royal flying doctor service tourist facility

Since 1928 the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) has provided great medical services to those who live, work and travel throughout Australia especially the remote areas. The Alice Springs Base uses a team of pilots, flight nurses and engineers and serves an area of approximately 1.25 million square kilometers from Marla in northern South Australia to Newcastle Waters in the Northern Territory, and beyond the border regions of Western Australia and Queensland. When we visited the tourist facility in Alice Springs, we were surprised to also find a Café and the The Royal Flying Doctor Museum, which was located in the original Radio Station House. It satisfied our most curious minds and we discovered what it's like to be inside one of the aircraft and look inside a replica fuselage. We viewed a wide variety of historical radios and learned what it was like to communicate before telephones were invented. There was also a large display of historic medical equipment that would have been used on the RFDS flights of the past. It was amazing.

It was not an enjoyable experience. I went there with my two children aged 4 and 2 years to actually recconnaisance the attraction for numerous interstate visitors arriving for my wedding in the middle of the year. I was surprised to discover that my children would incur a $6 fee each despite their age (usually they are free). I mentioned that I was local (because some tourist attractions in town, namely the Desert Park and Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame, you pay once and then you are entitled to free entry for 12 months, or at Araluen Arts Centre you don't pay at all). There was no response. I felt there was no interest in local patronage. We decided to make a gold coin donation to go inside the plane which the kids enjoyed. After the plane my children walked into the museum not realising they weren't allowed to whereby we were barked at, 'you have to pay to go in there.' I asked the children to come out which they did but they were excited and talking and asking questions and then the same lady preceded to yell, 'you need to be quiet or the guests will complain.' At that point I said, 'Right, we are going.' It was terrible service. We were made to feel that locals and families are not welcome. I will not recommend anyone go to the RFD tourist facility. I am happy to be contacted to discuss this further.

The Royal Flying Doctors Service serves all over the country but learning about it in Alice helped one understand how essential it is if people who live in the vast center are to get the medical care they need. We learned about the aircraft used, saw historic exhibits of how the planes used to be equipped and are today, saw a lot of photos from over the years and other contents of the museum including a pedal-powered radio and a mock-up of the aircraft cabin showing patients and equipment.

We visited this facility as part of an excursion off The Ghan. On arrival we were greeted warmly and given a brief overview of where the RFDS operates. We were then shown a film containing testaments of previous patients. The movie was great and gave a good insight into the role of the RFDS. There is an upmarket souvenir shop with some worthwhile souvenirs which of course serves as a fund raising facility. A very worthwhile cause.

Good talk re the service. Opportunity to take ones time. Value able service.video good. The $2 extra to sit in mock up also worth it.

Good exhibition, interesting film and lovely staff. If like me you grew up with the Flying Doctor TV series you will love it.

Royal Flying Dr. Service is a museum, where you can see the history of this important service in Outback. There are a lot of things to see and a good shop for tourists, but more than a half of the visit is a video about the Dr. Service. It is interesting, but then the visit is so expensive.However the staff is friendly, we arrived later than the last visit and we could see the video and the exposition.

After paying for a'guided tour' it turned out to be a short film in the cinema and a five minute talk outside. The rest of the time was walk around yourself so it left me disappointed. More interaction with a guide and tour would have been much better and museum is very very small. Usual gift shop things which was probably the best part for me.

If you do nothing else in Alice springs, please take 30 minutes out of your day to see this well run, beautiful moving tour on true Australian history. Well done to RFD management

The Australians have addressed medical care for the Outack in this service. This stop allows you to see the medical equipment and organization that is used to reach those "in the middle of nowhere"

Just a half hour visit as part of a side excursion from The Ghan. Interesting, but a bit heavy on the gifts and souvenirs.

This tourist center is worth the time when in Alice Springs. The history and walk through is interesting and rewarding. Makes you wonder how the rest of the can't get a working ambulance service on the roads with just a few kms. from place to place. All visits to this foundations help to pay for the running and maintainence of the service. Visit it and your little entry fee helps.

The $12 entrance fee includes a short film on the history of the service which makes you appreciate the remoteness of living in the outback and the drive the Rev Flynn must have had. Amazingly this service still relies on public donation and fund raising for some 70% of its funding. The exhibits of old medial kit and models of the first planes used fills you with admiration for thos who set up this service and their foresight.

This is such a wonderful organization, and when you fully comprehend the distances covered, you are amazed at the coordination and logistics involved. Highly recommend a visit!

We came as part of a tour package so maybe we did not get the same as other people but I was a little disappointed in this visit. I had long since been interested in the flying doctors and was looking forward to the visit but after the film which was good we were just left to walk through the museum whereas a guided tour would have been great. The exhibits are laid out well and labeled well. The cafe is excellent so definitely worth a visit.