CQ Rescue

What CQ Rescue does

CQ Rescue (legally Central Queensland Helicopter Rescue Service Ltd), founded in 1996 and headquartered at Mackay Airport, is a community-funded non-profit providing free aeromedical, primary emergency response, and search-and-rescue helicopter services across Central and North Queensland on a 24/7, 365-day-per-year basis. The service operates two AW139 twin-engine helicopters equipped with advanced avionics, a five-bladed main rotor, Night Vision Imaging System (NVIS), a 30-million-candlepower NightSun searchlight, a 600 lb Goodrich rescue hoist, Helicopter Terrain Avoidance Warning System (H-TAWS), Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), and an Emergency Beacon Tracking Direction Finder, supporting operations in a coverage area spanning Townsville to St Lawrence, the Bowen and Galilee Basins, and more than 200 km offshore over the Great Barrier Reef — a footprint greater than four times the size of Tasmania. As of July 2024, CQ Rescue conducts flight operations under its own CASA Air Operator Certificate, independent of any third-party operator.

The business model blends four revenue streams: (i) community donations and individual fundraising, (ii) multi-tier corporate sponsorship (Platinum, Major, Gold, Silver, In-Kind, and Media tiers) anchored by BMA (BHP Mitsubishi Alliance) as naming rights partner alongside QLD Health, Anglo American, Orica, Glencore and others predominantly from the mining sector, (iii) State Government funding through Queensland Health as part of the Queensland Aeromedical Retrieval Network, and (iv) merchandise sales (apparel and accessories ranging from $5 to $40). Service delivery is free to patients, with dispatch routed through the 000 emergency network at the direction of Queensland Police, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), or Retrieval Services Queensland.

In 2025 the organisation completed a record 778 lifesaving missions (up from 729 in 2024) covering 339,177 km, comprising 455 inter-facility transfers, 135 primary emergencies, and 29 search-and-rescue operations. Primary customer cohorts include residents and travellers across rural and remote Central and North Queensland, mining-sector workers across the Bowen and Galilee Basins, marine operators in the Whitsundays and offshore reef waters, and tourists visiting the region — all served at no cost to the patient.

Name

CQ Rescue

Legal name

Central Queensland Helicopter Rescue Service Ltd

Website

https://cqrescue.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CQ Rescue is a community-funded non-profit aeromedical and search-and-rescue helicopter service based in Mackay, Australia, operating two AW139 helicopters to provide free 24/7 emergency response across Central and North Queensland for remote residents, mining workers, marine operators and tourists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aeromedical and Emergency Helicopter Rescue Services

NAICS

Ambulance Services (62191), Ambulance Services (621910), Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Air Medical Transport (Helicopter/Fixed-Wing) (HLAFANAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Search & Rescue (Urban/Water/Wilderness) Coordination (HLAJAGAJ), Helicopter Medical Passenger Transport (Non-Emergency) (TLAFACAI)

Keywords

• Aeromedical rescue services
• Emergency helicopter rescue
• Search and rescue operations
• Aeromedical retrieval services
• Community emergency services

Headquarters

HQ city

Mackay

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Community Donations: Individual community members donate to support the rescue helicopter service. The service is free for patients who need it.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Multiple partnership tiers available including Platinum Partner, Major Sponsor, and Corporate Supporter. Higher levels include prominent logo placement on rescue helicopters and cross-promotional opportunities.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts, singlets, fishing shirts, drink bottles, bucket hats, plush helicopters, and caps. Prices range from $5 to $40.
4. Queensland Government/QLD Health Funding: State government and QLD Health provide funding support to ensure continuity of the essential service, including increased support announced in 2024.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CQ Rescue operates a community-funded aeromedical and emergency helicopter rescue service out of Mackay Airport using two AW139 helicopters, delivering 24/7, 365-day inter-facility transfers, primary emergency response, and search and rescue operations across Central and North Queensland. The service is free to patients and is complemented by a branded merchandise store and donation/sponsorship programs that fund operations.

