John Flynn Place John Flynn Place

Daintree Street, Cloncurry

Open from 8.30am to 4.30pm week days, John Flynn Place is Closed on Public Holidays and during the months of December and January

Open from 9.00am to 3.00pm week ends from May to the end of September

For further information or to make a group booking please contact Tricia on (07) 4742 2778 or by email johnflynnplace@cloncurry.qld.gov.au
 

Commemorates the founding of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Originally the Aerial Medical Service).

John Flynn's Creative use of emerging technologies - Aviation and Radio, together with the practice of medicine is the basis of the service. In 1928, Supported by a team of boundary riding padres. John Flynn's Mantle of Safety over the Inland sparked a social revolution in the Australian Outback.

Opened in 1988 by their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of York, John Flynn Place commemorates the founding of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. John Flynn Place houses a unique combination of historic material, including photographs, documents and artifacts. A valuable art collection is on display in the Fred McKay Art Gallery, which displays winners of the Ernest Henry Art Show. Included in John Flynn Place is the Cloncurry Gardens.

Within John Flynn Place visitors will find:

  • Fred McKay Art Gallery and RFDS Museum
  • Alfred Trager Cultural Centre
  • Allan Vickers Outdoor Theatre
  • The Cloncurry Gardens

 

Aviation
The first aircraft, supplied by Qantas, was a DeHavilland 50, 'G-AUER', specially modified to carry a stretcher. The first pilot, also from Qantaas was Capt Arthur Affleck, and the first flight on 17th May 1928 was to Julia Creek to attend an Injured stockman.

Medicine
Many Highly qualified doctors were inspired by John Flynn's unique aerial medical scheme the honour of being the first flying doctor went to Dr Kenyon St Vincent Welch. Life back of beyond will never be so dangerous or lonely again, thanks to the compassion and determination of Flynn of the Inland

Radio
Brilliant South Australian radio engineer, Alfred Traeger solved the communication problem with his invention of the pedal radio in 1929. His second invention, an automatic keyboard, appeared in 1934.

The mother station (VJI) installed behind the Presbyterian church in Cloncurry communicated by voice and the remote pedal sets replied in morse code. South Australian educator, Adelaide Meithke used the RFDS radio network to supply bush children with lessons thus establishing School of the Air in 1951.