Bowen - the Whitsundays - the Climate Capital of Australia!

Bowen, at the Top of the Whitsundays, is located on the tropical Coral Sea coast along the Bruce Highway in Northern Queensland, Australia and is 212 kilometers south from Townsville and 1165 kilometres north of the Queensland state capital, Brisbane. Bowen offers a diverse range of activities ranging from a spot of fishing right through to relaxing at beach front resorts, escaping on island camping getaways or taking an outback adventure to Collinsville and beyond. Life in laid back Bowen is perfect for a holiday, short escape or as a place to live and enjoy the tropical lifestyle - you get to enjoy the bush meeting the beach or explore the exciting Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef.

Population

Bowen Shire has a population of around 13,800 people with approximately 9000 people living in the coastal town and 4600 in the outlying rural region. The Shire stretches an impressive 21,085 kilometres from Gumlu in the North to Greta Creek in the South and includes the mining town of Collinsville.

Climate

Bowen is known as the climate capital of Australia with temperatures remaining reasonably constant all year round. The warmest months are between November and March with the coolest month being June. The highest maximum temperature recorded during 2002 was 35 degrees Celsius in February while the lowest minimum temperature recorded was 19 degrees Celsius in June. Highest rainfall is usually recorded in February with October traditionally the driest month of the year.

Shire Services

Bowen offers a complete range of public services including medical services, dental and social welfare agencies, sporting clubs, a horse racing facility, veterinary clinics and aged care facilities. The town is also well known for its large decorative murals which adorn many public and private buildings.

Education

The Bowen district has 10 schools including high schools and primary schools in Bowen and Collinsville. The Whitsunday College of TAFE also has a campus in Bowen.

Accommodation

There is a wide variety of accommodation available in Bowen for travellers - from beachfront caravan parks to backpacker resorts and motels through to executive units. The new Rose Bay Resort is one of a growing number of 4 to 5 star resorts available and more high quality resorts are in the planning stage at present. A large tourism based accommodation development is currently under construction on the foreshore with other projects due to commence in the future.

Local Economy

Bowen is surrounded by rich and diverse hinterlands which include farmlands, rugged ranges and grazing country. The Collinsville and Newlands coal mines are located inland with Abbot Point, the export port for coal from these mines, located just North of the town.
Bowenis the base for a large successful commercial fishing fleet supplying prawns, reef fish, mackerel, scallops and other seafood to the domestic and export markets. Bowen also supports a fish farming and live fish (aquaculture) industry.
The Bowen tourism industry is currently undergoing an exciting expansion as more and more visitors discover the diverse economy, activities and the ever changing vistas of the region - along with the town's close proximity to the Whitsunday Islands.

* Source: tc media services sourced some information on this page from theBowen Shire holiday reference guide and thank the authors for their assistance in compiling this information - Some pictures were sourced from tourism queensland media resources and are subject to TQ's copyright. All information correct at time of publication.