Our history
“You look after their souls and I will look after their bodies.”
That’s what Dr George Moncrieff Barron told our Cobar-based founder, the Rev. Stanley Drummond, when he learned of his great plans for the children of the Outback.
Established in 1924, Royal Far West has a rich history of innovation, dedication, and determination to improve the health and wellbeing of children who live in rural and remote communities, connecting them to the care they need but cannot otherwise access because of where they live.
As one of Australia’s most enduring and respected charities, we consistently adapt to meet the changing needs of country children and families.
We boldly go where the system stops, to wherever we are needed, using technology to ensure no child and no community is beyond our reach.
1924The Founders
Cobar-based Reverend Stanley Gillick Drummond conceives the idea for the Far West Children’s Health Scheme while recuperating on the beach at Manly. His vision of bringing country kids to the beach for respite quickly becomes a reality.
1925First Far West seaside camp
58 country children attend the first Far West seaside camp. Country children are nominated by local doctors, teachers, beach nurses, clergy, and police to come to the beach for respite. The camps continue for more than 50 years.
1926Medical care arrives
Noticing the outback children’s medical needs and lack of access to health services where they live, Northern Beaches’ Dr George Moncrieff Barron offers his services free-of-charge, serving as our honorary Medical Superintendent for 20 years, during which time our holiday camps evolve into our present day health care offering.
1928/9Manly guesthouse opens
Mrs Elsie E. Hill turns her guesthouse in Wentworth Street, Manly, into a home for the Far West children coming to the city for medical treatment. Mrs Hill is appointed our Scheme’s first Matron and is awarded an MBE in 1956 in recognition of her services to children.
1930The NSW Department of Education provides a teacher
The NSW Department of Education provides a teacher so that the children, some of whom stay 12 months or more with us in Manly, will not miss out on their education.
1931Outback paediatric innovation
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 Bourke, Cobar, and Brewarrina railway lines. Clinic Cars 2, 3 and 4 soon […]
1932First aerial baby clinic takes flight
The innovation continues, with Bourke resident Sid Coleman buying a plane when he realises the need to reach the more isolated areas of NSW, thus enabling the first aerial baby clinic to take flight (possibly the first in the world), and providing the Scheme with this life-changing transport free-of-charge.
1932The Far West Building Fund Committee is formed
The Far West Building Fund Committee is formed to raise funds to build the Drummond Home in Wentworth Street, Manly. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith donates £1,161 towards the project.
1935Travelling Dental Clinic
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 NSW.
1935The Angel of the Outback
Pioneer Australian aviator Nancy Bird (later known as Nancy Bird Walton AO, OBE, ‘the Angel of the Outback’) is recruited by Rev. Stanley Drummond to fly our clinic sisters to the more remote outstations in her Gipsy Moth aeroplane.
1935Committed Branches support The Far West
More than 100 Far West community Branches are in outback NSW, supporting and raising substantial funds for The Far West. Some Branches continue to fundraise for our country kids today.
1938School opens
The NSW Department of Education Far West School formally opens to ensure that country children, some of whom live with us for 12 months or more, will not miss out on an education. Teachers are provided by the NSW Department of Education.
1945Polio impact
The outbreak of polio sees The Far West evolve to meet the changing needs of many country children, leading to 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 afflicted children.
1948Radio station 2PK Parkes supports our kids
Announcer Betty Muzyczuk becomes Radio Station 2PK Parkes Sunshine Club’s familiar voice and face. Over many years the station broadcasts the Scheme’s activities throughout the region, raising awareness and significant funds for The Far West.
1952–59Plans to expand
The two blocks of land on the corner of Wentworth St and South Steyne are acquired for the new Hospital School, which opens in 1959.
1965Mobile car clinics commence
Services expand as Mobile Car Clinics are introduced to support the Rail Car Clinics in regional NSW.
1970Queen Elizabeth II visits
Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne visit, resulting in the granting of the official prefix ‘Royal’. We are now known as “Royal Far West”.
