By Stephanie Gardiner in Orange

The roar of a Rex plane is the sound of life in Birdsville.

Locals in the small outback Queensland town rely on a twice-weekly Rex Airlines service to receive mail and groceries, to get to bigger centres for medical care or to fly their children to boarding school in the city.

Mayor Francis Murray, who grew up in Birdsville and was once one of those boarding school kids, is keeping a close eye on the future of the embattled regional airline.

“It’s everything,” Mr Murray told AAP.

“The ripple effect it would have on these small communities (if it stopped) would be like if the internet went down in Brisbane.

“It would affect everybody every day.”

Rex on Tuesday announced it had entered voluntary administration, with services between capital cities cancelled.

Its regional Saab 340 flights are still operating, including the Birdsville “milk run” , which is subsidised by the Queensland government and also takes in towns like Charleville, Bedourie and Mount Isa.

Rex operates regional routes across all states, except for the Northern Territory.

The federal government said it would work with administrators to ensure the longevity of regional aviation.

But many fear for the future of Rex, particularly after the collapse of regional operator Bonza in April.

“Supporting regional aviation should be a national priority, one that allows for equality of opportunity to be connected regardless of where you live,”  Regional Capitals Australia chair and Albury mayor Kylie King said.

Rex’s troubles come at a critical time as rural populations grow and prepare for large-scale energy projects.

The Flinders Shire, in north west Queensland, is ready to welcome workers for construction of the 840km CopperString transmission line.

“The adage ‘build it and they will come’ has rung true; we’re building the infrastructure and the workers are arriving,” mayor Kate Peddle said.

“However, we now face the stark reality of potentially having no planes to bring them here.

“I’m pleased that Rex airlines has confirmed that we will have continuation of our regional service, but you have to ask: for how long?”

Concerns about Rex’s future also come as regional Australians deal with dwindling essential services like banking and health care.

The regions cannot afford to lose aviation too, National Rural Health Alliance chief executive Susi Tegen said.

“Rural, remote and regional Australia bring in two-thirds of Australia’s export income and provide 90 per cent of the food Australians eat,” Ms Tegen told AAP.

“But we’re not providing the infrastructure and economic levers that ensure rural communities continue to thrive.”

As floods cut off major roads in outback Queensland, the Rex service has been critical for getting supplies to the Simpson Desert Oasis roadhouse.

“We get flooded out here for months,” operator Robbie Dare told AAP.

“The normal Joe in the street don’t realise how much we suffer out here in the wet times.”

Passengers race for flights with Rex capital collapse