About Us ... In the beginning
Mackay's emergency services were overwhelmed by a major, multi-vehicle road crash in an isolated area near Lake Elphinstone in 1992.
Thankfully, a Mount Isa Mines (MIM) helicopter flew to the aid of those involved, transferring them to Mackay Base Hospital and helping ensure they all survived.
This incident highlighted the need for a rescue helicopter to service the many areas of Central Queensland that were remote or difficult to access by ambulance.
Hospital and ambulance workers called a meeting to discuss the establishment of a life-saving helicopter rescue service, and work to secure the Central Queensland Helicopter Rescue Service began.
It took a few years for the service to secure the finances to get its own chopper off the ground, however, Mount Isa Mines was kind enough to share its helicopter at cost price during that time.
The MIM helicopter responded to 192 calls for help throughout Central Queensland between 1992 and July 1995, with pilot Ken Phillips donating much of his time.
An official committee was elected on December 8, 1994, and Central Queensland Helicopter Rescue Service Limited was officially registered.
Mackay City Council gave the group $1000 to cover its initial expenses, and it was then decided to employ a full-time fundraiser to help gather the $300,000 needed to secure the Queensland Government's support.
The Cook Foundation threw its support behind the service, pledging $100,000 a year for five years to help get the rescue helicopter off the ground. Additional support from major sponsors and CFMEU members further boosted the service's bank balance and it wasn't long before it got off the ground.
CQ RESQ hadn't even been commissioned when it flew its first mission to Hayman Island, where a woman was critically unwell with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, on August 27, 2006.
Hospital employees were helping fit out the helicopter when the call came in, but they climbed on board and completed the service's first life-saving mission.
The first official flight for CQ RESQ was on 1st September 1996.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
Latest News
Rescue helicopter tasked to Proserpine
RACQ CQ Rescue was tasked to Proserpine Hospital this afternoon for a 68 year old female who was holidaying on the Queen Mary 2 cruise ship. When it docked at Shute Harbour she was taken to the Proserpine hospital for treatment. Due to the seriousness of her condition she was airlifte...
Snake bites pregnant woman
RACQ CQ Rescue was tasked to Collinsville Hospital where a pregnant woman had presented with puncture marks to her right foot. The woman had apparently been bitten on her foot by a snake although she had not seen or felt the snake or its bite. A swab of the patient's foot tested positive for venom...
Crew tasked to Dysart
The RACQ CQ Rescue crew was tasked to Dysart again today. The patient, a 25 year old man from Roma, was suffering from a suspected cardiac condition and was transferred from Dysart Hospital to Mackay Base Hospital for further observation and treatment....
4 year old boy transfered from Dysart
RACQ CQ Rescue crew was tasked to Dysart for a 4 year old boy today. The boy was suffering severe breathing difficulties and was airlifted to the Mackay Base Hospital for medical treatment. The young patient was a little apprehensive at first but had settled prior to take off, arriving at Macka...
Crew in Mackay and Brisbane kept busy
Both RACQ CQ Rescue crews in Mackay and Brisbane attended to cardiac patients today. The Mackay crew lifted off from Mackay Airport at 8.45am this morning bound for Dysart to retrieve a 49 year old Yeppoon man who had suffered what appeared to be a heart attack. The man was in a serious condition ...
RACQ CQ Rescue attends Car Vs Bike
The Mackay-based RACQ CQ Rescue has carried out its first mission since the helicopter crew was deployed to Brisbane yesterday morning to assist with aero-medical missions in the South East of the State. At 10.10am this morning the crew who is based at Archerfield was tasked to an accident involvin...
False Alarm
The crew of RACQ CQ Rescue has spent almost 4 ½ hours searching for a beacon signal which appears to be have been deliberately activated and discarded at Connor Island, part of the Guardfish Cluster, 45 NM south east of Mackay. After several hours of searching this morning from 8.30am, the c...
Traumatic eye injury
The rescue crew made their way to Moranbah at 12:50pm to collect a 35 year old male Moranbah resident. The man suffered an eye injury after his left eye made contact with a spinning ceiling fan whist ascending a ladder. He was taken to the Moranbah hospital and stabilized before being airlifted...
Bowen man airlifted
The RACQ CQ Rescue Helicopter left Mackay at 12:25pm to transfer a 56 year old Bowen man from the Bowen Hospital to the Mackay Base Hospital. The man was suffering from a suspected Cardiac Condition. He was transferred to Mackay in a serious but stable condition arriving at 2:36pm...
Four year old boy airlifted from Clermont
Just after arriving back to Mackay the crew were called out at 10:30pm to retrieve a four year old boy from Clermont. The local Clermont boy had suffered a broken leg from a serious fall. He was stabilized by the doctor on board the CQ Rescue helicopter and was then airlifted back to the Mackay Base...
