The Catholic church is considering flying priests and bishops around western New South Wales to reach people in isolated areas.
The Wilcannia-Forbes diocese, which covers over 400-thousand square
kilometres, is currently operating without a bishop and minus two
priests.
Other church groups within the region equip priests with pilot
licences and small aircraft to enable them to visit all parts of their
parishes.
The Administrator for the diocese Bishop Kevin Manning says they are discussing a similar idea.
"We've already been making inquiries with private plane owners to try
and cut sown on some of the travel entailed in visiting the diocese and
it's essential that the people in the parishes be visited."
Bishop Manning says it looks as though the diocese could lose more priests this year.
"And with the possibility of some of the priests from overseas having
fulfilled their agreement with the diocese to be here for two years,
that later in the year we could be down four priests."