First aid certificates don't last forever. Work out when yours runs out, then renew it in a single day at Cairns RSL — same trainer, same real-world approach.
Pick your course and the date it was issued — we'll work out the rest.
This is a guide based on the standard renewal periods above. Your workplace, insurer or industry body may ask you to renew sooner — always check your own requirements. If you're not sure, give Gary a call.
All four run regularly at Cairns RSL. Dates and fees are on the schedule page.
The yearly renewal. If you only need to keep your CPR current between full first aid certificates, this is the one.
The three-yearly renewal of your full first aid certificate. CPR is included, so completing this also resets your CPR year.
The three-yearly renewal for educators, teachers and anyone working in an approved education and care service.
Rescue from a live LV panel, for electrical workers. LVR and CPR are both renewed on a twelve-month cycle.
Three reasons the renewal cycle exists in the first place.
Compression depth and rate are physical habits. Without practice they drift — and you won't notice the drift until the day it counts. Getting back on a manikin is the point of the renewal.
Resuscitation guidance in Australia is reviewed and updated over time. A refresher is where you find out what has changed since you last trained, rather than teaching an old habit to someone else.
Workplaces, education and care services and electrical contractors are commonly required to hold current certificates. An expired one is usually treated as no certificate at all.
Pick a date from the schedule and complete your enrolment. You'll need a USI before your certificate can be issued.
Face-to-face, on the Esplanade, with parking nearby. No all-day slideshow — Gary teaches from real cases.
What's changed, what people most often get wrong, and the questions you've been meaning to ask since last time.
Compressions, breaths and AED practice on adult, child and infant manikins until it feels automatic again.
You demonstrate the skills in a realistic scenario and answer some short questions. It's practical, not an exam room.
Statements of attainment are typically turned around within 24 hours of successful completion.
Booking for a team? Gary runs group and on-site courses across Cairns and Far North Queensland.
Not necessarily. These are nationally accredited units, so you complete the full unit again to be reissued. "Refresher" describes the renewal cycle rather than a cut-down version. The good news is that second and third time through, it goes a lot faster in your head.
Book the same course again; you don't need anything extra to enrol. If it lapsed a long time ago it's worth a quick call so we can point you at the right course, especially if your job requirements have changed since.
CPR is renewed on a twelve-month cycle even though the full first aid certificate runs for three years. Most people do HLTAID009 on its own in the in-between years, then a full HLTAID011 when the three years is up.
It depends which course you're renewing. The hours for each date are listed on the Course Schedule & Fees page, so check the session you're booking.
A Unique Student Identifier is required for all nationally recognised training in Australia. It's free, takes a few minutes at usi.gov.au, and without one your statement of attainment can't be issued. Bring it with you.
Yes. Group and on-site training is available across Cairns and Far North Queensland — useful if you've got several staff all coming due at once. See Group & Corporate Courses or get in touch.
"Best and most interesting First Aid course I've ever been on — I've done my certificate three or four times and this one finally made it click."
"A lady fell and hit her head near me. I stayed calm and gave first aid until the ambulance arrived — it all came straight from your class."
"Loved the real-life examples — no one else teaches it that way. When I faced a real cardiac arrest, I knew exactly what to expect."
"A man was bitten by a brown snake near my work. I stayed calm and applied the compression bandage exactly as taught — he made a full recovery."
"I've attended courses with Red Cross, QAS and St John over the years — this was the most useful and enjoyable of them all."
"Understanding the why behind each step made all the difference. I retain things far better when I understand the reasoning."
"Highly recommend this course to everybody, especially with Gary. I've done a few now with different trainers and he's by far the best."
"A fun session, yet very educational. I love how Gary keeps things simple so we're not overwhelmed, but still remember all the important stuff."
"Gary made the training fun with his outgoing personality and kept everyone's interest going over the entire two-day period."
"The best first aid training I've received. Understanding the body's systems helped me understand the why's and how's of what we do."
"A most dynamic and engaging teacher — thank you for sharing your wisdom in such an accessible manner. A truly honourable service."
"You are fantastic at your job. So glad I chose your company for my training."
"Honestly the best first aid course I've been to in over 15 years of doing regular updates."
"I've done a lot of first aid courses with different organisations and your 'real life' approach is the best I've seen."
"Gary's natural ability to deliver the content in a very digestible way was outstanding — he raised the bar of what I expect from trainers."
"Best and most interesting First Aid course I've ever been on — I've done my certificate three or four times and this one finally made it click."
"A lady fell and hit her head near me. I stayed calm and gave first aid until the ambulance arrived — it all came straight from your class."
"Loved the real-life examples — no one else teaches it that way. When I faced a real cardiac arrest, I knew exactly what to expect."
"A man was bitten by a brown snake near my work. I stayed calm and applied the compression bandage exactly as taught — he made a full recovery."
"I've attended courses with Red Cross, QAS and St John over the years — this was the most useful and enjoyable of them all."
"Understanding the why behind each step made all the difference. I retain things far better when I understand the reasoning."
"Highly recommend this course to everybody, especially with Gary. I've done a few now with different trainers and he's by far the best."
"A fun session, yet very educational. I love how Gary keeps things simple so we're not overwhelmed, but still remember all the important stuff."
"Gary made the training fun with his outgoing personality and kept everyone's interest going over the entire two-day period."
"The best first aid training I've received. Understanding the body's systems helped me understand the why's and how's of what we do."
"A most dynamic and engaging teacher — thank you for sharing your wisdom in such an accessible manner. A truly honourable service."
"You are fantastic at your job. So glad I chose your company for my training."
"Honestly the best first aid course I've been to in over 15 years of doing regular updates."
"I've done a lot of first aid courses with different organisations and your 'real life' approach is the best I've seen."
"Gary's natural ability to deliver the content in a very digestible way was outstanding — he raised the bar of what I expect from trainers."
Check the upcoming dates at Cairns RSL and lock in your spot. If you're not sure which course you need, call Gary on (07) 4053 2249 and he'll sort it out in two minutes.
