By Rosemary Jilderts

Baz Luhrmann’s film Australia may have put Bowen on the map for many overseas moviegoers but in the minds of some Aussies as well as some international visitors who have stumbled across this little gem, the town has been well and truly on the map for a long time.  Bowen has had a reputation for a number of things.  Fishing.  The Bowen Special Mango.  Fishing.  Tasty tomatoes and, of course, not to be forgotten ... Fishing.  But that’s not all ...

The day could not have been more perfect for our sail from Airlie Beach in the Whitsundays to Gloucester Passage near Bowen.  Despite being the middle of winter the temperature was a comfortable 24° and the sun was shining in a cloudless, cobalt blue sky.  With a good breeze of about 15-20kts behind us, Sokari slipped along effortlessly while John and I sat back with coffees in hand and enjoyed another beautiful day in Paradise. 

On this day in 1770 Captain James Cook was sailing this same area and left his mark in Australia’s history by naming many places along our vast coastline. 

June 4, 1770  Captain Cook, unaware that what he was looking at was actually an island, named Cape Gloucester after Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh.  On the same day he named Edgecumbe Bay after Captain George Edgcumbe, First Earl of Mount Edgcumbe who, in 1758, commanded the Lancaster in the fleet in North America in which Cook served.  Holburn Island was also named on that day by Cook after Admiral Francis Holburn.

Holburn Island which lies 18.64nm north-east of Gray’s Bay was the scene of a rescue of a handful of survivors in 1875 when the SS  Gothenburg (a modern iron vessel, powered by steam and sail) hit a reef during a violent storm.  The vessel had left Darwin on February 17, 1875 en-route to Melbourne and was carrying, in the hold, gold bullion valued at £40,000 along with the Royal Mail.  In the captain’s cabin were almost 3000 ounces of gold and this precious commodity was also carried by many of the passengers in money belts and bags.  On board were the French Consul, senior banking and government officials and miners from Pine Creek along with prisoners bound for Adelaide gaol.  

The ship had stopped at Somerset (Cape York) to take on ballast.  Captain RG Pierce had been advised that a storm was brewing but before they could finish loading the ballast the anchor chain parted and the ship had to continue south into misty rain and increasing wind.  Despite the conditions the ship made good speed.  On the evening of February 24 due to lack of visibility Captain Pierce changed course which put him roughly 16 miles too far to the east.  The ship hit an uncharted reef with so much force that only two feet of the bow were left in the water.  Fittings and equipment were thrown overboard in an effort to lighten the ship then the captain ordered full steam astern.  It was to no avail.  Despite their best efforts the ship was stuck fast.  People were thrown overboard and two lifeboats drifted away before they could be brought to the lee side of the ship.  One hundred and twelve souls died in this tragedy.  Many of the victims drowned when they refused to drop their heavy money belts and bags.  Not wanting to lose what they’d worked so hard for, they went straight to the bottom, and ended up losing their lives instead.  The handful of survivors who managed to escape in lifeboats reached tiny Holburn Island and were rescued a few days later by the search vessel Leichhardt and taken to Bowen.  The banks immediately decided that no more gold would be sent on mail ships and only cheques would be sent in the future.  A chest containing about 9,000 pounds of gold was later recovered by a well-known Brisbane diver.  Little else was salvaged.

Sokari arrived at Saddleback Island around lunchtime so we dropped anchor just off its lovely sandy beach and had a swim and a light lunch.  We sat back, put our feet up and enjoyed this pretty spot before making our way slowly through the passage and out into Edgecombe Bay.

Gloucester Passage is well marked and has enough water at low water for boats drawing up to 1.8m (six feet).  Deeper drafted vessels should wait for the flood tide.  The tidal stream flows easterly on the flood and westerly on the ebb.

Edgecombe Bay is huge and it is claimed that it could hold the entire American Pacific Fleet.  The fishing around Gloucester Island is excellent so it’s well worth dropping a line in.  Locals often spend their weekends fishing around the island then anchoring off Monte’s Reef Resort at night where they can enjoy a good meal and a drink or two at the friendly resort.  When you travel through the passage why not pop in and say g’day to Kathryn who welcomes boating visitors.  Or you can phone her on (07) 4945 7177; fax (07) 4945 7272 or email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   The scenery from the beach looking towards Bowen is quite superb especially at sunset with the sun’s red rays stretching from the town across the water to the sandy white beach in front of the resort. 

