BOWEN VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE

Welcome to Bowen

Home of the Bowen mango and top of the Whitsundays - these are two phrases you’ll become well-acquainted with if you decide to stop by the friendly, seaside country town of Bowen in North Queensland. Located halfway between Townsville and Mackay, Bowen is surrounded on three sides by the Coral Sea, and is a perfect coastal jewel in the crown of the Whitsunday Region.

The Bowen Visitor Information Centre is located approximately four kilometres south of Bowen’s town centre, adjacent to the world-famous Big Mango. This towering, 10-metre-tall sculpture depicts Bowen’s most famous and most delicious product, and provides an unmissable indication of your arrival at our centre. Beside this iconic North Queensland landmark, there is also a big mango tree, which demonstrates the growth cycle of the mango from seed to the sweet and juicy fruit we love to eat. Here, there are also other sculptures of various types of marine life.

Beside these sculptures is where visitors will find the Information Centre. Guests will walk through an expansive and relaxing patio area. Here, there are four tables set up with four chairs at each table, providing a perfect place to unwind, overlooking spectacular views of Edgecumbe Bay, located just across the road. To get the true Bowen experience, you can purchase one or more - we’re not judging – of the famously refreshing Bowen mango sorbets. The sun’s warmth, the relaxed ambience, and the subtle sound of waves washing ashore provide the perfect setting for chilled out holiday planning.

Inside Bowen Visitor Information Centre

When you first enter the centre, there are a significant number of brochures displayed on the walls. These brochures cover tourist attractions in all areas of Queensland. If you would like assistance locating brochures on specific destinations or experiences, you are welcome to ask our friendly staff and volunteers at the centrally located customer service counter. Our team are happy to share their knowledge and provide recommendations on places of interest, particularly throughout the Whitsunday region. Two television screens adorn the walls – one displaying stunning aerial images of Bowen and surrounding beaches, and the other featuring advertising from local tourism operators.

Our team of local experts are on-hand to help visitors who are self-driving with decisions on which way to travel to avoid unsealed roads and enjoy the best possible drive experience. We also offer extensive information on a selection of fabulous tour options in the area, and can facilitate your bookings if required.

At our gift shop, you will find a wide range of souvenirs that will serve as lovely reminders of your stay in Bowen. If you like mango, you’re definitely in the right place. You can purchase just about anything mango-related, including tea towels and teaspoons, fishing shirts, mango scented car diffusers, kids bibs and shirts, mango-flavoured lollies and chutneys, sauces, and much more. Also available is some absolutely delicious dried mango, so you can take a taste of the tropics home with you. If you enjoy a cold drink, we sell coolers in different sizes, for the perfectly chilled refreshment on your North Queensland adventure.

Guests can take advantage of free boiling hot water, ice cold water, and room temperature water. Alternatively, you can purchase something from the drinks fridge, such as chocolate milk, poppers, water, Coke, and Bundaberg soft drinks.

History

Bowen has a long and colourful history, cleverly depicted in a series of 27 wall murals displayed throughout town. Join us on a leisurely stroll to visit some of the town’s most treasured heritage-listed buildings.

Between the 1860s and the 1880s, early colonists and settlers forecast Bowen as the "capital of a new North Queensland Colony". Relics of this particular ambition can be seen today in Bowen's exacting road grid and town plan, and the avenue-like width of its streets in the town centre.

Start your journey back in time at 6 Herbert Street, at the former Bowen Harbour Board Building, constructed in 1921. One contributing factor to the town's success was the management of its harbour, and therefore the efforts of its harbour board.

Cross Herbert Street and continue north-west along it to the intersection with Williams Street. Here you’ll find the regal façade of the Bowen Courthouse. The Courthouse was constructed in 1880, and is still in use today, containing most of the original furniture and features.

Just another short stroll brings you to the Bowen Post Office, located at 46 Herbert Street. This stately, single-storey building was designed and constructed in 1936.

Bowen is also a part of the Whitsunday Underwater Sculpture Trail. The trail is a collection of unique artworks which have been installed at various sites around the Whitsundays. They create phenomenal scenery for visitors to experience, and a new base for coral growth and animal shelter. The Bowen underwater sculpture is called Bywa. Bywa is a traditional word from a language of the Torres Strait, meaning ‘waterspout’. According to mythology, waterspouts are the vessels that carry marine animals up into the heavens for the spirits and ancestors to feed on, and are a rare, natural phenomenon.

Local Highlights

The Big Mango, adjacent to the Visitor Information Centre, is a tourist destination itself. This iconic sculpture, located just off the Bruce Highway,is believed to be the biggest mango in the world! Erected in 2002 as part of a community campaign, the Big Mango provides a brilliant photo opportunity, and the sweeping views of the Whitsunday Coast are unsurpassable.

Intriguingly, the Big Mango made global headlines when it mysteriously disappeared in 2014. It was later revealed that a popular restaurant chain, Nando’s, was responsible for the stunt, ‘borrowing’ the tropical icon to promote its new sauce flavour. Thankfully all ended well, with the landmark safely returned, and Nando’s donating a 6-metre tall Mini Mango to the town.

Bowen's second claim to fame is its beautiful array of pristine beaches. Bowen is surrounded by kilometres of exquisite coastline, and each beach has its own charm and offers something special for every visitor. Whether you’re looking for your own secluded sanctuary or a place for some safe family swimming or snorkelling amidst beautiful coral reefs, you can find it here!

Bowen is one of the few places on the Queensland coast where you can walk off the beach and immerse yourself in an underwater world carpeted with living reef. Bowen has some of the best fringing coral in Queensland just metres from the sandy shores. Snorkellers will be amazed at the abundance of marine life just waiting to be discovered. At high tide, snorkelers can explore the rocks and swim among the bountiful fish life at Horseshoe and Murray Bay. Low tide is best for viewing hard and soft corals along the left side of Rose Bay and across the entrance of Horseshoe Bay. As you explore, you’ll likely encounter large schools of brightly coloured parrot fish that are vital to a healthy coral ecosystem.

Accessibility

The Bowen Visitor Information Centre is located at The Big Mango on the Bruce Highway. The address is 18305 Bruce Highway, Bowen, Queensland. The phone number for the Bowen Visitor Information Centre is 07 4786 4222. The Bowen Visitor Information Centre is open seven days. Opening hours are 9AM to 5PM Monday to Friday, and 10AM to 3PM Saturday and Sunday.

Public transportation to the Big Mango where the Visitor Information Centre is located is limited. However, Bowen Transit Buses do operate in the main town area of Bowen. Greyhound and Premier bus services, as well as Queensland Rail trains, also travel to and from Bowen.

Accessible car parking is available close to the entrance. Our centre is all on one level and is fully wheelchair accessible. Accessible bathrooms are also located on-site. If you have travelled with a service animal, there are grassy areas to the side and rear of the building that are suitable for toileting your assistance dog.

Our friendly team have undergone disability awareness training, and are eager to help all visitors enjoy the best possible experience of our beautiful area. At the time of publishing, our website was undergoing an upgrade to include more information about accessibility, as part of our ongoing commitment to create a more inclusive experience for all.

Please note that the warm tropical waters off the coast of North Queensland are subject to a stinger season in the warmer months (generally from November to May). Please take suitable precautions when considering swimming, snorkelling and other ocean activities during these months. Stinger suits are strongly recommended during stinger season, and these can be hired or purchased throughout the region.