St John Ambulance Australia

St John Ambulance Australia (SJAA), known simply as St John, is the Australian national priory of the Order of St John, an international charitable network dedicated to helping people in sickness, distress or danger. Each state and territory has their own autonomous St John organisation, supported by SJAA as the national office. St John organisations in Australia are profit-for-purpose, with revenue from commercial activities used to fund programs aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of Australian communities.

St John first aid training centres were established in Australia in the late 19th century. On 13 June 1883 a public meeting was held in the Melbourne Town Hall, Victoria to form a local branch of the association. By the end of June 1883, a centre had been established under the leadership of Edward Neild.

The first division of the St John Ambulance Brigade, now known as Event Health Services, was established in Glebe, New South Wales in 1903. A division of this organisation is still in operation today and is known as St John Ambulance Glebe Division. After this initial division was established other states followed suit, with divisions being set up in other states soon after. In 1987, the organisation adopted a single public title, "St John Ambulance Australia". The cadet movement was established in Australia in 1925 with a division in Glebe, NSW. The first Grand Prior's Badge issued outside the UK went to a cadet from Marrickville Cadet Division in 1933 named Marion Higgins.