CQ Rescue tasked to Hamilton Island
RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter was flown to Hamilton Island today at 6:25pm to retrieve a 64 year old female. The lady from New South Wales had serious stomach pains; she was assessed by the paramedic on board the CQ Rescue helicopter before being airlifted back to the Mackay Base Hospital where she will...
serious medical condition Hayman Island
After returning from Dysart this afternoon the RACQ CQ Rescue crew were asked to carry out an aeromedical evacuation to Hayman Island arriving at 8:25pm to retrieve a 23 year old male. The man had a serious medical condition and was airlifted back to Mackay Base Hospital arriving at ...
81 year old man suffers serious fall
RACQ CQ Rescue was called out to Dysart at 1:10pm to retrieve an 81 year old Male. The local Dysart man had a serious fall and had broken his left hip. The Doctor on board the CQ Rescue helicopter stabilized the man at the scene and he was then airlifted back to the Mackay Base Hospital where he wil...
Search for man after motor vehicle accident
RACQ CQ Rescue was tasked by The Queensland Police Service this morning to assist with a search for a male person who had decamped from an accident scene earlier this morning. He was involved in a 2 vehicle accident on the highway at the Sandy Creek bridge. He was last scene running into nearby...
RACQ CQ Rescue bound for Townsville
The RACQ CQ Rescue crew left Mackay bound for Townsville today at 6:45pm. On board the rescue helicopter was a five day old baby girl and her Mother. The little girl required urgent specialized medical care which required her to be transported to The Townsville Hospital. She was in a stable conditio...
NSW women suffers medical problem on Hamilton Island
The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter was tasked to Hamilton Island at 8:15pm to retrieve a 69 year old female from NSW. The female was suffering from a serious medical problem. She was assessed by the doctor before being transported back to the Mackay Base Hospital for further observation and treatment. Th...
Rescue helicopter off to Moranbah
Later this afternoon the RACQ CQ Rescue crew were tasked to Moranbah at 4:20pm to retrieve a 47 year old male from Kelso. The male had a serious medical condition and was assessed on scene by the Paramedic on board the CQ Rescue helicopter. The man was flown back to Mackay airport in a serious ...
CQ Rescue helicopter kept busy
The RACQ CQ Rescue Helicopter was kept busy again today with a 43 year old male who suffered a severely dislocated right shoulder while boating around Percy Island this morning. He was taken to a beach on Middle Island where the helicopter landed to airlift him back to Mackay Base Hospital. He ...
Rescue crew to Middle Island
The RACQ CQ Rescue crew were tasked to Middle Island at 11:34am today to retrieve a 43 year old male from Surfers Paradise. The male had a serious fall and sustained a dislocated right shoulder, he was assessed by the doctor on board the RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter and was flown back to Mackay Base Ho...
RACQ CQ Rescue crew to Carmilla
The RACQ CQ Rescue crew were tasked to Carmilla at 9:15am to retrieve a 62 year old male. The local Carmilla man had fallen off the tray of a truck and had suspected head injuries. He was flown to the Townsville General Hospital, he is in a serious condition where he will undergo further observation...
Rescue crew tasked to Clermont
Prior to arriving back to Mackay the RACQ CQ Rescue crew were re tasked at 3:40pm to collect a 61 year old male from Clermont. The male had a post operation infection, he was stabilised by the doctor on board the CQ Rescue helicopter and was then flown back to the Mackay Base Hospital arriving ...
CQ Rescue crew tasked to Hayman Island
The RACQ CQ Rescue crew were tasked to Hayman Island at 11:35am to retrieve a 13 year old boy who was a resident of Hayman Island. While water skiing the boy dislocated his right knee. He was assessed by the paramedic on board the Rescue Helicopter and was then airlifted back to the Mackay Base Hosp...
Fourth person retrieved in 24 hours
It has been a very busy day for the RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter, this being the fourth person to be retrieved in the past 24 hours. RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter left Mackay at mid day to Hayman Island for a eight month old baby boy from Switzerland who had sustained suspected electrical burns t...
Missing fisherman Continued ....
After refuelling the aircraft RACQ CQ Rescue recommenced the search for the missing fisherman. The 28 year old male from Mackay was located by the rescue helicopter at approximately 7:30am. He was located at Creal Reef, after leaving his mother ship at False Reef. During the night the fisherman acti...
Busy day for RACQ CQ Rescue
Prior to commencing the search for the missing fisherman at first light RACQ CQ Rescue was called to a medical emergency on Hamilton Island for two patients. The first patient was a six month old baby girl from New South Wales she was suffering from severe breathing problems. The second p...
