Whitsunday Regional Endurance Riders are thrilled to be hosting the 2019 State Championships the weekend of 7th&8th September. We are hoping to see more than a few of our friends from all over the state make their way up the coast to help us make these Champs a memorable one.
Bowen is a 5 hour 45 minute drive from Rockhampton. We are conveniently located 2 hours north of Mackay and two hours south of Townsville. Since we are hoping for riders from ‘down south’ to make the trip up our way for this event, we had better point out a few things you could do to linger awhile longer in our area after the ride weekend is over. You’ll need to catch your breath, and we hope you take some time catch it in breathtaking Bowen!
Bowen is known for a few things…mangoes (including the ‘Big Mango’ on the Bruce Highway, just south of town) beautiful beaches, and being ‘top of the Whitsundays’.
Since the Champs will occur in the mango off-season, you’ll have to settle for mango smoothies from local cafés. Our ride base and tracks are in the midst of mango growing areas. In fact, Euri Gold Farms, the location of our ride base, is a working mango farm. Bowen has a few of them (one is a clothing-optional one…might be an option for post-champs chafe injuries😉) and each of them has their own delights. Horseshoe Bay is a patrolled beach, picture-perfect with rocky outcrops on both sides of the beach extending into the bay. Perfect for exploring with your snorkel. Spend the day, as there is a café to pop into to quench your thirst or feed your appetite. There are walking tracks up to a lookout, and you can reach other beaches such as Murray Bay. This is another snorkelling heaven. You can find Nemo here without having to head out to the Barrier Reef pontoons!
Just down the road is Greys Bay, renowned for its calm waters. It is the stand-up paddleboarders favourite. Now for my personal favourite beach, our local horse-friendly one, Kings Beach. Ample room to park the float and take the ponies for a relaxing ride or a celebratory gallop. Nice and shallow, the horses love to have a splash and a roll in the sand. If you want to give them a bit of hill work, there is Flagstaff Hill, which affords the most amazing views of Edgecumbe Bay and Gloucester Island, the most northerly of the Whitsunday Islands.
Fishing and crabbing are also local favourite pastimes, with seafood shops located at the marina. You don’t need a boat to wet a line in Bowen. Our historic timber jetty that is at the front beach is a known hot-spot for catching your dinner.
Obviously, the Whitsunday Islands are easy to reach from Airlie Beach/Shute Harbour (45 minutes’ drive from Bowen), but with such stunning local beaches and accommodation available right in town, you do not have to travel far to get the true Whitsunday experience while you are in Bowen.
We can’t wait to update you in the next issue of ‘Endurance’ on our tracks, ride base and what more we will have to offer riders and their crews who attend the 2019 State Championships.