John Flynn’s Early Life in Moliagul

John Flynn, the founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, was born in Moliagul, Victoria, on November 25, 1880. His mother tragically passed away during childbirth when he was two years old.  After her death, Flynn moved to Sydney and lived with his aunt.  At the age of five, he was reunited with his family at Snake Gully, near Ballarat¹²³⁴.

Who was John Flynn and why is he important?

Flynn's story and legacy is the stuff of legends. wandering off into the desert on the back of a camel for months at a time to offer solace to lost souls in need of spiritual communion and basic outside human contact.

Flynn knew first hand the trials and tribulations of life on the land in remote communities throughout Australia having been born in the small Victorian gold fields town of Moliagul. 

John Flynn was an Australian Presbyterian minister and the founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). Born on November 25, 1880, in Moliagul, Victoria, Australia, Flynn dedicated his life to improving healthcare accessibility in remote areas of Australia. His vision and determination led to the establishment of the RFDS, which has saved countless lives and continues to provide vital medical services to this day. 

This dilapidated shack sits on the property where Flynn was born.

The Legacy of John Flynn and the RFDS

John Flynn's legacy lives on through the Royal Flying Doctor Service. The RFDS continues to provide essential medical care to those living in remote and isolated regions of Australia. With a fleet of aircraft and a team of dedicated medical professionals, the RFDS ensures that people in need receive timely and life-saving healthcare services.

The Moliagul school was built in 1871 with Thomas Flynn as principal. His son John Flynn went on the University High School and became a minister in the Presbyterian Church. Sent to outback missions, Flynn opened a string of nursing hostels serving all the isolated bush; aboriginal families alongside whites. In 1928 he set up the Flying Doctor Service. The boy who left Moliagul as a three year old had used radio and planes to bring medicine to the most remote corners of the continent.

Moliagul in the 1880s

During Flynn’s early years, Moliagul was a thriving goldfields town⁵. In 1855, it was estimated that there were 16,000 people living in the immediate area during the peak of the Victorian gold rush period⁵. The town consisted of scattered rural dwellings and small farms, a hotel (now closed), a museum, the old school (now a hall), and a former church⁵.

The town’s resources were primarily based on gold mining. Gold was first discovered in Queen’s Gully near Moliagul in late 1852⁵. By January of the next year, a store, a butcher’s shop, and a blacksmith’s forge had opened⁵. However, almost immediately the new settlement was abandoned as people departed for the Sandy Creek gold rush⁵.

In July 1855, gold was found at Little Hill and a second gold rush occurred in the Moliagul area⁵. In 1856, the Mount Moliagul Hotel opened for business⁵.

John Flynn’s early life in Moliagul coincided with a period of significant change and development in the town due to the gold rush. The experiences and observations from his early years likely played a role in shaping his future contributions to Australia’s inland mission.

1. flyingdoctor.org.au2. adb.anu.edu.au3. portrait.gov.au4. kids.britannica.com5. en.wikipedia.org6. forebears.io7. victorianplaces.com.au8. theage.com.au

The uassuming tiny town of Moliagul truly is where legends are born as not only was it John Flnn's Birthplace but it was also where the largest gold nugget ever found, "The Welcome Stanger" was dicovered in 1854