhibit at the Launceston
RFDS Base.

Just to the right of the pedal radio is the ‘Where Does It Hurt?’ body chart
devised by Sister Lucy Garlick in 1951. Still in use today for remote
consultations, this chart helps a patient clearly identify the region and intensity
of pain or injury to the RFDS Medical Officer who is attending over the radio or
phone.

And of course the portrait of John Flynn. There are not too many organisations
who can boast their founder on the nations’ currency.

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