Royal Flying Doctor Service visitor experience to land in the silver city

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said $5.5 million will help the Royal Flying Doctor Service redevelop its Broken Hill Visitor Centre and create an interactive Outback Heritage Visitor Experience.

“The Royal Flying Doctor Service is crucial to rural and remote communities; people are intrigued by the challenging and complex service they provide and this attraction will give them a great insight into what the organisation does each day,” Mr Toole said.

“This funding will allow the creation of a modern visitor attraction with interactive digital technology and displays of historic planes that the Royal Flying Doctor Service has used to treat and transfer patients from remote corners of the state.

“The centre will be built in the refurbished Bellman Hangar at the Broken Hill airport which will allow for greater accessibility and inclusiveness for all visitors who can learn more about the history and experiences of people who have used the service.”

Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor said it’s so important that we tell the story of the Royal Flying Doctor Service’s contribution to rural and regional NSW.

“The Royal Flying Doctor Service plays a critical role in improving healthcare outcomes for those living in rural and regional NSW. This funding will allow even more people to learn about the vital work they do on a daily basis,” Mrs Taylor said.

Minister for Western NSW Dugald Saunders said the Regional Tourism Activation Fund supports local economies and jobs by backing unique tourism experiences that will attract visitors and showcase what our regions have to offer.

“Projects backed through the Regional Tourism Activation Fund will give domestic and international visitors another great reason to holiday in our regions and experience the best these communities have to offer,” Mr Saunders said.

“Broken Hill has such a rich culture and heritage and the Royal Flying Doctor Service has played a key role in the evolution of the community, so it’s fitting and important for the NSW Government to revitalise the Visitor Centre so it can be enjoyed for generations to come.”

Royal Flying Doctor Service (South Eastern Section) CEO Greg Sam says the construction will attract visitors from near and far.

“We are very pleased the NSW Government has supported our vision for a new state-of-the-art visitor experience in Broken Hill that tells the story of the Flying Doctor in rural and remote NSW over the last 86 years,” Mr Sam said.

“Thank you to Deputy Premier Paul Toole, Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor, Minister for Western NSW Dugald Saunders and the NSW Government for enabling this project and the tourism value it will bring to Broken Hill and the wider region.”

Under Stream One, grants of between $200,000 and $5 million were available for projects delivering unique and high impact visitor experiences, while Stream Two provided grants of between $50,000 to $500,000 for projects aimed at improving the accessibility and inclusion of tourism experiences for people with disability.

The $30 million Regional Tourism Activation Fund is part of the NSW Government’s $2 billion Regional Growth Fund.

For more information, go to: www.nsw.gov.au/RTAFund.