Missing Fisherman
On New Years Day the RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter was tasked by Queensland Police Service to commence a search for a missing fisherman approximately 180 kilometers North East of Mackay. At this stage it is believed he is a professional fisherman and has gone missing from his mothership the "Dragon 1". ...
Crew tasked to Proserpine
The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter was tasked to Proserpine this afternoon for a 31 year old male who had a critical abdominal condition. He was flown to The Mackay Base Hospital for treatment and evaluation....
Rescue crew off to Clermont
The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter was tasked to Clermont at approximately 10:45 am for a 66 year old Vietnam Veteran who had suffered from a vehicle roll over the previous evening. After waking the next morning, the man presented himself to medical services in Clermont for treatment. The Mans condition ...
Christmas Day Retrievals
At 9:37pm the RACQ CQ Rescue crew were tasked to Flaggy Rock to retrieve a 39 year old male who had sustained injuries from a motorcycle accident. He was treated on the scene by the CQ Rescue Doctor. The male was in a stable condition and was airlifted back to the Mackay Base Hospital for further ob...
Rescue crew to Ball Bay
RACQ CQ Rescue was tasked to Ball Bay to retrieve a 23 year old Male. The male suffered upper body injuries and a broken leg when the motorcycle he was riding hit a tree. He was treated at the scene by the RACQ CQ Rescue Doctor on board and was then airlifted back to the Mackay Base Hospital for fur...
Crew tasked to Collinsville
The RACQ CQ Rescue crew were tasked to Collinsville to retrieve a 30 year old male who had suffered an injury to his left leg just below the knee, while working with a post hole digger. The male was stabilized and taken to the Mackay Base Hospital for further observation and treatment....
Third person to fall from heights in a week
The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter was tasked to Bowen at 9.30 pm to transport a patient that had fallen approx 2m from a ladder. The aircraft arrived back at Mackay Base Hospital at midnight with the 61 year old male in a stable condition, where he will undergo further treatment for...
Rescue crew tasked to Carmila
The RACQ CQ Rescue crew were tasked to Carmila for a 17 year old male.The male patient was in a tree at Carmila when he fell approximately 2 meters to the ground injuring his leg. The 17 year old has suspected fractures and he was treated at the scene prior to be airlifted to the Mackay Base Hospita...
Rescue crew tasked to Proserpine and Creal Reef
The RACQ CQ Rescue Helicopter was tasked to The Proserpine Hospital early this afternoon in relation to a 2 year old boy from Brisbane who had suffered a seizure. He was stabilised at the Proserpine Hospital prior to being airlifted back to the Mackay Base Hospital in a serious but stable condition ...
CQ Rescue tasked to South Molle Island
The RACQ CQ Rescue crew were tasked to South Molle Island for a 19 year old Male who was swimming with friends off the Island when he felt a sting on his neck. Th man started to present with symptoms associated with an Urikanji sting. The 19 year old was treated with pain relief by the CQ Resc...
Rescue crew tasked to Gloucester Bay
The RACQ CQ Rescue Helicopter crew were tasked to Gloucester Bay at 3:40pm to retrieve a 72 year old male. The male had fallen and had had constant short term memory loss since the fall. He was airlifted in a stable condition to the Mackay Base Hospital arriving at 6:10pm and requires scans and furt...
Rescue crew to Collinsville
The RACQ CQ Rescue crew were tasked to Collinsville at 12:21pm to retrieve a 35 year old female patient with a medical condition. Once the RACQ CQ Rescue Helicopter landed at the Collinsville Hospital and the Doctor had stabilised the patient she was then airlifted to the Mackay Base Hospital to und...
Search along Bucasia Beach
The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter was tasked at 5:10 pm this afternoon to conduct a coastal search of an area along Bucasia Beach and around Shoal Point for a missing French National whom was last seen at 5:00 am this morning. The Female backpacker had gone missing and police feared she may have entere...
CQ Rescue crew tasked to Lindeman Island
The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter was tasked to Lindeman Island for a 19 year old female with burns. The female patient was in a stable condition and was then transported back to The Mackay Base Hospital where she under go treatment and observation....
English Woman collected from Hook Island
The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter was tasked to Hook Island at around 2.00 pm for a 55 year old female that was suffering from a serious medical condition. The English woman was on a yacht when she became ill and was taken to Hook Island. She was stablised by the helicopter crew before being transporte...
CQ Rescue tasked to Moranbah
The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter was tasked to Moranbah just before midday today for a 45 year old male who was suffering from severe and constant head pain. The man from Burdell was airlifted to the Mackay Base Hospital where he will be further assessed he arrived in a stable condition....
