We stopped over in Bowen for a couple of nights at a van park overlooking Queens Bay.  It seems the van park mounted a campaign some time ago to hold back the ocean and has a 3m wall that drops straight onto the beach and into a metre or so of water at high tide. Either side of this wall the sea has moved inland and there is a much more sedate stroll onto the beach from the parkland. The van park is winning at the moment but it’s time will come. There is a big yellow line along the edge of the wall that stops people falling in. Park a bit squeezy space wise but clean and tidy. The owner, the NRMA, has introduced ‘surge pricing’, like Uber, and catches you out in popular times. The manager did some on the spot averaging to not make it quite so price aggressive. Allthego asked him whether that meant staying overnight would be free in slack times, a sly smile from the manager. No! Still a nasty pricing development for Nomads on the road.

The water tower murals

This was one panel of three illustrating the role of the town’s old coach builder and blacksmith.

Bowen Courthouse, seemingly one of the few old buildings left in town, maybe the others have been knocked around by cyclones over the years.

Had a pleasant day driving around town looking at the murals. Bowen is another one of those places that has them all over town on the sides of buildings, illustrating the town’s history. The two big water towers are adorned with murals also.  Had some tasty Fish n Chips for lunch at the Nth Queensland Cruising Yacht Club overlooking Boat Harbour, very laid back place. Very conscious of Covid here, social distancing  etc.

North Head Lighthouse, very hazy day.

Battered Spanish Mackerel

Later in the afternoon it was back to Queens Bay and a climb up to the lookout over Horseshoe Bay. Weather was a bit cloudy and hazy, Bowen was also living up to its windy reputation. So the sea surface was ruffled and the water was not showing off the translucent bluey green that Horseshoe Bay is famous for. Still a great view down from the lookout.

Horseshoe Bay from the lookout

Horseshoe Bay Beach

Now heading for Cairns with a stopover at Big Crystal Creek NP, north of Townsville, for the night.