CQ Rescue

Established 1996 as CQ RESQ, the Central Queensland Helicopter Rescue Service operating 2 Bell 412 from MacKay airport. The service changed its name to CQ Rescue in 2004 and completed its 4,000th mission on January 2010.

1996-2013 operated by Lloyd Helicopters / CHC
From 2013 operated by Australian Helicopters / Babcock
From 2024 held its own CASA Air Operator Certificate (AOC) flying Leonardo AW139 helicopters.

RACQ CQ Rescue

CQ Rescue, formally known as the Central Queensland Helicopter Rescue Service, was first established in September 1996 under the name CQ RESQ. In its early years it relied heavily on community support while building up its capacity to cover the vast Central Queensland region, from remote cattle stations and mining sites to the offshore waters of the Great Barrier Reef. The service quickly became an essential part of emergency care for a region where distance and isolation often make rapid response a matter of life or death.

A major change came when the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland entered into a sponsorship agreement, giving the service the name RACQ CQ Rescue. For two decades this partnership provided both financial support and strong public recognition, with the RACQ brand prominently displayed on the helicopters and in the community. Even after the organization adopted the simpler CQ Rescue name in 2004, the RACQ identity remained closely tied to its operations, and for many residents the service was synonymous with the sponsor's name.

This long chapter came to a close on 30 June 2024, when the 22-year naming rights partnership officially ended. From 1 July 2024 CQ Rescue began operating under its own CASA Air Operator Certificate, unveiling a refreshed brand identity and moving away from its familiar yellow RACQ livery to a striking orange scheme. With the transition complete, the organization is now firmly positioned in its own right, carrying forward a legacy of lifesaving missions while stepping into a new era of independence and expanded capabilities.