With Bowen in sight on the other side of the bay we decided to spend the night outside Monte’s leaving our arrival at the town until the next morning.  John tossed a line over the side and left the reel lying loose in the cockpit.  With the size of the fish up here we use 120lb line.  We believe in giving ourselves a fighting chance.  In just a few minutes all hell broke loose.  John grabbed the reel just before it went over the side and tried to pull the fish in but all he could do was attempt to hang on.  Even this was impossible.  We could only watch as the line was pulled through his fingers.  Despite John putting all his weight into it, inch by inch the line was pulled out of his hand burning deep cuts through his fishing gloves and into his finger joints.  The line which was as taut as a guitar string didn’t even slow the fish.  Whatever was on the other end was like a tractor – classic fishing for this area.  In an attempt to slow the fish John wrapped the 120lb line around a cleat.  But to no avail.  It just broke the line.  But the Queenie that we caught later and cooked for dinner was still a good catch.  While a visit to the resort for a drink was tempting we were tired and decided on an early night.

Another resort began operations in 1995.  Cape Gloucester Eco-Resort is situated 18nm north of Airlie Beach and 10nm south of Bowen in Edgecombe Bay and also welcomes the sailing visitor.  After rounding Passage Islet you enter the resort’s mooring area where there is a minimum depth of five metres.  To get a mooring allocation call the resort on VHF 16, or phone (07) 4945 7242.  Resort access costs $20 per night or $70 per week per vessel with a maximum of four persons per boat.

The anchorage was calm and we had a comfortable night, sleeping well and rising totally rested early the next morning.  After a leisurely breakfast Sokari headed for Bowen Boat Harbour and the town we once called home.

John and I, along with my young teenage daughter, had lived in Bowen in the early to mid 80’s and arriving back in town, whether by water or by road, was just like coming home.  John and I were looking forward to catching up with old friends again and couldn’t wait to tie up in the harbour.  As usual we announced our imminent arrival on the VHF because the entry channel was too narrow to handle two boats passing, especially with Sokari’s 24’ width. 

Off to our port side as we entered the boat harbour sat the North Queensland Cruising Yacht Club and memories of their wonderful barbecues in the ‘80s suddenly came back to us.  Whoever was their chef could certainly cook a magic steak.

 After securing the boat, we walked into town to Magee’s Supermarket to stock up on groceries and catch up with our old friend, John McLean, the manager of this friendly family store.  After doing a large shop, we piled into Magee’s ute with all our shopping in the back and headed down to the harbour.  It was great being back in the town where we had our first real home and started our first business in Queensland. 

After a couple of days in the harbour we decided to move around to Gray’s Bay on the northern side of town where we had started and operated Coral Coast Aquatic Centre.  We left the harbour and headed north to Queen’s Bay.  By the time we reached Innaminka Rocks the wind had risen to over 20kts creating a short sharp chop.  To go right around the rocks would take another 20 minutes and it was always difficult to judge just where two shallow piles of boulders were situated on course between the rocks and the anchorage.  These were a not so obvious danger and while running our business we had seen many boats changing course at the last minute as the boulders suddenly appeared dead ahead.  We were also eager to be out of the rough stuff and from years of experience we knew there was plenty of depth in between Inner and Outer Innaminka Rocks.  Customers had often tipped our off-the-beach catamarans over and they’d drifted through without their 16ft tall masts touching bottom so we decided to take Sokari through.   John was ready to take evasive action if the bottom rose but we found plenty of water as we motored carefully between the two sets of rocks.  It was quite a buzz taking Sokari through the narrow channel but we would never recommend anyone else try it without having local knowledge.  In a short space of time we were anchored in Gray’s Bay close to where we had our business over a decade earlier. 

The locals will tell you ‘the town used to be called Blowen until the wind blew the ell out of it!’  It was an ideal place for us to start a sailing business.  After a few years we sold out but the business had since ceased to operate.  However we could still visualise the colourful sails on our off-the-beach cats and sailboards as they screeched around Queens Bay.  What fun we had then.  John would ‘troll’ for business, perched high on one hull as he ‘mono’d’ with mast and sails on a crazy angle.  Most of our customers were generally more sedate but there were some who were always pushing the limits and would tip the cats over repeatedly.  With the almost constant high winds in the area our sailboards were very popular ...  “It’s even better than sex” said one breathless customer after an hour spent on one of our jump boards. 

For the first time visitor to Bowen the town wouldn’t appear to have a lot to offer but before long it becomes apparent that there is more to Bowen than first thought.  Take a look at the Bowen Tourist Guide and Holiday Planner which is jam packed full of great things to do, places to explore, restaurants etc.  as well as a comprehensive list of service industries.  In fact, just about anything you need is covered in this publication.  In the meantime, until you can get a copy, let me whet your appetite just a little bit.

Bowen is at the northern extremity of the Whitsundays but most visitors to that area are unaware of the jewel to the north.  Bowen wasn’t called the ‘Gem of the Coral Coast’ for nothing.  The area has many natural attractions with beautiful sandy beaches, great fringing reef that can be snorkelled and dived from shore, relaxed bushwalks and amazing lookouts such as Flagstaff Hill that overlook spectacular azure waters.  The weather is amazing.  It is reputed to be one of the driest towns on the east coast.  It rarely rains.  In fact, during our days in Bowen, Bob Porter who owned Horseshoe Bay Caravan Park advertised that he didn’t charge his customers on the days it rained but he was on a pretty safe bet.  It’s about time someone let out this well-kept secret.

