RFDS Darwin Tourist Facility

RFDS Darwin Tourist Facility

RFDS Darwin Tourist Facility
5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
The Royal Flying Doctor Service Darwin Tourist Facility is an exciting attraction on Stokes Hill Wharf that brings to life two iconic Australian stories. Both iconic stories are retold using state of the art technology including Virtual Reality headsets, hologram movies, audio-visuals and touch screen TVs as well as the fascinating story boards. The first story is the Royal Flying Doctor Service, affectionately known as the RFDS. Founded in 1928 by Reverend John Flynn, it began its aero-medical operations in the Northern Territory in 1939. The second story is the Bombing of Darwin on 19th February 1942. The bombing raids by the Japanese, brought destruction to the city of Darwin and many of the events that happened that day are featured. The RFDS Tourist Facility is a must see in Darwin for visitors of all ages and families to have an interesting learning experience about Darwin's history. The facility will be closed Good Friday 7th April 23 and Christmas Day 25 Dec 23.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • Amanda S
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Royal Flying Doctors and Bombing of Darwin
    This was an absolutely wonderful place to visit. I dont want to spoil the surprises, however, it is extremely professionally done and hugely interactive. We were there 2 hours and it passed very quickly. The staff were wonderful, very friendly and made sure we didnt miss anything. Highly recommend for all ages.
    Thanks for the wonderful review, we are pleased that you enjoyed the facility, we are very proud of our product and love getting positive feedback. Kind regards The RFDS team.
    Written 6 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 5 October 2023
  • balitraveller27
    Toowoomba, Australia135 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth every cent!
    This museum would have to be one of the best and most informative museums I've ever visited. It's not huge but they've packed so much interactive information and hologram movies in here. If you really want to step inside a real plane and see how little space these angels of mercy have to work in & learn via visual headsets the challenges they face is truly commendable. I also learnt a huge amount about the 1942 Japanese bombing in Darwin & by means of visual and sensory aids actually had real life experiences of how scary the bombing was. The fee to experience all this was worth every cent. Good job guys!
    Thanks so much for the great review, the technology used to tell these iconic stories brings to life the reality of these events. Glad that you enjoyed our facility and also learned more about the bombing of Darwin. Regards from the RFDS Team.
    Written 8 February 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 5 February 2024
  • Dian J
    Greater Sydney, Australia21 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An amazing experience
    Amazing. Loved the immersive experience of the bombing, the hologram films on both RFDS & Bombing of Darwin WW11, also 3D presentations. Spent 2 hours but could have spent longer. Suitable for all ages Highly recommend
    What a wonderful review, our team is very happy to hear that you enjoyed the heroic tales of the birth and growth of the RFDS and relived the drama of the Bombing of Darwin Harbour, we agree that the interactive technology is designed to brings history to life and engage with our guests of all ages. Thank You The RFDS Team!
    Written 16 May 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 29 April 2024
  • BellBoy53
    Brisbane, Australia617 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic Historic Information
    Fantastic historical films on both the RFDS and on the WWII bombing of Darwin as well as many static displays, all of which are very informative. Also a real RFDS plane into which you can climb to see how it is equipped. A gift shop helps support the facility. Well worth the visit.
    Thanks for the excellent review, we are thrilled that you enjoyed experiencing our facility and made the most of the technology available. Kind Regards, The RFDS Team.
    Written 17 August 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 25 July 2024
  • highst25
    Camberwell, Australia174 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth a visit
    Overall good experience. The virtual reality headsets for both the flying Dr service and the bombing of Darwin were the standout. It is a long walk but they have a shuttle bus that goes to the end of the jetty but only runs after 11:30 AM. We had a drink on a bar that was on the jetty which was very pleasant.
    Thank you for visiting and leaving such a wonderful review. The shuttle bus operates for a lunch service during 11:30am - 2pm and between 4pm - 9pm for a dinner service. Further information can be found https://www.waterfront.nt.gov.au/free-waterfront-shuttle Sounds like a nice day spent of Stokes Hill Wharf!
    Written 13 September 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 5 September 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles1,190 reviews
Excellent
971
Very good
186
Average
26
Poor
4
Terrible
3

Cassie T
Melbourne, Australia232 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2021
It was good (rather than average) but I had to score 3/5
Had to take a ride share to Stoke's Wharf, and then pay entry fee for 2 persons.
But you hear about the bombing of Darwin as well as displays about the history of RFDS and go into a replica plane .
I scored it 3/5 because of the cost but it was worth the visit.
Written 5 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for review, we appreciate hearing your feedback. The RFDS Darwin team is happy to hear you enjoyed your time visiting the Tourist Facility. Kind regards, Sam
Written 8 April 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Peggy N
Singapore, Singapore22 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019 • Family
We really enjoyed the exhibits there and especially the VR experience they provided describing the war that happened in Darwin and the origins of the RFDS. Definitely worth paying for. The simulations and exhibits are insanely well created. There's visual and sound effects that's made the experience really interesting. Got to see a life exhibit of the aircraft for the RFDS as well. Worth it. Learnt something new as well. History buffs would love this.
Written 11 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for sharing your experience and for the 5-star review! Our team really appreciates hearing how much you enjoyed your visit to our attraction. We agree, learning with interactive technology such as virtual reality helps to bring history to life and engage with our guests. Kind Regards Sam
Written 15 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

