The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) of Australia has updated its logo eight times since 1928, with each iteration reflecting changes in the service and modernising its look. The current mark is a refinement of the symbol as it has evolved over more than ninety years, offering a simplified version of earlier elements with strong use of colour and symbolism.[1]
Design and History
The first logo appeared in the 1935 Annual Report of the Victorian Section, the first section formed by the Australian Aerial Medical Service (the RFDS predecessor) in 1934. That early mark used a Maltese Cross to represent medicine, wings for aviation, zig-zag flashes for radio, and a map of Australia (without Tasmania) to indicate the national scope of the organisation.[1]
In 1942 the logo was varied to reflect the name change to Flying Doctor Service of Australia. Three years later, the Federal Council adopted a new design drafted by Mr Adrien Feint. That version introduced the caduceus (serpent and staff) for medicine, eagle’s wings with a three-bladed propeller and radio zig-zag flashes for aviation, all bound by a laurel wreath. Tasmania was added to the roundel map, and seven dots marked the RFDS bases of the time.[1]
The logo was redrawn in 1955 when the word “Royal” was added to the Service’s title, and again in 1956 when stars replaced dots on the map to represent bases. In 1988, designer Ken Cato created and donated a new logo used on aircraft by some Sections in connection with the RFDS Aircraft Replacement Appeal (1989-1993).[1]
The 1993 redesign, developed as part of a national corporate identity, retained the traditional symbols of medicine (the caduceus), aviation (wings) and the map of Australia. The wings were softened to better express a sense of caring and a protective “mantle of safety”, compared with the militaristic association of the earlier eagle’s wings. The brand mark was placed underneath the symbol to more clearly identify the organisation.[1]
In 2009, Stokes Street Studio won a competitive pitch to develop a new slogan and create a visual link with the logo. The winning solution used a more contemporary font style, increased the weighting between the symbol and the words, replaced all upper case with upper and lower case for improved legibility, and removed lines to facilitate print reproduction. A vignette through the centre of the blue and red areas of the symbol around the propeller circles created a subtle halo effect.[1]
Meaning and Symbolism
The current logo acknowledges historical associations with earlier versions by retaining the traditional symbols of medicine (the caduceus), aviation (wings) and the map of Australia.[1] The softened wings were designed to express the sense of caring and protective “mantle of safety” that has been central to the RFDS mission since its founding.[1][2]
The RFDS’s red and blue colours are widely recognised as the organisation’s iconic palette, with the organisation itself describing them as such in public communications.[3] In 2022, the RFDS introduced a new national aircraft livery featuring a red belly (representing the earth) and a blue tail (representing the sky), colours drawn from the Australian outback.[4]
Typography and Design
The 2009 update by Stokes Street Studio introduced a more contemporary font style, with upper and lower case replacing all upper case to improve legibility. The design also increased the visual weighting between the symbol and the wordmark, and removed lines to facilitate print reproduction.[1]
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