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Category: Museum

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Western Plains Cultural Centre

Wool Wagon at Western Plains Cultural Centre

Western Plains Cultural Centre

Located on Wingewarra Street Dubbo the Western Plains Cultural Centre has an excellent collection of local historical displays and art. During our visit the local final year students had their artwork on display, which was great to see. The museum section displayed a large range of items, which provided a feeling for the rich history of the region.

2020 HSC Works From the Dubbo Region

Exhibited as “Meet the Mark”, this display featured artists from the Wellington and Dubbo senior students. Produced for their HSC, these works highlighted the young talent in the area.

  • Pride Power Ambush by Rashmi Perera 2020 St John's College
    Pride Power Ambush by Rashmi Perera 2020 St John’s College
  • Tethered by Jailyn Webb 2020 Dubbo Campus Senior Campus
    Tethered by Jailyn Webb 2020 St John’s College
  • Still Life With Assimilation by Felicity Jeresano 2020 St John's College
    Still Life With Assimilation by Felicity Jeresano 2020 St John’s College

Dubbo History

The centre’s permanent exhibition is titled “People, Places, Possessions” because it focuses on the agricultural landscape and people of the area. The original inhabitants of the region, the Thubbagah people commence the story, followed by pastoral settlement.

A large section was devoted to agricultural history, including the introduction of the first portable steam engine. Face goggles from World War Two and a uniform from the 1885 Sudan war illustrated Dubbo’s link to the military.

A classroom from the time before digital electronics was great, because it brought back memories for us. How classrooms used to operate would amaze current students.

  • Artefacts of the Thubbagah People of the Dubbo Area
    Artefacts of the Thubbagah People of the Dubbo Area
  • Wool Wagon at Western Plains Cultural Centre
    Wool Wagon at Western Plains Cultural Centre
  • Davey Paxman 16943 Portable Steam Engine from the Dubbo Sawmill
    Davey Paxman 16943 Portable Steam Engine from the Dubbo Sawmill
  • Wilkins Kennedy and Spence Coach Builders Buggy
    Wilkins Kennedy and Spence Coach Builders Buggy
  • Farm Tools
    Farm Tools
  • Sudan Volunteer's Uniform From the 1885 Conflict
    Sudan Volunteer’s Uniform From the 1885 Conflict
  • A Camera in the Western Plains Cultural Centre
    A Camera in the Western Plains Cultural Centre
  • Old Classroom Western Plains Cultural Centre
    Old Classroom

What Did We Think

This was a fun place to visit, especially the local museum displays. These gave a greater understanding of the history of the area, going back to aboriginal times. The display of high school students’ works was a great added bonus but we enjoyed all of the art on display.

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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Flying Doctor Visitor Experience Dubbo

Flying Doctor Service Experience Dubbo

Flying Doctor Visitor Experience

How to Get There

Located at Dubbo Airport, just a ten minute drive from town, the Flying Doctor Visitor Experience is easy to get to. From the entrance to the airport, simply follow the signs to the visitor centre, where a large car park allows easy parking.

Flying Doctor Visitor Experience

Housed in a modern building, the museum uses state of the art audio visual displays to explain the history and operation of the RFDS.

RFDS History

The first room contains a large central audio visual display, surrounded by information boards. These detail the history of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, which gives you a great insight into what the RFDS has achieved.

  • Flying Doctor Experience History
    The History of the RFDS
  • Information Board Detailing the History of the RFDS
    Information Board Detailing the History of the RFDS
  • Information Board Detailing the History of the RFDS
    An Information Board Detailing the History of the RFDS
  • Information Board Detailing the History of the RFDS
    Information Board Detailing the History of the RFDS

Walk Through Displays

Just outside the history display is a replica of a King Air interior. This is a great display because it allows you to see what the RFDS aerial ambulance looks like. The interior is all set out, including the beds, medical equipment and pilot’s seat.

  • Replica Interior of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air
    Replica Interior of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air
  • Replica Interior of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air
    Interior of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air Replica
  • Replica Interior of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air
    Replica Interior of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air
  • Replica Interior of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air
    Replica Interior of a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air

Items on Display

Several display cases show some of the older equipment used, which contrasts with the latest technology on display.

  • Old Radios on Display Flying Doctor Visitor Experience
    Old Radios on Display
  • Medicines and Old Radios on Display Flying Doctor Visitor Experience
    Medicines and Old Radios on Display
  • RFDS Treatment Room
    RFDS Treatment Room

Aircraft on Display at the Flying Doctor Visitor Experience

A retired Beechcraft Super King Air takes up one corner of the large auditorium, showcasing the main tool of the RFDS. A barrier surrounds the plane, but you are able to climb stairs to see into the interior.

