Things to do in Bowen, Queensland

The best things to do in Bowen, Queensland, include snorkelling at Horseshoe Bay, the Flagstaff Hill Lookout and the Catalina Memorial.

Bowen, Queensland, is an underrated beach town in the Whitsundays region. It’s much smaller than Mackay, and less frenetic than Airlie Beach. But Bowen tends to be ignored by travellers driving from Airlie Beach to Townsville.

This is mango-growing country, and Bowen hops on the Big Things bandwagon with the Big Mango. This 10 metre-tall monstrosity is unmissable from the Bruce Highway south of the town centre.

Things to do in Bowen, QLD: Horseshoe Bay and the Bowen beaches

Bowen is blessed with eight beaches, all of which have their own appeal. Horseshoe Bay is arguably the pick of the bunch. It has white sand and fringing reef which is ideal for snorkelling around.

Horseshoe Bay in Bowen, Queensland. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.

Meanwhile the children’s playground at Grays Bay makes it a family-favourite, as is Rose Bay. Kings Beach tends to be the quiet one, and Queens Beach is a 5km stretch purpose-built for beach walks.

The easiest to reach is Front Beach, where you’ll find the town wharf and visitor centre. The other options are Murray Bay, which has calm waters and great snorkelling, and clothing-optional nudist beach Coral Bay.

Things to do in Bowen, QLD: Flagstaff Hill Lookout

Other things to do in Bowen include wandering around the mural trail – there are a couple of dozen murals throughout the town. But if it’s eye candy you want, the Flagstaff Hill Lookout lets you see up and down the coast, plus across to Gloucester Island.

There are a couple of decent things to do in Bowen if heritage is your thing. The Bowen Museum does a surprisingly decent job on local history, Aboriginal culture and shipwrecks. Meanwhile, the Catalina Memorial on the foreshore tells the story of the Catalina flying boats hat fought the Battle of the Coral Sea in World War II.

Where to stay in Bowen

The best Bowen accommodation choices are:

For families: Queens Beach Tourist Village.
For great value apartments with kitchens: Palm View Holiday Apartments.
For Horseshoe Bay beachside location: Horseshoe Bay Resort.
For central location, free parking and kitchenettes: Port Denison Motor Inn.

More Queensland towns and cities