Flying Doctor Podcast #65:
Jon Readhead belongs to a multicultural family, who despite of having a comfortable job at a major company in Perth decided to go and look for work in managing Aboriginal communities, ending up in Jigalong.
Jigalong is in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, about 165 kilometers east of the township of Newman. The traditional owners of the land are the Martu people, represented by the Western Desert Lands Aboriginal Corporation.
It was established in 1907 as the location for a maintenance and ration store for workmen, who were constructing the well-known rabbit-proof fence, a massive pest exclusion fence, that crossed Western Australia from north to south.
From liaising with the Council of Elders about managing local issues to clearing out the airstrips for the Flying Doctor to land, Jon's journey is one of the most unprecedented stories ahead of its time.
Listen to the full podcast below to find out more about Jon and his family's experiences and relationship with the Royal Flying Doctor Service back in the 70s.
