New Chapter For Mission Beach Visitor Information Centre

The Mission Beach Visitor Information Centre in its new location featuring fresh sinage. Photo credit: Siân Bantock

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Cassowary Coast Tourism's Visitor Information Centre has officially begun a new chapter, relocating to the Homestead Shopping Centre, with the move prompting reflections on more than four decades of tourism history in Mission Beach.

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The Mission Beach Historical Society has congratulated Cassowary Coast Tourism on the relocation, highlighting the significant community effort that helped establish the region's first visitor information service in the mid-1980s.

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According to historical records shared by the Society and local historian Don Marsh, the original Mission Beach Tourism Information Centre was established by the Mission Beach Tourist Association from a small shop located near the present-day Mission Beach Library. Local artist Helen Wiltshire designed the organisation's logos, helping shape its identity during its formative years.

Support from the former Department of Business, Industry and Regional Development provided funding for equipment and the wages of the association's first permanent office manager, laying the foundations for the service's growth.

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As visitor numbers increased, a Wet Tropics Authority grant enabled the development of a larger, permanent tourism hub. The project saw the relocation of the former timber Mission Beach Primary School building to public foreshore land set aside by the then Johnstone Shire Council.

The grant also funded associated infrastructure, including public amenities and the C4 Centre, creating a dedicated space to welcome visitors and promote the region's natural attractions.

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"The rest, as they say, is history," Mr Marsh reflected.

Today, as the Visitor Information Centre settles into its new home at the Homestead Shopping Centre, the move serves as a reminder of the volunteers, community leaders and organisations whose efforts helped establish Mission Beach as one of Tropical North Queensland's most recognised destinations.

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Cassowary Coast Tourism's Tourism Officer, Michelle Lloyd said the new location will continue to serve not only visitors to the region, but locals keen to discover what's happening in their own backyard.

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"There's always something new happening across the Cassowary Coast, and we have different deals and information available throughout the year," she said.

"It's nice to know what's on in your own backyard."

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Michelle also encouraged community members to consider volunteering with the Visitor Information Centre.

"We're always looking for volunteers to join us," she said.

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"If you'd like to learn more about what we do, drop in and say hi to the team."

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The Visitor Information Centre's new home at the Homestead Shopping Centre is now welcoming visitors and residents alike, continuing its long-standing tradition of connecting people with the best experiences the Cassowary Coast has to offer.