Following a successful trial in Carnarvon, the first Western Australian School of the Air (SOTA) was established at Meekatharra.

Teachers used the Royal Flying Doctor Service’s two-way radio network for up to 3 hours a day, transmitting from a simple classroom in the town to 27 students.

The teacher was Mr J Smedley who had previously been an itinerant teacher in the area. Students were located over an area of 500,000 square kilometres. School of the Air teachers were responsible to the Headmaster of WACS and lesson materials were provided by WACS. Radio lessons and marking were provided by a local teacher. Eventually five Schools of the Air were established across the state in towns that hosted the Royal Flying Doctor Service; Meekatharra (1959), Derby and Port Hedland (1960), Kalgoorlie (1962), Carnarvon (1968).