Tea Gardens Uniting Church to show Frontier Services historical presentation Myall Coast Myall Coast - popup ad by News Of The Area - Modern Media - September 21, 2023 Dr Fred McKay using the pedal radio – a new invention to give communication to the outback people – this setup was used for all his communications, and he installed many in outback Queensland homesteads. A SPECIAL service at the Tea Gardens Uniting Church will double as a fundraiser for the Frontier Services, with special links to locals providing some beautiful historical imagery, at 9am on Sunday, 24 September. Beginning life as part of the ‘Inland Mission’ more than a century ago, Frontier Services (renamed in 1977) was started by Dr John Flynn in 1912 as a reach-out mission to the people in the farthest-flung places of the great Australian outback, where basic human services and medical care were very hard to come by. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au The talk will be led by Margaret Wheatley, whose father, Dr Fred McKay, took over the running of Frontier Services from Dr Flynn in 1951, and feature videos on the work done by the organisation, and some of the people whom they have helped. The talk will also be a chance for locals to contribute to the fundraising that helps to support the current work of Frontier Services across remote and regional Australia. Even in 2023, Frontier Services, and its sister organisations like Dr Flynn’s other creation, the Royal Flying Doctors Service, are vital to the wellbeing and welfare of inland Australians. “Victims of recent floods, droughts and mice plagues have all been supported by the ‘Bush Chaplains’ – church ministers who travel around visiting people from mining and farming and indigenous communities who need help and are going through tough times,” Mrs Wheatley told NOTA. “My father was a ‘Patrol Padre’,” Mrs Wheatley explained, “an early version of today’s Bush Chaplains, and this combines my connection to the Frontier Services on a personal level to the work that goes on today – with much more sophisticated communications! “The RFDS (then called the Aerial Medical Service) was started around this time too, and the communication factor was vitally important to those beginnings.” It is all part of a very significant piece of Australian history that Margaret is, understandably, very passionate about, and wishes to share with others. By Thomas O’KEEFE