1987Aged Care services
The introduction of Medicare leads to the beginning of aged health care alongside our children’s health services. Our aged care services continue until 2010.
2011Enhanced clinical services for children
Royal Far West evolves once again with the launch of new service programs, including enhanced clinical services for children with complex communication, behavioural and mental health needs.
2013Telecare for Kids begins
Following encouragement from our CEO Lindsay Cane AM to grow and expand the reach of our services, our clinicians innovate to leverage technology to deliver therapy. They develop and evaluate programs, and by 2013 our Telecare for Kids program launches, enabling Royal Far West to reach more country children by offering speech therapy, occupational therapy […]
2015Services expand into QLD & WA
We are invited into remote communities in Queensland and Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia to support children and families with complex needs and trauma.
2017Launch of “The Invisible Children” report
Royal Far West and the Murdoch Institute Children’s Research Institute launch ‘The Invisible Children’ report, an evidence-based review of the state of children’s developmental health in rural and remote Australia, to advocate for country children, families and communities to have greater access to health services.
2018Centre for Country Kids Opens
Royal Far West officially opens Australia’s only integrated health, education and disability service for country children and families, the state-of-the-art Centre for Country Kids. This purpose-built centre supports the growth of the Telecare for Kids Program as well as enhancing other services.
2018Royal Far West wins awards
We receive the Australian Charity Outstanding Achievement Award for out Telecare for Kids program and win the prestigious NSW Mental Health Matters Award for Excellence in Service Delivery.
2019“Stories of The Invisible Children” report
In conjunction with Charles Sturt University, we launch our “Stories of the Invisible Children” report, which examines the lived experiences of children, teachers and community members from rural towns across NSW, building on the evidence presented through our 2017 ‘The Invisible Children’ report.
2019Grant supports national expansion of Telecare for Kids
In recognition of our innovative proposal and deep experience, the Commonwealth Department of Health grants Royal Far West $19.7m over seven years to support the National Paediatric Telecare Service (NPTS). Dedicated to addressing developmental vulnerability through rural preschools and schools across Australia, the funding will see Royal Far West expand our Telecare for Kids program […]
2019CEO Lindsay Cane AM
Royal Far West CEO Lindsay Cane is awarded an AM for significant service to community health, particularly in regional areas.
2019Architects appointed for health and wellbeing campus
Royal Far West appoints two of Australia’s most lauded architects, Glenn Murcutt AO and Angelo Candalepas to design an integrated health and wellbeing campus that is mission driven and will also provide much needed amenity to the Manly community.
2019Bushfire Recovery Program partnership
Royal Far West, in partnership with UNICEF Australia and the Paul Ramsay Foundation, creates the first dedicated recovery program to support children, families and communities to improve their resilience and wellbeing in the long-term aftermath of the devastating summer bushfires.
2020RFW pivots during pandemic
We respond to the global COVID-19 pandemic by pivoting the vast majority of our services to a telehealth model, continuing 80% of our services to support country kids and families.
2021Jacqueline Emery CEO
Jacqueline Emery commences as Royal Far West’s new CEO as Lindsay Cane AM steps aside after a decade in the role.
2023Launch of the Resilient Kids Toolkit
Royal Far West, with support from the Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch Foundation and resources and insights from our partners Emerging Minds Australia and Children’s Health Queensland, launches a free, evidence-based toolkit to help children emotionally impacted by natural disasters. The Toolkit developed by our RFW paediatric and community trauma team provides simple and effective ways […]
2023Services expand into Victoria for the first time
In 2023, we partnered with Rainbow P-12 College to pilot a virtual care program aimed at improving access to health and wellbeing services for children in the remote town of Rainbow, within the Wimmera region of Eastern Victoria. The program utilises a hybrid approach, combining two annual outreach visits with ongoing virtual care support for […]
2024Royal Far West celebrates its 100th Anniversary
As we celebrate this milestone we look towards the future, and the next 100 years of supporting healthy country kids.
