Bowen - Top of the Whitsundays
29°C Partly Sunny Partly Sunny

Explore Bowen & the Whitsundays here...

About Us

Our Organisation

Bowen Tourism and Business is a not for profit organisation whose main role is to promote and showcase our beautiful region and its businesses.
Bowen Tourism and Business operates two information outlets in Bowen - the fully accredited 'Big Mango' Information Centre on the Bruce Highway south of Bowen, and the 'Front Beach Booth' on Bowen's foreshore. 

BTB provide professional information and booking services, souvenir and local merchandise retail, destination marketing for our region and membership support.

Bowen Tourism & Business is a led by a board of elected committee members.

Our Board

Jenn Honnery250

Jenn Honnery - Chair

J&J Organic Pride

Jenn Honnery is owner and manager of Organic Pride mangoes.

She is also a freelance graphic and website designer.

With over 16 years’ experience in digital marketing and a strong understanding of the local and regional tourism industry, Jenn is passionate about promoting Bowen, our beautiful beaches and diverse horticulture sector.

Jenn previously held the role of Bowen Tourism and Business Sales and Marketing coordinator and has a thorough understanding of the organisation at both an operational and strategic level.

Jenn is also on the board of directors of Tourism Whitsundays.

 

 

Leah Darwen250`

Leah Darwen - Treasurer

ADITS

Leah is a born and bred 5th generation Bowen local.

Leah loves to travel and in her exploration of other areas has always thought Bowen has untapped tourism opportunities. She relishes the history of this town and wants it to meet its true potential.

A high school maths/science teacher by occupation, Leah does supply teaching in the Bowen area.

Before she had her two children, Leah enjoyed community activities like organising the Anglican Debutant Ball and Deb of the Year balls in 2009; as well as being a festival charity Queen.

Leah grew up on a capsicum farm in Bowen and has many family ties to the community.

  Michelle ORegan250

Michelle O'Regan

PCYC Bowen / Stackleroth Farm

Michelle O’Regan grew up in Bowen, leaving in her young adult years and returning in 2001 working for Queensland Police.  In 2011, Michelle was promoted to Sergeant and took on the role of opening and running the PCYC. 

The PCYC has been at the forefront of running or supporting many community activities and events over the past 10 years.

Michelle has also supported her partner Belinda over the last 18 years, with their farming business – Stackelroth Farms. It is a small crop farm, specialising in Halloween Pumpkins for the past 20 years and in more recent years growing and wholesale/direct supply of seasonal table vegetables.

Stackelroth Farms is known to be a great supporter of the community.  Belinda and Michelle are passionate about educating the community on how food is produced and breaking down barriers between farming and consumers.

They can regularly be found delivering engaging workshops and programs for childcare centres, school children, young people and community groups throughout the season.

Chloe Bauer250

Chloe Bauer

Bird's Fish Bar

 Chloe Bauer is the Manager and Director of her family’s owned and operated seafood company, Bowen Fisherman’s Seafood, known as Birds Fish Bar.

The family started Bowen Fisherman’s Seafood in 1982 and Chloe started working at the Co-op ten years ago and added Bird’s Fish Bar.

She is a born and bred local who has done some overseas travelling but has always been drawn back to Bowen.

Chloe is passionate about the fishing industry and is always looking for ways to share knowledge and experience and ways to expand Birds and bring something unique to the community.  

Bird’s Fish Bar regularly donates and supports community events and Chloe became involved with Bowen Tourism and Business because she loves showcasing Bowen and all it has to offer.

 

peter

 

Peter Greer

Queens Beach Tourist Village

 Peter is the owner of Queens Beach Tourist Village in Bowen, along with his wife, Jennie Greer. Peter and Jennie purchased the Village in 2019 after realising their passion is in the hospitality industry. They started their hospitality journey when they purchased Inverell Caravan Park in NSW in 2017 and working together they created a successful caravan park in beautiful country NSW.
Along with other ventures, Peter and Jennie oversea the running of both businesses but the majority of their time is now spent in Bowen where they are hands-on owners. They most definitely have a strong clear vision for the future as they now call Bowen home.
Queens Beach Tourist Village is a large caravan park with 140 sites and 23 cabins. During the busy season it accommodates 350 people a night.
During the season, pancake mornings, sausage sizzles and raffles are held at the village and money is raised for the local CWA. Yarn is also purchased by Peter and the guests make knee blankets for the local retirement villages. 
Peter has a commitment to Bowen and is an ambassador for the town. His ethos is to buy local, support local and employ local. He supports the local bowls club with annual donations and sponsors the Bowen Rodeo and Speedway events.
Peter is a great leader and employs 11 staff and provides great working conditions. Everyone he employs follows his same work ethic as they all possess true empathy and dedication.
Peter has boundless energy and enthusiasm in all areas of the business, he is a strong advocate for tourism in town and has a genuine desire to provide a happy and relaxing holiday for the village guests.

karen

Karen Morton

Karen Morton Insurance Services

 Karen moved with her family to Bowen in 1984 from Bellingen, NSW. She was in grade 8 at high school.

