A biennial bush tradition has delivered a big boost to regional aeromedical care, with the Eidsvold Cattle Drive committee presenting a $55,000 donation to LifeFlight.
The significant contribution was officially handed over at a community dinner on Thursday night (September 3), following the week-long trek that retraced historic stock routes through the North Burnett region in April.
LifeFlight’s Bundaberg and Wide Bay Community Engagement Lead, Aleisha Evans, expressed immense gratitude for the Eidsvold community’s dedication, noting that the funds arrive at a critical time of unprecedented demand.
“This generous donation will contribute directly toward ensuring our Wide Bay Burnett service maintains the vital facilities, equipment, and operational capacity needed to keep up with the growing needs of our community,” Ms. Evans said.
“The Eidsvold community deeply understands the critical lifeline our rescue helicopters provide. We want to say a massive thank you to every rider and volunteer involved in the Cattle Drive for helping us be there when Queenslanders need us most.”
The Bundaberg-based LifeFlight helicopter is a critical piece of infrastructure for the Wide Bay, Burnett, and North Burnett regions. The service has seen a staggering 69 per cent increase in demand over the past year, with the local team flying to the aid of 518 people in their times of greatest need.
Among those who know the value of the service firsthand are local parents Gina and Michael St Henry, who attended the cattle drive festivities in April.
In March last year, their daughter Ava required an emergency LifeFlight airlift after being thrown from her horse during a campdrafting competition. Driven by gratitude, Michael St Henry has now joined the LifeFlight Regional Advisory Committee to champion the service.
“I’m used to seeing the chopper fly over, but like many, we took it for granted. I never thought our family would ever need it,” Mr St Henry said. “LifeFlight is just amazing. My personal goal now is to build awareness across our area and help out in any way I can. It’s a privilege and an honour to support this team.”
The Eidsvold Cattle Drive is a major biennial event that sees riders herd hundreds of cattle over historic routes, keeping the region’s heritage alive while raising vital funds for essential rural health and emergency services.
