It has to be one of the most heart-wrenching telegrams in the history of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). The year was 1975, long before the advent of the digital radio concentrator system and satellites, which made telecommunications in the outback more reliable. For people like Jan and Grant Heaslip living on Bond Springs station north of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, as well as providing much-needed medical service, the RFDS radio network delivered the main form of communication with the world beyond their boundary fence.
A two-hour daily traffic schedule allowed the Heaslips and others living in far-flung locations to send and receive telegrams. Station supplies, food orders, news of events, births, deaths and marriages all came and went via telegram, broadcast across the Territory from the RFDS studio in Alice. Tuning in for this vital connection was an essential part of Jan's daily routine, so she waited patiently for her turn. After receiving the go-ahead, Jan pushed the button on the radio to signal her preparedness.
“Good morning, VJ. Yes, this is Jan
