What did Alfred Traeger achieve in central Australia?

Answer 1

Alfred Traeger played a crucial part in the viability of the Flying Doctor service envisaged by Reverend John Flynn. Flynn had visions of how new technology such as radio and the aeroplane could assist in providing a more effective medical service to reach across the vast expanse of the outback and bring medical help more quickly to people who needed it. Incidentally, the Aerial Medical Service was established at Cloncurry, in western Queensland on 15 May 1928, and not in central Australia.

In order to facilitate communication for such a service, Flynn collaborated with Alfred Traeger who developed the pedal radio, a lighter, more compact radio for communication, the size and cost of which made it more readily available to residents of the outback. The pedal radio eliminated the need for electricity, which was available in very few areas of the outback in the 1920s. In this way, Flynn married the advantages of both radio and aeroplanes to provide what he termed a "Mantle of Safety" for the outback. Initially conceived as a one-year experiment, Flynn's vision has continued successfully through the years, providing a valuable medical service to people in remote areas.