In the Outback Trek Café, a de Havilland Fox Moth biplane replica contrasts with the modern King Air, demonstrating how far things have come since the early days of aviation.

  • Beechcraft B200 Super King Air VH-MVY of the Royal Flying Doctor Service Flying Doctor Visitor Experience
    Beechcraft B200 Super King Air VH-MVY of the Royal Flying Doctor Service
  • de Havilland Fox Moth VH-UQM Replica Flying Doctor Visitor Experience
    de Havilland Fox Moth VH-UQM Replica

Audio Visual Display

The centrepiece of both main rooms is an audio visual display. In the entry room, an interactive display allows you to hear people’s stories, while using headphones and a touch screen. In the large auditorium, a huge visual display runs a video, detailing medical emergencies and how they were treated. This gives a great insight into the RFDS operations and how important they are to remote locations around Australia.

  • Interactive Display
    Interactive Display
  • Large Visual Displays in the Auditorium
    Large Visual Displays in the Auditorium

Outback Trek Café

After looking around the displays, the Outback Trek Café has a range of meals and refreshments, which is a great way to finish your visit. This area is spacious and provides a nice place to sit down and relax. An EH Holden used in the fund raising Outback Trek is on display here, along with the de Havilland Fox Moth biplane.

  • EH Holden at the Outback Trek Café
    EH Holden at the Outback Trek Café

What Did We Think?

We though this was a great place to visit, because it shows the full history of the Royal Flying Doctor Service in a modern setting. Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in aviation or the RFDS.

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Maitland Regional Art Gallery

T-Rex by Andrew Sullivan

Maitland Regional Art Gallery

The Maitland Regional Art Gallery occupies a building complex in High Street alongside several other historically significant buildings. Originally two separate buildings a major renovation, saw a joining structure added linking them into one structure.

There is ample parking available at the rear of the gallery, so you can avoid trying to park in the road. Entry is either via the main entrance, or through the café. We chose the latter and had a relaxing coffee before walking through the gallery.

Three special exhibitions were on display during our visit, which made the visit even better.

A Survey into the Cretaceous by Andrew Sullivan

Survey into the Cretaceous by Andrew Sullivan imagines a situation where the artist is part of an expedition into the past. He is there to record the animals found, which makes for some fascinating paintings. Being interested in the subject, we found it a refreshing take on dinosaur artwork, because it was different.

  • A Survey into the Cretaceous by Andrew Sullivan
    A Survey into the Cretaceous by Andrew Sullivan
  • T-Rex by Andrew Sullivan
    T-Rex by Andrew Sullivan
  • Coelacanth by Andrew Sullivan
    Coelacanth by Andrew Sullivan
  • Adult and Juvenile Pteranodon by Andrew Sullivan
    Adult and Juvenile Pteranodon by Andrew Sullivan
  • Corythosaurus by AJ Sullivan
    Corythosaurus by AJ Sullivan

Paintings by Ken Done You Probably Haven’t Seen

The gallery had a display of lesser known Ken Done paintings on display, which were to his usual colourful standard.

  • Ken Done Exhibition
    Ken Done Exhibition
  • Ken Done Paintings
    Another Ken Done Painting
  • Ken Done Paintings
    Ken Done Paintings

Fieldwork – Landscapes West of Sydney

An Art Gallery of New South Wales Touring Exhibit, Fieldwork was a surprise, because we were not expecting to see it here. The exhibition draws together many works from the galleries’ collection, many of them not displayed in decades. We enjoyed these paintings from the mid to late 1800s, as they show the beginning of a rich period of Australian artwork. There was quiet a variety of interesting paintings on display, a little something for everyone. This gallery is small but has a lot to offer. We enjoyed it!

  • Fieldwork Landscapes West of Sydney Exhibition Maitland Regional Art Gallery
    Fieldwork Landscapes West of Sydney Exhibition
  • Maitland Regional Art Gallery
    Maitland Regional Art Gallery
  • Burragorang Valley Near Picton by JH Carse 1879
    Burragorang Valley Near Picton by JH Carse 1879

Other Displays at the Maitland Regional Art Gallery

  • Joshua Smith JWA Smith 1937 Maitland Regional Art Gallery
    Joshua Smith JWA Smith 1937
  • Maitland Regional Art Gallery
    Maitland Regional Art Gallery

Outdoor Sculpture

Visible from the road, this two metre high sculpture is a fun example of what art can be.

Fetch Boy by Gillie and Marc Schattner Maitland Regional Art Gallery
Fetch Boy by Gillie and Marc Schattner

Our photos are available for purchase on

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.