Indigenous artwork on the newest addition to the RFDS fleet has already become a talking point that is helping to reduce barriers to accessing health services. Photo: Supplied.
A unique vehicle is one way to get the conversation rolling, which is exactly what the Royal Flying Doctor Service’s (RFDS) mental health team has done to reach communities on the Cape.
For the first time, the RFDS Queensland section has decked out two new vehicles to be used in Cooktown, Wujal Wujal, Laura and Kowanyama with Indigenous artwork that represents the journey and spirit of the service’s commitment to First Nations peoples.
“Especially in the Cape, we’ve been advocating internally for a long time to support RFDS to make more prominent steps towards reconciliation,” RFDS Queensland Section Far North mental health manager Jos Middleton said.
“Some of our smaller wins there included the Indigenous artwork on our uniforms that we wear proudly, which was by a local Cooktown artist.
“This was an opportunity to take that to the next level by demonstrating RFDS respect for First Nations people through embracing the artwork on something bigger; we are hopeful this can help bridge the gap, which is really important in the Cape where more than 50 per cent of our clients do identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.”
Ms Middleton said the artwork displayed on the vehicles was part of a larger piece commissioned for the RFDS by David Williams, which featured representations of the services offered, flight pathways across the state and dedication to growth.
“The star on the car is one of the six service elements that has been extracted from the artwork to represent the mental health team,” she said.
With this year’s increase in services across the Cape came the need for new vehicles, Ms Middleton said, adding that they had been able to resume services in Pormpuraaw after having to step away for a year.
“We’ve also increased our services in other communities in the Cape, so it just means that we are not walking on foot so much, we’re able to get around to people’s houses for home visits much easier, or we’re able to use our cars as engagement tools,” she said.
“People in Kowanyama are already coming up to our clinicians, saying, ‘deadly car, the artwork is deadly’, which is great to hear – it’s become a bit of a talking point and it’s reducing barriers to accessing services, which is one of our key targets.”
The new livery on the RFDS vehicles has become a conversation starter in communities across Cape York. Photo: Supplied.
