The town of Alice Springs is the main base of the famous Royal Flying Doctor Service, which provides medical care for people living in remote areas of Central Australia. You can learn about the service on a fascinating tour that includes Flying Doctors, videos and a small museum. The headquarters is surrounded by a lovely garden and a small souvenir shop.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service was established in 1928 by the Rev. John Flynn as an experiment under the name "Aviation Medical Service". His idea was to ensure the safety of residents of remote communities of the interior of the continent by establishing hospitals. In first year of operation, the service made 50 flights, travelling some 20,000 miles. In 1939, the first flights of the "flying doctors", providing both emergency medical and therapeutic services throughout Central Australia, were launched from Alice Springs. Up until the 1960s, the service leased aircraft, contracted pilots and support staff. But later, with the help of the government, it began to take ownership of everything it needed. Using the latest advances in aviation, communications and medical technology, the service has created a network of healthcare facilities for those living, working or traveling across the vast Australian Outback.
Today, the service has bases in Adelaide, Port Augusta and the Ayers Rock Medical Centre Ayers Rock in the resort town of Yulara. The subordinate territory of the "flying doctors" jurisdiction is South Australia and the southern part of the Northern Territories, but as required, flights are also made within the states of Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales. In total, more than 2.3 million kilometres sq. km. are covered by the medical network. Without this unique service, much of the remote corners of the country would be uninhabitable.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service is the world's first and largest aeromedical organisation.
