Tour guides help bus travellers discover Bowen's hidden gems

Bowen Tourism and Business team member Cindy Tonks and volunteer Steve “Fish” Fisher with Sue from O’Shannessy Coaches

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The team at Bowen Tourism and Business continue to welcome thousands of visitors to the region and they recently also provided tour guides for visiting bus travellers.

Last month, about 40 visitors from across Australia were given a guided taste of Bowen, with two busloads of tourists stopping at the Big Mango before touring some of the town’s most popular attractions.

The guided commentary service is one of the many ways Bowen Tourism and Business helps visitors make the most of their time in Bowen, with the benefit of local knowledge.

Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy, said that during winter each year, the Local Tourism Organisation usually receives several enquiries from coach companies looking for local guides.

“We are always happy to help,” she said.

"Our wonderful volunteers are always keen to be involved, and they are the perfect guides because they have such a wealth of local knowledge, and they love sharing their passion for Bowen.

Each bus ride route isn’t set in stone either, with several tour scripts allowing guides to tailor the experience to suit each group’s interests.

"We obviously provide visitors with information about our beautiful beaches, local history and the attractions that make Bowen such a wonderful place to visit," she said.

"However, many groups are also interested in learning more about our industries, particularly farming.

"People are often fascinated by the history of mango farming in our region, and they're also surprised to hear about our significant winter crops including tomatoes, corn and eggplant."

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Contributed with thanks to Leanne Abernethy.