AndyRedlynchCairns!
Redlynch, Australia52 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2021
So great to here John Flynn's story, and the work done by his team since. Wonderfully interactive, what seems like a simple small building actually harbours a wealth of activities to be a part of. Highly recommend to do this and enjoy a meal on the wharf and chat about what you have seen..(we did!)
Written 29 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for visiting the RFDS Darwin Tourist Facility, and for your great review! The RFDS Team is glad you were able to spend some time with us to discover some incredible stories of Bombing of Darwin history and the heroic tales of the birth and growth of the RFDS. We agree the food outlets on the wharf are lovely way to round out your visit. Kind Regards Sam
Written 3 April 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Jan W
Hyde Park, Australia184 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2020
The facility offers 2 different experiences, an amazing 3D interactive bombing of Darwin and the more traditional RFDS museum display.
Both very good.
There is a free waterfront precinct shuttle which is great because it’s a long walk in the heat if you aren’t on a tour
Written 14 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for sharing your experience! Our team is delighted to hear that you visited the RFDS Tourist Facility to experience the two iconic Territory stories in one iconic location at Stokes Hill Wharf. Regards Sam
Written 16 November 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Sam C
31 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020 • Couples
A great little modern museum with good interactive displays, virtual reality and small cinema. Both the bombing of Darwin and RFDS exhibits are very well done. Staff are friendly and helpful.
Written 17 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you sharing your experience and for your 5 star rating! We are pleased to hear you enjoyed your visit to the RFDS Darwin Tourist Facility. Our team prides themselves on being professional and friendly, we love to hear such positive feedback. Kind Regards Sam
Written 21 September 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

ScottMcEwan
Melbourne, Australia38 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2020
The Facility provides and amazing insight into the RFDS founder's vision, its early history and current scope operations in the Australian Outback and in capital cities. The audiovisual display of the bombing of Darwin, where it happened, in 1942 is truly stunning. I encourage everyone visiting Darwin to see the RFDS Facility and support this wonderful and much-needed organisation.
Written 3 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thankyou for your wonderful 5 star review!
Written 4 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Maddy G
7 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2022
Upon visiting the RFDS facility, we learnt about the bombing of Darwin and notable figures from the event, as well as history of the RFDS. The hologram videos and VR were both very interesting. The highlight was sitting the in RFDS plane. A little smaller than we were expecting but still lots to learn and interact with. You can catch the free shuttle bus from the main part of the waterfront to stokes hill wharf and recommend coming down the sky walk elevator if you are coming from town on foot.
Written 1 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for the great review, the technology used to tell these stories is certainly informative and exciting. We are lucky to have a retired PC 12 aircraft so people can get the best understanding of the size and scale of our fleet. Regards from, The RFDS team.
Written 3 October 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

balitraveller27
Toowoomba, Australia135 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
This museum would have to be one of the best and most informative museums I've ever visited. It's not huge but they've packed so much interactive information and hologram movies in here. If you really want to step inside a real plane and see how little space these angels of mercy have to work in & learn via visual headsets the challenges they face is truly commendable. I also learnt a huge amount about the 1942 Japanese bombing in Darwin & by means of visual and sensory aids actually had real life experiences of how scary the bombing was.
The fee to experience all this was worth every cent. Good job guys!
Written 6 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks so much for the great review, the technology used to tell these iconic stories brings to life the reality of these events. Glad that you enjoyed our facility and also learned more about the bombing of Darwin. Regards from the RFDS Team.
Written 8 February 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Amanda S
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
This was an absolutely wonderful place to visit.
I dont want to spoil the surprises, however, it is extremely professionally done and hugely interactive. We were there 2 hours and it passed very quickly.
The staff were wonderful, very friendly and made sure we didnt miss anything.
Highly recommend for all ages.
Written 5 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for the wonderful review, we are pleased that you enjoyed the facility, we are very proud of our product and love getting positive feedback. Kind regards The RFDS team.
Written 6 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

BellBoy53
Brisbane, Australia617 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2024 • Couples
Fantastic historical films on both the RFDS and on the WWII bombing of Darwin as well as many static displays, all of which are very informative. Also a real RFDS plane into which you can climb to see how it is equipped. A gift shop helps support the facility. Well worth the visit.
Written 25 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for the excellent review, we are thrilled that you enjoyed experiencing our facility and made the most of the technology available. Kind Regards, The RFDS Team.
Written 17 August 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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