Reverend John Flynn

The Very Reverend John Flynn, OBE, DD, "Flynn of the Inland" was born at Moliagul, central Victoria on 25 November, 1880.

The third child of Thomas and Rosetta, John was raised in Sydney by his mother’s sister after his mother died during childbirth. When he was five, John was reunited with his family at Snake Gully, near Ballarat.

The Flynn family later moved to Sunshine in Melbourne's western suburbs. Here John first heard romantic tales about Australia's vast outback when his father's business partners mounted an unsuccessful business venture to the far north of the country.

Graduating from secondary school in 1898 John began school teaching. In 1903, he joined the ministry and studied theology at Ormond College, at the University of Melbourne. Initially he financed his studies working at Church Home Missionary Centres around Victoria and in 1907 commenced a four year course in divinity at Melbourne University. Flynn graduated in 1910 and was ordained as a Minister of the Presbyterian Church on 24 January, 1911. 
 
Throughout his training, Flynn continued to develop an interest in working in the Outback and helped other Presbyterian Ministers like Donald Cameron and Andrew Barber with missionary work in rural and remote areas throughout Victoria and South Australia. Flynn and Barber published "The Bushman's Companion¨, a very popular book of information and hints for people in the bush. In early 1911 however, John was on the road to the real outback.
In February, John Flynn arrived at the tiny Smith of Dunesk Mission at Beltana, over 500 kms north of Adelaide, South Australia. At Beltana, he saw first hand the rigours of outback life and learnt there was no medical care available to inland residents and travellers.

Within a year he was commissioned to prepare a report on life in the Northern Territory, to be presented to the Presbyterian Church in 1912. After conferences in Melbourne and Sydney, he travelled by ship to Darwin where he visited Katherine, Bathurst Island and Adelaide River researching his paper. Flynn's report which included proposals for Inland Missions, prompted the General Assembly to act upon his recommendations and they appointed Flynn the head of a new organisation, the Australian Inland Mission (AIM).

John Flynn was 51 when he married the secretary of AIM, Miss Jean Baird in 1932. The years to follow saw Australia struggle through the Great Depression and Mrs Flynn became a great support to her visionary and hard-working husband.

Flynn, was twice Moderator General of the Presbyterian Church. In May 1950, Flynn attended what was to be his last Flying Doctor Council meeting; sadly he died of cancer in May the following year. Flynn was cremated and his ashes placed at rest under the Flynn Memorial, just west of Alice Springs at Mount Gillen - the very centre of the vast territory to which he brought communication, medical comfort and pastoral care.

The burial service for Flynn was linked up to the Flying Doctor network and was heard at remote stations and settlements across the outback.

The RFDS and the AIM are working testimonials to Flynn's drive and vision.
 
Flynn once said "If you start something worthwhile - nothing can stop it.¨ 

A former Governor General of Australia, Sir William Slim once said of Flynn "His hands are stretched out like a benediction over the Inland.¨

The Australian Council Office collaborated with the Reserve Bank of Australia in 1994 on the design of the twenty dollar note, which features the face of the founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, the Very Reverend John Flynn.

Rev John Flynn timeline

25 November 1880
Born at Moliagul in Victoria to Thomas and Rosetta Flynn, their third child and second son
 
1898-1903
A teacher with the Victorian Education Department
 
1903-1907
Home Mission appointed with the Presbyterian Church

1907
Enrolled at Ormond College for training as a Minister, in same year published "Bushman's Companion", a book of 111 pages of which 4,000 copies were printed.
 
1911
Ordained as a Minister for the PResbyterian Church in Adelaide, for work in South Australia
 
1912
Presented his report on the Northern Territory and Central Australia to the Home and Foreign Missions Board.  From this report came the Australian Inland Mission
 
1913
Flynn commenced the production of the "Inlander", a quarterly magazine that continued until November 1929.
 
1919
The "Inlander" printed an article on outback aviation and its potential
 
1920
Second article written by Flynn, entitled "Flying Doctor-why not?"
 
1925
Flynn met Alf Traeger for the first time in Adelaide.  In the same year, Flynn was made a member of the Wireless Institute of Australia.
 
1926
Northern Territory Pastoral Association urged the Federal Government to establish a wireless at every outback Police Station.  Also in this year, the A.I.M approved the establishment of an Aerial Medical Service, and Traeger joined Flynn in October as his wireless expert.
 
1927
The "Wireless Weekly" published an article by Flynn on February 4 entitled "Bush Wireless".  This was the year the slogan "Mantle of Safety" was first introduced.  Flynn used it in an article published in the October issue of the "Inlander." 1927 also saw Cloncurry selected as the Base for the A.I.M Aerial Medical Service. "Medical Journal of Australia of December 24 carried an advertisment for a Flying Doctor and offered a salary of 1 000 pouds per annum, with travelling expenses and an insurance cover of 2 000 pounds. There were 23 applicants and Dr Kenyon St Vincent Welch was appointed.
 
1928
Cloncurry Base established March 27 and Dr Welch arrived on May 15 and performed his first duty on May 17.
 
1929
Traeger is joined by Harry Kinzbrunner in a search to establish a good communication network by morse key.  By the end of 1929 five out-stations were operational.
 
1930
Flynn's idea of a Frontier Medical Service, as a national organisation.  Traeger commences investigation into his "typewriter" Morse key and some 70 were produced.
 
1931
Flynn at age 51 married Miss Jean Baird, then secretary of  A.I.M.  She survived Flynn and died in 1976.
 
1933
Admitted to the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
 
1934
Air/groud radio communication was proved to be possible with a test conducted on July 31.  In the same year, radio-telephone was introduced. Flyinn fought for and won the establishment of an Aerial Medical Service, Australia-wide.  On August 23, 1934, Victoria established a Section of the A.A.M.S and in the same year Western Australia decided it would follow but their service did not become a registered company until July 1936.
 
1936
Australian film entitled "The Flying Doctor" was screened in Sydney in Spetember and created much interest and drew a flow of donations. 
 
1939
The Queensland Section was established on April 26.  By November, all states had an A.A.M.S. in operation and Flynn's dream was realised.  There were 200 outpost radios, six aircraft, each with pilot and doctor, serving 2 1/2 million suqare miles
 
1939-42
Appointed Moderator-General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia.  In 1942, A.A.M.S. became "The Flying Doctor Service."
 
1950
Flynn attended his last meeting of the Federal Flying Doctor Council
 
1951
Flynn died on May 5.  HIs body was cremated and his ashes rest under the Flynn Memorial Stones at Alice Springs.  His wife's ashes were also placed there in 1976.
 
1955
The prefix "Royal" was added to our title.
 
1956
Flynn Memorial Church was opened in Alice Springs