BMA CQ Rescue Helicopter Service

High above the sugarcane fields, turquoise Whitsunday waters and the long, coal-rich stretches of the Isaac region, there’s an office with arguably the best view in Australia. It belongs to BMA CQ Rescue, and it’s open 24/7.

Based in Mackay, BMA CQ Rescue operates two AW139 helicopters (don’t worry if that means nothing to you, just think big, fast, life-saving choppers) that crisscross an enormous patch of Queensland , from coastal islands to remote inland communities. Their job? Get to people when no one else can.

On any given day, the team might be winching someone off a sinking vessel in the Whitsundays, responding to critical incidents on rural properties, or flying deep into mining regions to deliver urgent medical care. It’s not a 9-to-5 gig. In fact, it’s a 24/7, 365 days a year operation, often clocking multiple missions both day and night.

At the centre of it all are crew like Air Crew Officer Hayden Sorrell, who splits his time between assisting pilots up front and heading into the back to manage winching and communications. It’s a role that requires equal parts technical skill, calmness under pressure, and the ability to adapt quickly, especially when landing in tight or unpredictable environments.

“A lot of what we do includes Search and Rescue, responding to emergency incidents, and transporting patients from some of our more rural hospitals to specialised medical care,” Hayden explains. But beyond the machinery and logistics, BMA CQ Rescue is really about tackling the tyranny of distance. Out west, where towns are sparse and hospitals are few and far between, something as simple as time can be the difference between life and death. That’s where the helicopters come in; bridging vast distances and bringing advanced medical care directly to those who need it most.

“Without this capability, many communities, particularly in mining regions and rural Queensland, would be, to put it bluntly, in serious trouble if something went wrong. BMA CQ Rescue doesn’t just respond to emergencies; it fundamentally underpins the safety net for entire regions.

The area they cover is as diverse as it is vast. One minute, it’s tropical Mackay with its beaches, islands and rainforests. The next, it’s dry, remote inland terrain stretching toward towns like Moranbah. From St Lawrence in the south to Townsville in the north, as far east as the Great Barrier Reef and west into Queensland’s Bowen and Galilee Basins, their reach is extensive, and essential.

Of course, running a service like this doesn’t happen by accident. Support from organisations like BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) helps fund the aircraft and keep operations running. Without that backing, quite simply, the helicopters wouldn’t be in the air, and the level of care currently provided wouldn’t exist.

For the crew, though, the mission is personal. “BMA CQ Rescue is about keeping Central Queensland safe. Out here it’s never just a job. We’re showing up when our community – our friends, family, and neighbours – need us the most,” Hayden says.

And while the stakes are serious, there are moments of perspective too. After all, as Hayden puts it: “One thing I love about flying is you can’t beat the office views.”

Just don’t expect a quiet day at the desk.