Toowoomba LifeFlight Gala raises more than $2m | Photo Gallery
This year’s LifeFlight Gala was extra special with a surprise announcement from philanthropist Clive Berghofer. See the photo gallery here.
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The annual LifeFlight Gala was another success, with hundreds of generous community members contributing to the future of the vital service.
This year’s event was extra special, with funds raised going towards the new LifeFlight Visitor Experience and Education Centre to be built out of a decommissioned hanger at the Toowoomba base on McDougall St.
Regional Advisory Committee chair Emily O’Sullivan said they received a welcomed surprise from philanthropist Clive Berghofer, who pledged a $1m donation towards the centre.
“It was an amazing night and truly something special to be part of,” she said.
Mr Berghofer has donated more than $10 million to LifeFlight over the past 20 years.
“He’s a great supporter, he can see what the vision is that we’re trying to do with (the centre) and wanted to come on board,” Ms O’Sullivan said.
The $3m centre will give visitors and the community a behind-the-scenes look at the Toowoomba operation, which completed more than 900 missions in 2024.
Ms O’Sullivan said the centre would also host workshops for school students aimed at teaching them skills on what do in the case of an emergency.
LifeFlight will celebrate 20 years of servicing the Toowoomba and Darling Downs region in 2026, with the centre also to feature its long history.
Gala patrons were given the chance to be part of history, pledging up to $5000 to have their name and a message engraved in a paver which will lead into the entrance of the centre.
“We had a lot of people who wanted to buy in and leave a legacy, which will make it really special that the Toowoomba community have made this come to life,” Ms O’Sullivan said.
Ms O’Sullivan said some last-minute donations pushed the total funds raised from the event to more than $2m, with $1.8 million to go towards the centre.
Construction is likely to begin in late 2026 with the aim of opening sometime in 2027.
See the photo gallery from the event below.
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