Explore a timeline of our 100 year history in caring for country kids from Central West, NSW.
1924: Cobar-based Reverend Stanley Gillick Drummond conceives the idea for the Far West Children’s Health Scheme (now known as Royal Far West).
1931: Recognising the need to bring basic paediatric services to NSW’s rural and remote communities, the first of four innovative Rail Clinic Cars is established as a mobile baby health clinic, providing mothers and babies with vital care as it travels on the Cobar railway lines.
1935: A travelling Dental Clinic is introduced, with Dr Walter Wearn and his wife Polly Wearn providing the first comprehensive dental service to country children in Central West NSW.
1936: Grenfell branch opens to support The Far West.
1937: Dubbo branch opens to raise funds for The Far West.
1939: Forbes branch opens to help the Far West’s mission expand.
1951: The outbreak of polio sees The Far West evolve to meet the changing needs of many country children living in Central West NSW, with the creation of a fully staffed in-house Splint and Surgical Boot-Making Department, with calipers, crutches, splints and boots being made and fitted for children in need.
1961: The Far West services expand, with Mobile Car Clinics introduced in Central West NSW.
2010: RFW pilots the Telecare for Kids program at Narromine Public School. This model has since been integrated into all of our services.
2011: RFW’s Paediatric Developmental Program, now known as Child and Family Services, begins its renewed focus on helping children and families from rural and remote areas to access high-quality child development care, with some of the first participants coming from small towns around Dubbo and Grenfell.
2019: RFW’s Community Recovery Services team begins to provide support to country children and families affected by disasters. Some of our first outreach trips were to the Central West.
2024: RFW’s Schools and Early Years Services team continues to travel extensively in the Central West, visiting local schools to care for country kids right at the source.