If you visit no other lookout, Flagstaff Hill is a must-see.  It’s well worth a drive to the top of Flagstaff Hill where you will find a viewing and information centre with an upstairs viewing room.  From here you will have 360° views over Edgecombe Bay, Gloucester Island and Bowen along with the town’s beautiful northern beaches.

Beaches and bays

Bowen is only a relatively tiny town but it has some of the best beaches in North Queensland.  Whether you want to swim, snorkel, dive or fish this is the place to be.  Keep your eyes open and you may even see nesting turtles in season.

Front Beach is located at the end of Bowen’s quiet main street and is a lovely spot to relax and enjoy the view.  There are picnic tables where you can sit and have a bite to eat while watching the windsurfers take advantage of the prevailing wind.

Queens Beach, at five kilometres, is the longest in Bowen.  Close by are tennis courts, a nine-hole golf course, a bowling green and an old-style cinema which probably account for the popularity of the area.  Towards the eastern end of Queens Beach you will find Gray’s Bay where you can almost jump straight out of your car into the water at high tide.  The snorkelling is superb and you may be lucky enough to have this pretty beach all to yourself.

The far end of Horseshoe Bay Road opens up into one of the prettiest bays you will ever see.  It is the most famous of the town’s bays which is protected from most winds and is patrolled by the local surf-lifesaving club.  Diving and snorkelling is good with a huge variety of fish life.  Nearby is a licensed restaurant where you can relax over a meal or drink.

Walking tracks

There are a number of interesting and scenic walking tracks from easy walks to the more challenging.  Beginning at the Don River to the north the Queens Bay Beach Walk covers 2.7km around past the golf course with beautiful views over the bay and the ‘suburb’ of Queens Beach.  Hansen Park to Horseshoe Bay walk covers 2.6km and is a wide paved stroller-friendly track.  Another easy 1.8km beach walk is along sandy Kings Beach.  The walk from Muller’s Lagoon to Queens Bay covers 3.8km and takes in the lagoon and gardens and up Soldiers Road to the beaches.  Or you may like to walk the length of the town jetty that was built in 1865 and check out the variety of marine life cruising the shallows at high tide.

Mother Beddock Walking Track commences near the resort at Horseshoe Bay and winds up the headland before dropping back down to the ocean at picturesque Murray Bay.  The trail continues on, after a short walk across the beach, up to an outstanding landmark, Mother Beddock, where the view is absolutely spectacular.  The track then drops down to the quiet and beautiful Rose Bay.  This walk takes about one hour to complete.

On these walks you are bound to get glimpses of the wildlife including perhaps an echidna, bush stone-curlew, brush turkeys or the shy unadorned rock wallaby. 

One of the biggest attractions that has enticed visitors to Bowen is the amazing fishing.  A line tossed in from a beach, off the rocks or the end of the jetty will almost guarantee you a good feed of fish.  Species to be found include coral trout, barramundi (in season), cod, sweetlip as well as grey, spotted and Spanish mackerel.  As always, while fishing in Queensland waters, keep in mind the zoning for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.  More information on zoning, bag limits and sizes can be had from Qld.  Boating and Fisheries Patrol on (07) 4786 3444.

The divers and snorkellers don’t miss out either.  While enjoying the incredible diving off Bowen’s coast you are bound to see Giant Maori Wrasse, Parrot Fish and Coral Cod just off the beach.  Offshore you can also see dolphins, loggerhead turtles and whales in season.

Stretching inland behind Queens Beach is Bowen’s famous fruit and vegetable growing area.  Through the year the fertile soils yield up firm tasty tomatoes with about four million cartons being shipped down south.  The  town’s other industries include beef cattle, a salt works, coke production and fish with live fish processing plants operating on the harbour.

Muller’s Lagoon

The rejuvenated Muller’s Lagoon, 23.57 hectares of picturesque park, can be found on the corner of Soldiers Road and Herbert Street.  Back in Bowen’s early days the park and lake was a favourite of the locals who could often be found boating on the lake and picnicking in the park but in later years it went to rack and ruin.  When John and I lived in Bowen what had once been a beautiful recreation area had become overgrown with weeds with many large rocks being dumped on the site.  The incredible variety of exotic and rare trees that had graced the area was no longer in evidence.  However, it has been given a new lease on life and is now a beautiful picnic area with botanical gardens and wetlands habitat.  Huge shady trees on magnificent lawns and lovely gardens set off the picturesque lagoon.  There is a fully equipped play area, picnic area with toilets and free barbecues.  A little wooden bridge and garden courtyard complete this delightful scene.  What a beautiful place to stop and rest for a while and how amazing to have all this in the centre of town. 

