After leaving the Atherton Tablelands, we headed south east, taking a few days to reach Bowen.
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.
Home to the Big Mango and a roaring mango trade as well as tomatoes, Bowen with a population of 10,000, was well worth parking the camper trailer for a few days.
The Big Mango – it certainly attracts the tourists. Word is it was once stolen but found the next daySettling in at Queens Beach
Bowen is attractive and spacious with its harbour, heritage listed buildings and wide streets.
All roads lead to the waterfrontBowen Jetty built in 1866Court House – heritage listedPost Office – heritage listedGrand View Hotel At 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.View from Flagstaff Hill
Bowen’s beaches are stunning and the council has wisely invested in building some good walking paths. The Circuit begins and ends at Horseshoe Bay, is 4.5kms and winds its way to the beaches in the photos below.
Horseshoe Bay – often makes an appearance on the list of Australia’s Best BeachesMurray BayMurray BayGrey’s BayGrey’s Bay – another viewLucky 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.The 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 recentlyCurtain fig Queens BeachBowen 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 goodNot quite mango season
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
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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