Australia's First Commercial Orbital Rocket To Launch From Bowen
The Whitsundays is famous for boats, seaplanes, jetskis, and helicopters, but nearby, Bowen is about to make waves in a whole new way. While Airlie Beach will always be Australia’s gateway to the Whitsundays, but Bowen is set to become Australia’s gateway to space! Queensland-based aerospace company Gilmour Space Technologies has chosen Airlie Beach's neighbour, Bowen, as the launch site for Australia's first commercial orbital rocket.
The official launch date will be Thursday, 15th May 2025. Here’s what you need to know about this milestone event!
Image source: Gilmour Space Technologies
Bowen Rocket Launch
Later this year, Gilmour Space Technologies will make history by launching Australia’s first homemade orbital rocket, Eris, into space. Eris will be tasked with delivering satellites into orbit, marking the first orbital rocket launch from Australia in over 50 years - the last being the UK’s Black Arrow.
This Australian-made rocket will launch from the brand-new Bowen Orbital Spaceport, putting the Whitsunday region on the global space map! Locals and tourists will surely flock to Bowen for the exciting event. If you time your holiday right, you could be soaking up the Whitsunday sun one day and watching a rocket blast into space the next.
Where is Bowen Orbital Spaceport?
The Bowen Orbital Spaceport is just an hour’s drive away from the Whitsundays, located about 80km from Airlie Beach. Bowen is probably best known for its beautiful, quiet beaches, and the delicious ‘Bowen Mango’, and along its coast lies the Abbott Point State Development Area - one of very few private orbital launch sites in the world!
This site is perfect for rocket launches, not because only is the tropical backdrop a lot prettier than your standard desert launch site, but because its position allows rockets to access low and mid-inclination orbits.
If a trip to Bowen sounds like it might be on the cards soon, take a look through the top free things to do here.
Where can I watch the Bowen Rocket Launch from?
As rocket launches can be unpredictable, Gilmour Space Technologies has advised that public viewing of the launch site will not be accessible. For those who live in Bowen, there may be a chance of viewing the rocket from Coral Beach, Grays Beach, Lions Park, Ethel Barker Park, Queens Beach, Yasso Point or Flagstaff Hill. Just keep in mind that these locations won't be monitored by Gilmour Space.
For those rocket enthusiasts who hoped to see the rocket take off, Gilmour Space will be releasing video footage after the event. So stay tuned!
Plan your visit to the Whitsundays
May is the perfect time to visit the Whitsundays. Whether you’re a stargazer, a scuba diver, or a little bit of both, this region has something for everyone. Explore the Great Barrier Reef, sunbake on the famous Whitehaven Beach, and maybe even witness a rocket soar into space. How’s that for the holiday of a lifetime?
Embark on a Whitsundays trip that’s out of this world
You could stick to the skies with a scenic flight over the Reef, a helicopter tour to Whitehaven Beach, or a thrilling skydive. Or, in the spirit of exploration, book a boat tour through the Whitsunday Islands that lets you snorkel, scuba dive, and uncover the magical marine world that lies beneath the Coral Sea's surface. The options are limitless in the Whitsundays.
