Operational Plan & Safety Management Plan

RFDS Operation Pelican Inc.  Flying Doctor Rowathon

September 13, 2025

Operational Plan

AIM 

The aim of this event is to ensure the safe, enjoyable and environmentally responsible behaviour of all waterborne personnel involved with the Rowing Marathon.

Organisations involved

Royal.Flying.Doctor.Service. - Mobile Patient Care (Providing first aid officers for the event)

R.F.D.S Operation Pelican Inc

Wentworth District Rowing Club 

There will be a number of Support Vehicles & on water boats following the crews with Mobile Phones as there is good coverage along the three legs.

Program for the day 

Date: 13th September 2025

Starting Time: 6.30am

Starting Location: Murray river 904 KM river marker (NSW side, Psyche Bend), Mildura 

Crews will row downstream on the Murray River from the 904 Km River marker to Mildura Rowing Club lawns, stop for crew changes and morning tea then row through lock 11 to Coomealla Golf Club landing where they will stop

for lunch. Then they will row down the Murray to the junction with the Darling River and up the Darling to finish at WDRC.

Finishing Location:  Wentworth District Rowing Club landing

R.F.D.S. Operation Pelican Inc. will record crews departing at the start and will also check boats in and out at morning tea, lunch, and also at the finish line. 

Safety Management

The RFDS Operation Pelican committee will coordinate:

• Communications

• Support Crew Responsibility

• R.F.D.S. mobile patient care will be providing first aid and will be stationed on the river to access Ambulance and other necessary support crews – contacts are:

Julie Vernon
julie.vernon@rfdsmpc.com.au
0407 427 356

Jodie Hoskins
jodie.hoskins@rfdsmpc.com.au
0409 382 086

All communications to ambulance and police will be managed by the RFDS mobile patient care team.

Wentworth District Rowing Club will have 3-4 motorboats, 1-2 people per boat.

We expect to have approx. 20 -25 rowing boats and will start boats at approx 30 second intervals with a 1 minute gap after each 5-6 row boats and our aim is for each group of 5-6 row boats to have a support motor boat and to monitor each other’s progress. 

All coxes will have a copy of the relevant Darling and Murray River Charts to guide them along the rivers as well as safety notes. They will also be briefed before the start to ensure all understand the safety plan including communication and emergency access points. 

SAFETY ACCESS POINTS FOR TRANSPORT 

AMBULANCE 000

Wentworth Ambulance will have details of the rowing course, and they are aware of access points along both rivers.

Murray River: -

Bruces Bend Boat ramp Billabong Rd Nichols Point

Gol Gol Boat Ramp Sturt Hwy Gol Gol

Mildura Boat ramp Hugh King Dr, Mildura

Mildura Rowing Club Hugh King Dr, Mildura

Apex Park Boat Ramp Cureton Ave, Mildura

Ranfurly Way                               Mildura

Merbein Boat ramp / Pumps Ranfurly Way, Merbein 

Merbein Common / Red Gum Track Merbein Common, Merbein

Merbein Common Boat Ramp.    Sylvia St, Merbein      

Coomealla Golf Club     Golf Course Rd, Coomealla

Old Wentworth Road     Yelta

Curlwaa Boat Ramp Silver City Hwy, Curlwaa

Wentworth Ski reserve / ramp Ski Reserve Rd, Wentworth 

Darling River: -

Wentworth Rowing Club         Wharf Rd, Wentworth

RFDS Mobile Patient Care and motorboats on the river will have mobile phone communication and coverage for the entire course. Organisers and land-based support will have mobile contact at each of the stop points.

For help call RFDS Mobile Patient Care, Julie on 0407 427 356 or Jodie on 0409 382 086.

Any further information, please contact Geoff Rix on 0427 061 296 or Sam Cross on 0408 596 390

Any Further Information please contact Sam Cross on 0408 596 390 or 

Bob Symons on 0412    256 344 

SAFETY MANAGEMENT PLAN

The document below has the RFDS Operation Pelican Inc. Safety Management Plan in the format as issued by Rowing Victoria. This was updated in August 2022.