Karen completed her high school years at Bowen State High School. She then started working at Tresureway in 1988 and left in 1993 to have the first of 4 children all of whom went on to complete their schooling here in Bowen. 

Karen moved out of town for a couple of years in 1994 and returned in 1996, where she has been stayed ever since. 

Karen rejoined the workforce in 2000 and started working for parents Bob and Ruth. She is now running her own business as an insurance brokers representative as Karen Morton Insurance Services.

In her spare time, Karen loves to socialise with friends, read, watch movies, kayak the beautiful waters of Bowen, swim, and enjoy time with her family. 


Invited Representatives

Rick Hamilton250

Rick Hamilton

CEO Tourism Whitsundays

Rick is a dedicated & loyal professional with a strong passion for tourism, marketing, industry and regional development.

Rick brings more than 25 years of senior travel and tourism experience and his leadership philosophy is based around open communication, collaboration, decisive decision-making, and recognition and development which he applies to his role at Tourism Whitsundays.

As Tourism Whitsundays CEO, Rick’s role is to lead a strong Destination Management Organisation on behalf of over 300 industry members, the Whitsunday Regional Council and Tourism and Events Queensland.

This involves working with the Board of Directors and setting the strategic direction for marketing, visitor services and industry development.

Mike Brunker Portrait250

Cr Mike Brunker

Whitsunday Regional Council

Mike Brunker is Whitsunday Regional Council’s invited representative on the Bowen Tourism and Business committee.

He is the Councilor for Division 6 and was born and raised in Collinsville.

Cr Brunker has lived in Bowen for 20 years and he currently runs a newsagency with his wife Kylie.

He is a former coal miner and former Mayor or Bowen Shire and Whitsunday Regional Council.

He is passionate about creating job opportunities in the region and is a member of several other committees including Bowen and Collinsville Mental Action Group, Community Engagement Committee, Don River Improvement Trust, Economic Development Advisory Committee, Economic Recovery Subgroup the North Queensland Sports Foundation.

 

 

Our Staff

leanne abernethy

Leanne Abernethy - Bowen Tourism Manager

Leanne Abernethy took on the role of Sales and Marketing Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business in May 2021.

Leanne has lived in the Whitsundays for 14 years and is a former Managing Editor of the Whitsunday Times and Whitsunday Coast Guardian newspapers.

Before making the transition to tourism, Leanne spent 30 years in the publishing industry as a journalist, editor, manager, sub-editor, designer and multi-media director for newspapers, in NSW, the ACT and then Queensland.

She is passionate about Bowen and the greater Whitsundays region and believes tourism is everyone’s business.

Leanne is committed to promoting and marketing Bowen and to ensuring our thousands of visitors know what is on offer in the region and have a wonderful tourism experience.

glenn womal

Glenn Womal - Visitor Services Coordinator

Glenn Womal joined Bowen Tourism and Business in 2018 as a sales consultant.

Glenn is a long-term Bowen resident who was promoted to Visitor Services Co-ordinator in 2022.

She is very knowledgeable about all tours and accommodation options in Bowen and the greater Whitsunday region.

Glenn is also in charge of merchandising at the Big Mango Visitor Information Centre and has been responsible for the expanding range of merchandise and local produce on offer.

kerry meier

Kerry Meier - Retail and Sales Consultant

Kerry Meier joined Bowen Tourism and Business as a Retail and Sales consultant in February 2023.

As a long time Bowen resident, Kerry is passionate about the region.

She ran her own business in town for 12 years.

With extensive retail and customer service experience, Kerry greets every customer with a smile and is a wealth of knowledge about all things Bowen.

Casual Staff

Ellie Palmero – Sales Consultant

Melissa Beuzeville - Sales Consultant

Kate Mackie - Sales Consultant

Our Volunteers

Margie Hurst, Pam Skinner, Janice Germain, Marie Bailey, Steve (Fish) Fisher, Anne Mason, Vivian & Kevin Clark, Mark & Anne Steen, Warren and Kym Hubner, Wendy Jensen, Ruthie Carter-Crump, Toy Cook, Geoff Davey, Trudy Starkey, Dave Blundell

 

Sign up to our E-Newsletter for the latest news, upcoming events and hot deals! Subscribe

asdas