Before we get too gushy, Roscoe took one look at Bowen and decided we should live here. Fortunately (unfortunately) we have a democracy in our household, and one vote doesn’t determine our future, so, Bowen, home of the Mangoes,, perhaps not yet! But Bowen does have a lot going for it! Situated around an angular headland shaped like a twin bladed axe fronting the Coral Sea with Queens Beach to the north and the Foreshore, harbour and marina to the south. The long eastern coastline of the headland has several sandy coves and some spectacular rocky hills for walking and to enjoy wonderful views of the islands and over the farmlands behind the town.
With plenty of Caravan Parks to choose from (this being a caravan park sort of trip), we booked into the NRMA Beachfront park that overlooks Queens Beach. We’ve picked a great time for this journey as there are no school holidays the parks are pretty quiet, and this park was well positioned and really well maintained. A drive around town and we discover the place has all the facilities you’d need, and the old style strip shopping street has charm and some street art to boot. Roscoe also spots a house for sale and he wants it! A beautiful two storey Qld Colonial very near the harbour! Enough said for now!
Whilst in town we search out the old Catalina Flying Boat base from WWII as Roscoe’s dad flew in them during the war. There is still the hardstand where the Cats would be brought onto shore for servicing and repairs, and a really nice modern memorial to that era with plenty of information etched onto large glass panels!
The late afternoon is hot and the wind minimal, so once we return to the camp we change and drive a few kilometres to Grays Bay on the northern point of the headland. here is a really beautiful protected small sandy beach facing north west. During a swim in the crystal blue water we decide that here we could have sundown drinks and watch the sun fall over the water across the bay….nice, very romantic.
Edgecumbe Heights Recreational Reserve occupies about half of the headland and it is here we have for our early morning walk destination. It seems to be about a 8klm return walk from The camp, with a bit of hill hiking thrown in. This walk turned out to be a highlight combining a parkland section, undulating gravel roads, trails, steps, stunning coastal views and beached coves. To boot, once we reached Horseshoe Bay we couldn’t resist having a coffee and Bacon & Egg Roll at the Cafe by the beach, great vibes and excellent coffee. This also sustained us for the 2klm walk home. The entire walk ticked all our boxes, it was really enjoyable and interesting.
Following our morning walk we drove around the area doing some sightseeing including The Big Mango outside of town and Flagstaff Hill Lookout which offers the best views of both the ocean and a panoramic view of the town and surrounds. That said, our best part of the day was a late lunch at the beautiful and iconic Grandview Hotel, one of the sites for the film “Australia”. This place has had some serious renovations done mixing both colonial charm and modern decor and landscaping. The food…it was bloody excellent not to mention a cold beer on a hot day!
All up, Bowen gets a big tick from us!
Australia. Dust, Fire, Flood & Pandemic 