Alice Springs Tourist Facility
The Royal Flying Doctor Service Tourist Facility has undergone a huge redevelopment, the new facility is an investment in excess of $3 million and it includes a 70 seat theatre, interactive information portals, increased retail space and a full scale replica of the fuselage of our operational Pilatus PC 12 Aircraft. The facility was officially opened by the Northern Territory Administrator, Her Honour the Honourable Sally Thomas AM.
The newly completed RFDS Alice Springs Tourist Facility replaces the former RFDS Visitor Centre, with a new, state-of-the-art tourist attraction – retaining the charm of the original RFDS Alice Springs Base and Manager’s Residence in the same precinct. The new Tourist Facility has been recognised as the Best New Tourism Development for 2012 at the Tourism NT Brolga Awards.
Doc Shop
The new Doc Shop contains a wide selection of fantastic gift ideas and souvenirs, with a variety of items ranging from books about the RFDS to home wears; John Flynn T-Shirt to beautiful jewellery; RFDS souvenirs to the latest women’s fashion trends, you will find something for every member of the family and within budget!
The Royal Flying Doctor Service and R M Williams have come together to bring a line of co-branded products from the RMW clothing line. We stock a wide range of RMW clothing that now features the RFDS logo, which can only be found at the RFDS Doc Shop and from our online shop. Two Outback icons joining together to keep the Doctor Flying.
Visit the online Doc Shop
Tours and Museum
The Royal Flying Doctor Service Museum - which is located in the original Radio Station House - will satisfy the most curious of mind. You can discover what it's like to be inside one of our aircraft and look inside a replica fuselage of a Pilatus PC12. Have a look at the wide variety of historic radios including a Traegar Pedal Radio and learn what it was like to communicate before telephones were invented. There is a large display of historic medical equipment that would have been used on the RFDS flights of the past. A range of model airplanes used by RFDS will take you through the different aircraft used through the decades.
Whilst experiencing the RFDS Tourist Facility sit back, relax in our new theatre and watch a short film showing RFDS beginnings including amazing stories of survival. Following this take a walk around the Museum and discover some amazing old artefacts from the early stages of the RFDS. The short film runs every half an hour from 9am - 4pm and is available for Coach Groups.
Coach Groups must be booked in advanced by email reservations@flyingdoctor.net or phone (08) 8958 8411 to talk to one of our helpful reservation staff.
RFDS Café
Refresh and relax in the RFDS Café located within one of the finest heritage buildings in Alice Springs. Built in 1939, it was home to the first RFDS radio operator for the Alice Springs Base.
You can dine under the original verandah, in the old dining room or venture out to the new informal garden setting where you can enjoy the best weather Alice Springs has to offer. The Café serves a range of sumptuous foods and fabulous coffee. In fact, the coffee served in the Café is especially blended for the RFDS by a local coffee roaster in Alice Springs who has the reputation for making the best coffee in town!
‘Flying Doctor Coffee’ can now be purchased in the RFDS Doc Shop.
Don’t forget to take a look at the Art Gallery located in the Café. This recent addition features Aboriginal and Contemporary style paintings by renowned Australian artists provided by Muk Muk Gallery, Utopian Aboriginal Art and Tingari Arts.