Bowen, population 10,000, has a lot going for it. It’s an attractive town with a harbour, a number of heritage listed buildings and wide streets. But it is Bowen’s stunning beaches that get the accolades. The feature photo of Horseshoe Bay often makes an appearance on the list of Australia’s Best Beaches.
The council has wisely invested in building some good walking paths along the beaches. The Circuit is an easy walk, begins and ends at Horseshoe Bay, is 4.5kms and winds its way to the beaches in the photos below.
Murray BayMurray BayGrey’s BayGrey’s Bay – another viewSettling in at Queens BeachCurtain fig Queens Beach
The extremely pleasant waterfront.
All roads lead to the waterfrontAt the waterfront is this tribute to Baz Luhrmann’s epic film ‘Australia’ filmed in Bowen in 2007. Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman star in this story set in wartime Darwin. Bowen Harbour mimics Darwin Harbour.Bowen Jetty built in 1866
Heritage buildings are many.
Court House – heritage listedPost Office – heritage listedGrand View Hotel Lucky we were to enjoy the opening screening of ‘Slim and I’ in Bowen’s 1940s classic art deco Summergarden Cinema. What a fabulous doco about our country music legend Slim Dusty and his wife Joy McKean. The Bowen cinema makes an appearance in the film.Views from Flagstaff HillBowen has 28 wall murals throughout the town. Another good one – long overdue tribute to the hard working South Sea Islanders who arrived here in 1863 from Solomons, Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Kiribati, Milne Bay to work as sugar slaves. ‘Blackbirding’ – being stolen, kidnapped and tricked to work was common practice. Bowen Historical Museum – really goodThe freshest fish off the trawlers is at the wharves. Red emperor was delicious and picnic spots dot the waterfront.An institution in Bowen since 1963. The Hugh Jackman pie was on the menu until recentlyThe Big Mango – it certainly attracts the tourists. Word is it was once stolen but found the next dayAlmost mango season
To reach Bowen, we drove from the Atherton Tablelands heading south east.
First stop was Lucinda, just east of Ingham. This town is tiny, real tiny. There’s a vibey hotel, a caravan park with fabulous rain showers, a smattering of houses, a sugar loading jetty which is a whopping 6kms long and a zillion boats. Lucinda is the gateway to Hinchinbrook Channel which teems with rich schools of barramundi, coral trout and blue fin tuna. We had a relaxing couple of days here before driving to Bowen.
It takes 22 mins for the sugar to travel along the conveyor to waiting ships, mostly bound for Canada and MalaysiaBananas grow well in this rain blessed regionOur next stopover was in sugar rich Ayr which has an interesting beach with inner and outer banks as well as a busy downtown.
Fabulous Wendy! Photos are lovely. Sharp and clear and bright. I’ve had lunch at Lucinda! Try Parked the caravan where there is a view and some tables! Bought local chips to go with our salad. Keep on enjoying our wonderful Queensland! I don’t think we’ll be able to do the Nullabor trip this year. 😡But we’ll head off north or north west next month for a few weeks. 🥂🥰xxxx
CLARK MOMENTS 
Fabulous Wendy! Photos are lovely. Sharp and clear and bright. I’ve had lunch at Lucinda! Try Parked the caravan where there is a view and some tables! Bought local chips to go with our salad. Keep on enjoying our wonderful Queensland! I don’t think we’ll be able to do the Nullabor trip this year. 😡But we’ll head off north or north west next month for a few weeks. 🥂🥰xxxx
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You should publish a table book of your travels
Your photos are excellent.
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