royal flying doctor service visitors centre, dubbo

A detailed insight into the RFDS operation. A video presentation and talk by the dedicated volunteers. Views through the window of the aircraft hangar and workshop as well as a gift shop for souvenirs of your visit.

Liked all of it but especially the plane mock up. Run by enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteers. Good gift shop too, we're all wearing RFDS shirts now.

We were warmly welcomed to the centre and given personal attention from the moment we arrived. It is not a large facility although the staff are very passionate and informative on RFDS operations. We had a 76 year old and a 7 year old in our group and the visit appealed to all. We stayed about 30-40 minutes in total. They have a video to watch and a mock of an aircraft you can walk through and sit in the cockpit. The facility is at the back of the airport and if travelling with a van there is plenty of space to park not far from the entrance and then space to turn around using the road verges (grass).

We popped in here for what we thought would be a 30 minute stopover before heading to our next destination and ended up leaving almost 2 hrs later! Very stimulating time with the lovely lady volunteers. They did a short background talk with us before showing us a short video. We then went in the simulator and then saw some memorabilia. The service had a callout while we there so we watched the plane taking off. Not bad for the measly sum of $9 for the family! We had the place to ourselves so got very individualised attention and lots of interesting information. Support this great service with a visit when in town - I don't think you will be disappointed.

We visited the centre during the school holidays.The facility is located near the Dubbo Airport and offers a comprehensive history of the service together with a well stocked gift shop where proceeds of sales support the service. It is staffed by volunteers who are both friendly and well informed.

Great plane replica out the front of the building, fitted out identically to their planes. Video was very interesting, volunteers were also very knowledgeable and friendly. All in all, 10 out of 10 for this attraction!

The ladies there were fantastic, they know their information and it was great to see some of the old items on display. It's only a small place so it doesn't take long to go through it. But it is defiantly worth the stop. We went with a 3yold and a 12yold and they both enjoyed watching the planes and chatting with the volunteers. Thank you ladies.

After spending a fabulous day and a half at the Dubbo Zoo, we called on the RFDS Visitors Centre to fill in the afternoon. What a great facility it is, the volunteers are friendly and knowledgeable, the DVD presentation is entertaining and the display depicting the service from its early days to present is most interesting. The aircraft are on view and a full size replica of a King Air displaying how the aircraft is configured including the cockpit is a highlight. DON'T MISS IT.

I have known about the RFDS forever, but to understand just how they operate and to get up close to the aircraft was great. The staff were pleasant and knowledgeable and made the visit entertaining for the parents and kids.

So informative and interesting - brilliant and friendly volunteers - never knew half of how vital this service is

It is worth the time to visit the RFDS visitors centre Dubbo, There was an explanation of their services and also an audiovisual presentation and a look inside the simulater of one of the aircrafts. It was interesting to learn about the many facets of this worthwhile service.

The Royal Flying Doctor base at Dubbo hosts a visitors' centre, staffed by lovely and personable volunteers. On the day of our visit, there was a definite order to the visit - a video first, followed by a tour around the small collection at the centre. The centre looks out over the hanger with the "real live" RFDS aeroplane and the RFDS aeroplane simulator was also at the base when we visited (how do they fit everything in there??) As supporters of the RFDS, the two adults of our party really enjoyed this experience - it gave us the feeling of having been a little bit outback, even though we were only in Dubbo and we learnt quite a bit about the work of the RFDS. For our primary school aged children, it was a bit long and not as engaging, though they enjoyed the simulator and looking out over the hanger. Definitely worthwhile - and the entry fee is very low ($3 for adults, $1 for children).

The centre is located next to the Macquarie Lions Park. Look for the statues of the Rhino mother and calf at the entry. There is plenty of parking available.The friendly staff will provide you with a range of information on local attractions and events, in the area, as well as the usual maps, brochures and a selection of souvenirs and other merchandise.

The guides are very chatty, welcoming and informative. You get to understand the enormity of what the RFDS does and how important it is for people outside the major cities. The whole family was entranced.

We visited the centre while visiting Broken Hill to give the kids a bit of an educational boost about life in the 'outback'. The show was a little confronting for our kids - sick people, glimpses of a birth and the like - but I think it did them some good (our kids are 5, 7 & 10yrs). I wouldn't bother visiting the centre unless you saw the show which was a small fee which I didn't mind paying as it goes to a good cause. It gave all of us a better understanding of the enormity of the Australian interior and that the RFDS helps everyone out there (even us road trippers!).My young engineers left animately talking about how to invent robot medics and Emergency transport pods for the Stations so you never know!