RFDS Plane to be Relocated and Restored

Published on 28 May 2025

The De Havilland plane in George McCoy Park is staying in Mount Isa. The aircraft will soon be relocated to the new RFDS and LifeFlight base at the Mount Isa Airport.

At its May Ordinary Meeting this morning, Wednesday May 28, Council resolved to dispose of the De Havilland Australia DHA-3 Drover aircraft as-is and donate it to the RFDS Queensland Section, with the RFDS to cover the costs of the plane’s relocation and restoration.

Late last year, Council had discussions with RFDS’s Queensland CEO Meredith Staib about the aircraft, which is in a state of disrepair and requires considerable investment to bring it back to its original condition.

Following discussions, Ms Staib formally requested that Council consider permitting the RFDS to remove the aircraft from its location in George McCoy Park and transfer it to the new RFDS base, where it can be restored and returned to its former glory. Council permitted the request in January this year.

The RFDS is looking to place the plane in a prominent position and have it form part of their visitor centre at the base.

Speaking at today's Ordinary Meeting, Mayor Peta MacRae said she's glad the De Havilland Drover is getting a home.

"I think everyone in the community is going to be really pleased that it’s going to be done up," Cr MacRae said.

"It’s going to make the outlook coming from the airport into town look great, being able to drive past that, and everybody will be able to see it a lot more easily than in the park where it currently is. I think it’s a good solution that everybody in the community will be happy with. Great work, RFDS."

The Drover is a composite made of two separate aircraft – one that was wrecked at Austral Downs Station, south of Camooweal, in 1957, with the other wrecked on Mooraberree Station, south-east of Bedourie, in 1952.

The aircraft came about thanks to the efforts of an RFDS pilot, who organised for the two wrecks to be salvaged and brought to Mount Isa in 1979, where they were restored, used to create a single aircraft, and hoisted up onto poles at George McCoy Park, thanks to the efforts of members of local Lions, Rotary, and Apex clubs, as well as Mount Isa Mines.

The aircraft – the fuselage of which is empty – was officially gifted to Council and the Mount Isa community in 1981.

While the RFDS’s Drover aircraft were never based in Mount Isa, they were used in Cloncurry and Charleville.