Product overview

BMA CQ Rescue is a community-funded rescue helicopter service operating as a single unified service (not a platform architecture). The core offering is emergency aeromedical helicopter rescue operations using AW139 aircraft, complemented by a merchandise store selling branded apparel and accessories. The service provides three main mission types: Inter-Facility Transfers (hospital-to-hospital patient transport), Primary Missions (rapid response to accidents and medical emergencies), and Search and Rescue operations including emergency beacon activations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BMA CQ Rescue Helicopter Service Community-funded aeromedical and emergency helicopter rescue service operating 24/7, 365 days a year with AW139 helicopters. Provides inter-facility transfers, primary emergency response, and search and rescue operations across Central and North Queensland. Service is free to patients and dispatched via 000, Queensland Police, AMSA, and Retrieval Services Queensland.
• CQ Rescue Merchandise Store Online merchandise store selling branded apparel (t-shirts, singlets, fishing shirts with SPF 50+), drink bottles, bucket hats, plush helicopter toys, caps, and stubby coolers. Prices range from $5 to $40, with all proceeds supporting rescue operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 778 lifesaving missions completed in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered media partner, charity partner and in-kind partner.

• 7NEWSmedia partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerTelevision news network. Media partner providing coverage and visibility for rescue operations and fundraising.
• QME (Queensland Mining & Engineering Exhibition)charity partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial charity partner for QME 2026. General Manager Danny Ullmer speaking at QME Leadership Series. Event at Mackay Showgrounds July 2026.
• Corefleetin-kind partnerOthersVehicle fleet services. In-kind partner providing support.
• Kennardsin-kind partnerOthersEquipment hire company. In-kind partner providing support.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CareFlight: Australian aeromedical and retrieval medicine charity operating helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft for emergency response, inter-hospital transfers and search and rescue. Closely comparable to CQ Rescue on mission types, charitable funding model and rotorcraft aeromedical specialisation.
• Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service: Community-funded rescue helicopter service operating across Northern NSW, similarly providing aeromedical, primary emergency and SAR missions via helicopter. Direct operational peer with comparable corporate-naming-rights funding model (Westpac) and mission mix.
• LifeFlight Australia: Community-funded aeromedical and rescue helicopter operator across Queensland and other states, providing emergency response, inter-facility transfers and search and rescue. Directly comparable to CQ Rescue in mission profile, funding model (donations + sponsorships) and QLD operational footprint.

Broad incumbents

• CHC Helicopter: Global helicopter operator providing SAR, EMS and offshore crew-change services with AW139 and similar fleets. Comparable as a large-scale helicopter operator and potential contract/operator counterpart, though commercial rather than community-funded.
• Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS): Australia's national aeromedical organisation providing fixed-wing and rotary-wing patient transport and primary health care across remote and rural Australia. Comparable to CQ Rescue as the dominant national peer in aeromedical retrieval, but broader in scope and fixed-wing focused.
• Bristow Group: Global helicopter services company providing SAR and emergency response for government and oil & gas clients. Comparable as an incumbent helicopter SAR provider operating similar AW139/S76-class fleets in demanding environments.

Others

• Little Bay Coast Guard / Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA): AMSA coordinates maritime and aviation search and rescue in Australia and is one of CQ Rescue's tasking authorities. Comparable in the SAR mission segment, though operating fixed-wing and surface assets rather than rotary-wing primary response.
• Retrieval Services Queensland (RSQ): The Queensland Health-coordinated aeromedical retrieval service that tasks CQ Rescue missions. Comparable as the system integrator within which CQ Rescue operates, and a structural dependency/governance counterpart.

Emerging players

• Surf Life Saving Queensland (Helicopter Services): Provides rotary-wing coastal patrol and rescue support along the Queensland coast, overlapping with CQ Rescue on marine and coastal SAR. Comparable in regional QLD rescue mission type but focused on coastal/surf rather than inland mining/IFT work.

Regional players

• Air Ambulance Victoria: Victoria's state-funded aeromedical helicopter service providing HEMS and search and rescue. Comparable in mission profile (aeromedical + SAR) but operated in a different Australian state under a different (predominantly government) funding model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cq_rescue
• Facebookfacebook.com/CQRescue
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cq-rescue

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CQ Rescue