Burdell man airlifted to Mackay Base Hospital
The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter was tasked to Moranbah just before midday today. A 45 year old male was suffering from constant headaches. The man from Burdell was airlifted to the Mackay Base Hospital, he arrived in a stable condition, and he will stay for further assessme...
Rescue crew tasked to Proserpine
RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter was tasked to Proserpine around 1.00 pm today, for an aeromedical transfer or a 61 year old Male. The man was suffering from injuries sustained from a serious fall at his Proserpine residence. He was stabilised before being airlifted to the Mackay Base Hospital to unde...
RACQ CQ Rescue tasked to Waitara
RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter was tasked to Waitara around 11:30am for a 35 year old Male that was suffering from chest pain. The Western Australian man was stabilised on site by the RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter Doctor and Paramedic before being transported to Mackay Base Hospital for further treatme...
CQ Rescue off to Collinsville
RACQ CQ Rescue was tasked to Collinsville at 1:00pm for a patient who was suffering from serious abdominal pain. The 35 year old male from Mackay was treated on the scene and then transported back to Mackay Base Hospital in a stable condition for further observation and treatment....
Rescue crew tasked to Hayman Island
The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter and its crew were tasked to Hayman Island in regard to a 48 year old female staff member. She was airlifted back to the Mackay Base Hospital for further treatment arriving at 1.00 pm in a stable condition....
RACQ Rescue Crew bound for Townsville
The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter crew left Mackay bound for Townsville with a male patient on board. The 58 year old Mackay resident had suffered a heart attack and required urgent treatment from specialists in Townsville. It's believed the man was resuscitated after his cardiac arrest and was in a st...
RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter tasked to Dysart
The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter was tasked to Dysart to airlift a 30 year old male who had struck a kangaroo while riding his motorbike. He was found lying on the side of the road outside Dysart with a broken collar bone and taken to the Dysart Hospital. The man was assessed at the hospital by the In...
Woman raises alarm after being thrown from vehicle
The RACQ CQ Rescue Helicopter was tasked to a single vehicle rollover on the Bowen Developmental Road, 205km west of Mackay. A 25 year old female station hand was travelling along the road when a kangaroo struck the 4WD. The driver lost control on the dirt road and the vehicle rolled several t...
CQ Rescue crew tasked to Collinsville and Moranbah
The RACQ CQ Rescue Helicopter was tasked at 9:40 am to Collinsville to airlift a 20 year old female who's car had left the road and hit a tree. The woman had sustained pelvic injuries and minor cuts and abrasions. She was treated at the Collinsville hospital prior to being transported to ...
Crew tasked to Clermont and Collinsville
The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter was tasked at 8.00am to Clermont where a 49 year old woman required aeromedical transfer for a serious medical condition. She was transported back to Mackay Base Hospital for assessment and further treatment arriving just after 12.00pm, in a stable condit...
RACQ CQ Rescue to collect cardiac patiemt from Clermont
The RACQ CQ Rescue crew was tasked to Clermont to retrieve a 28 year old man who was suffering from a Cardiac Condition. The Rockhampton man was airlifted back to Mackay Base Hospital in a stable condition for further observation and treatment....
Family of 4 rescued from sinking vessel
A family of four on a sailing trip to Western Australia ran aground this morning at around 3:00 am. The vessel was said to have broken its mooring during the night and after hitting rocks, started taking on water. The family jumped into their inflatable liferaft and paddled to some rocks. ...
Busy day over the Whitsundays for the RACQ CQ Rescue team
The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter crew were kept on their feet today. The first task was at 9.00 am to Hamilton Island for a patient that was suffering from a critical medical condition. The female patient from Brisbane was treated on Hamilton Island and then transported back to Mackay Ba...
Missing Plane
The Mackay-based RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter was tasked to Emerald last night with the crew departing Mackay Airport at 10pm. They were tasked by AUSSAR in Canberra to search for an over-due light plane which is missing while on a pre-purchase flight in the Emerald region. No EPIRB signal has b...
Vehicle Rollover
The Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Moranbah hospital at 7pm, for a 27 year old female, suffering from an arm injury after a horrific single vehicle rollover. The patient was treated at the Moranbah hospital prior to being stabilized and airlifted back to the Mackay Base Hospital....
Rescue Helicopter tasked to Bowen
The Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Bowen hospital, for a 62 year old local Bowen male, suffering from a severe laceration & fracture of the lower leg after a farming accident. He was treated at the Bowen hospital prior to being stabilized and airlifted back to the Mackay Base Hospital....
