Wales Bank Rescue Helicopter, 1975. The rescue helicopter commenced operations as the Wales Rescue Helicopter in Newcastle (NSW), with an all-volunteer crew of local surf life savers flying a Bell 47 during summer weekends. They made their way through a number of changes, and today the Westpac Rescue Helicopter operates four AW139 helicopters operating from bases in Newcastle, Tamworth and Lismore.
The teams services 1.5 million people from the Hawkesbury River, north to the Queensland border.