Construction of the new $31.8 million Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) (Queensland Section) and LifeFlight Mount Isa base is approaching the halfway stage with some exterior walls going up in place in the past week.
The new joint RFDS (Queensland Section) and LifeFlight base, funded by the Federal and State Governments along with generous support from donors, will provide a vital aeromedical hub for the Mount Isa region.
The base is being constructed with concrete tilt panels, resulting in a faster build time and less maintenance required once construction is complete.
Ninety-two per cent of materials and trades for the base were sourced locally with local job creation also a core focus of the project.
Builder Newlands expected the walls to be up before Christmas.
RFDS (Queensland Section) CEO Meredith Staib said the speed at which the base is developing is exciting for everyone involved.
“The entire organisation is looking forward to seeing the base operational so we can house our entire Mount Isa team under the one roof,” Ms Staib said.
“The RFDS (Queensland Section) has serviced the North West for almost 100 years and this new facility will ensure we can continue to make a positive difference in the lives of those who live, work and travel across the region.”
LifeFlight CEO Ashley van de Velde OAM, said the base’s footprint was larger than Mount Isa Airport, which highlighted its importance to the region.
“This will be a base the whole North West community can take ownership of, which is why we made a decision to use local materials and trades as much as possible,” Mr van de Velde said.
“Once operational, and working with our friends at the RFDS, we’ll be able to meet the growing demands on our services from the region.”
Construction of the new base is expected to be complete by mid next year.
