Jan Jarratt (Minister for Tourism, Manufacturing and Small Business), officially opened two new visitor info centres to mark
the beginning of Queensland’s Outback tourism season a couple of weeks ago.
Ms. Jarratt spoke at the opening of the Bedourie and Birdsville visitor information centres. She stated that winter is the ideal time to visit the Outback due to the wildlife and new floral growth after the heavy summer rains.
Now is the perfect time to travel inland. The cooler months are a great time to view the picturesque landscapes, stunning stars at night, rich history and the unparalleled hospitality the west has to offer.
The opening of new visitor information centres in Birdsville and Bedourie is hoped to give a better than usual tourist season to the locals since thousands are hoped to head into the west to see the Outback in its full glory.
Queensland’s Outback will definitely welcome travellers as they drive around the country on touring holidays. It is definitely set to cope with an increased amount of visitors.
Betty Kiernan (an MP from Mount Isa) travelled with Ms Jarrat through Blackall, Birdsville and Bedourie.
The new visitor info centres in the Outback towns of Birdsville and Bedourie offer a fantastic opportunity to attract attention to the area’s excellent facilities as well as the fantastic volunteers and staff who provide the community with an important service.
Originally built in 1998, the Wirrarri Visitor Information Centre has recently been upgraded to cater for the increased amount of people visiting the area. The centre now provides internet access, art from the area and theatre vision as well as required travel information.
The second travel information centre that is in Bedourie is located on a historical site. In fact it was once home to the blacksmith that invented the famous Bedourie Camp Oven.
Queensland has a $9.2 billion tourism industry and these new visitor information centres (in Birdsville and Bedourie) will play a vital rose in assisting and welcoming visitors from all around the world. They could be the difference between visitors driving past a town or instead deciding to stay the night and purchase a tour or accommodation.
Providing visitors assistance with things such as transport, activities and accommodation as well as free brochures or maps is just part of the service. The role of visitor information centres is to provide tourists with a friendly and professional welcome while also ensuring the local community gets a benefit from them in the long term.
Queensland’s 124 accredited visitor information centres currently emply 2,000 people. This is in a network of centres from Coolangatta to Cape York and right out to Birdsville and Bedourie.
Birdsville 
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