The Big Mango

About four kilometres south of Bowen’s main entrance, sitting on the side of the highway is a very big mango.  While it might seem just a great photo opportunity it is also the site of the Bowen Visitor Information Centre so if you’re driving past, pop in and say g’day.  Their volunteers are just waiting to share their knowledge of the area.  They can be contacted by phone on (07) 4786 2208, Fax: (07) 4786 4222 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Bowen’s history

Captain Henry Daniel Sinclair sailed from Rockhampton into the area in 1859 onboard the nine ton ketch Santa Barbara looking for a suitable port.  He discovered a perfect harbour, naming it Port Denison (after the Governor of NSW).  When he returned south to claim his reward for the discovery he learned that Queensland was to become a separate colony and the reward was no longer on offer by either the Queensland or NSW Governments.  George Elphinstone Dalrymple also left Rockhampton at the same time travelling overland in search of suitable grazing land but didn’t find a suitable port.  He suggested the mouth of the Burdekin River but another party sent out by the Queensland Government found it useless, however, they did confirm Sinclair’s analysis of Port Denison.

It was declared an official port of entry in March 1861 and a decision was made to establish a town on the shores.  Sinclair set sail from Sydney after being appointed Chief Constable and Harbour Master with Dalrymple being made Commissioner of Crown Lands and Magistrate.  Dalrymple arrived by land with supplies which included 140 horses and 120 cattle, arriving on April 11, 1861.  He raised the Union Jack in front of the 111 people who had travelled by sea and land and declared Bowen (after the first Governor of Queensland) to be the northernmost town in Queensland.  Before another year had gone by, 20 cattle stations and many hotels and shops had been established.  The town’s jetty was built in 1865 but, although it still stands, it has been repaired many times.

Bowen has a colourful history so for anyone interested in learning more a visit to the two museums is a must.  The town has always been very proud of its pioneer history with hundreds of items preserved and on display in the Historical Museum which is located on Gordon Street.  There is a collection of historical artefacts, memorabilia and shipwreck relics.  Next door to the museum is a slab cottage that was built in 1872.  The cottage was brought painstakingly, slab by slab, into town where it was re-erected and restored.  Furniture and fittings from the period were collected to complete the scene.

The Catalina Flying Boats Museum, a second smaller museum which was opened and dedicated during the Coral Sea celebrations in 1992, is located at the Aerodrome.  It commemorates Bowen’s involvement as a Catalina flying boat base during World War II.  Five dioramas have been built, including the USS Lexington, which is probably the largest model of a ship on display in the country.

Local farmer, Bill Ashman, has one of the largest owned collections of old machinery open to the public.  He has well over 100 pieces of machinery and farm implements which he has collected from around the district – some dating back to 1860.  Amongst them are engines, tractors, grinders, corn crackers, shellers, lawn mowers and cultivation implements with the oldest being a horse drawn mower.  Around 75% of the display has been restored to working order.  Arrangements can be made with Mr.  Ashman to view his collection by phoning him on (07) 4785 2210.

Collinsville

Just 45 minutes drive west of Bowen is the mining town of Collinsville which had been recognised for its coal by 1866.  The town which was originally named ‘Moongunya’ – Aboriginal for coal – has an interesting mining museum (the Collinsville Coalface Experience) which is dedicated to the 26 lives lost over the years in the area’s mines.

There are many entertainment possibilities in and around Bowen that make it worthwhile having an extended stopover.  Don’t just stock up with groceries and leave.  Explore the town and surrounding beaches and, if possible, hire a car and head further out into the countryside.

Eventually, we realised that as much as we were enjoying being back in Bowen, it was time to move on.   We’d woken just as the sun peeked over the eastern horizon and had a leisurely breakfast.  It was still early with a slight coolness to the air but with the promise of another perfect day when we lifted our anchor and headed out of Queens Bay.  Sokari was heading north again.  The troll lines were dropped over the back and secured to the boat with bike tubes that would take the strain out of the line and set the hook when the next big mackerel jumped on it.  Our course would take us right through the middle of the mackerel grounds so we were looking forward to getting more fish into our freezer.

With Sokari slipping along comfortably under spinnaker, I brought out two mugs of cappuccino and we settled back in our seats,  John watching the ‘road ahead’ and me with a book in hand.  Within the hour we had dropped our first big mackerel into the dinghy, where it thrashed from side to side.  A few minutes later the second reel began to rattle and the bike tube stretched way out the back, indicating we had another large fish.  This was enough to keep us going for quite some time so we pulled the lines in and packed them away before setting down to filleting our catch.

As Bowen and then Abbott Point disappeared over the horizon we once again settled back in our comfy seats and looked towards the next anchorage.