‘So many things to love in our own backyard’: Meet the state’s tourism trailblazers
From eco-adventures to digital-first experiences, meet the Queensland tourism trailblazers who are shaping the future of travel.
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Queensland’s tourism scene is changing fast with a bold new wave of operators leading the charge.
From eco-adventures to digital-first experiences, these forward-thinkers aren’t just keeping up with the times, they’re shaping what comes next.
In a post-pandemic world full of fresh challenges, they’re meeting the moment with creativity, grit and a whole lot of heart. Meet tourism’s next-gen trailblazers, each bringing their own twist to how we travel, connect and explore in Queensland. The future is looking bright.
Kay Tommerup
Farm stays such as Tommerup’s Dairy Farm in Queensland’s Scenic Rim are proving more and more popular with travellers looking to get mud on their boots and fresh air in their lungs.
Kay Tommerup, 47, who runs the sixth-generation dairy with her family, says authentic country hospitality is here to stay and will never go out of style.
“I think what people are craving when they come to a farm is that really grounded, immersive experience,” she says.
“They want to feel like they’re part of it. I think that’s the beauty of agritourism. Every farm has got this unique story to tell and the way we interact with people is very genuine and warm – it’s a trait throughout the farming community.”
At Tommerup’s, visitors can picnic by the river, bottle-feed calves or simply observe life on a working dairy. With many travellers never having visited a farm or spent much time in the countryside, Tommerup predicts agritourism will only grow in appeal.
“There are no more country cousin situations – we’re so far removed from that now that when people are coming here, it’s so new to them and it’s such a wild experience that their kids get to pick up animals and just run around in the space of a farm and experience the sights and sounds and smells of what happens on a real farm,” she says.
Tommerup believes food experiences will continue to play a big role in Queensland’s agritourism industry.
“In Queensland, we produce some of the best food in the world. When we open our doors to people to come and experience that on the farm, it tastes even better if you’ve just picked something from an orchard, or you’ve done a farm tour, or you’re sitting down to a long table lunch. It’s the full paddock-to-plate experience.”
Fraser Nai
Connecting people to nature, culture, history and each other is what tourism is all about for Fraser Nai.
Strait Experience, the destination management company he co-founded with business partner John Palmer in 2022, was born from a simple but powerful observation.
“We were sitting down having coffee and we saw tourists being led around by guides from Sydney and Melbourne. We thought, how do we create opportunities for locals to tell their own stories?” Nai, 49, says.
That moment sparked the vision for the company, which connects travellers and cruise passengers with authentic, Indigenous-led activities and tours in one of Australia’s most culturally rich yet overlooked regions.
The Torres Strait, which lies between the northern tip of Queensland and Papua New Guinea, is made up of 133 islands divided into five main clusters.
Each carries its own unique culture, language and history, weaving together a rich tapestry of Indigenous heritage that remains largely unknown to many Australians, let alone the rest of the world.
In a future shaped by artificial intelligence and digital connection, Nai believes the role of cultural tourism is more important than ever.
“We’re shifting into a world where we’re more disconnected and controlled. Sustainable, cultural tourism is not only an amazing experience of sharing and learning, it helps us connect at a deeper, more fundamental level,” he says.
Nai, a Torres Strait Islander from Masig Island, describes his partnership with non-Indigenous Palmer, who lives on Thursday Island with his wife and son, as “what reconciliation looks like”.
“We’re two Aussies coming together just doing their thing and trying to empower other Queenslanders,” he says.
Together, they’re building a tourism future grounded in respect and led by community.
Tyron Simon
For Tyron Simon, the future of hospitality in Queensland doesn’t lie in high-tech gimmicks or global expansion, but in its people.
The Brisbane native and co-founder of Anyday Group, a growing collective of Brisbane-based restaurants, bars and a bakery, has helped build the business around nurturing local talent and elevating the city’s dining culture.
“We lost a lot of great hospitality workers to the southern states years ago because there were groups that could offer careers there. We realised the future was to have enough venues so that people could transition between them, learn different cuisines, never get bored, get promoted and grow with us,” Simon, 46, says.
This homegrown approach extends to the guests they serve and the experiences they offer.
“As more AI and computers take over our day-to-day lives, hospitality might end up becoming one of the only true technology-free escapes that we have in this world,” he says.
“We’re trying to keep the technology in the background. We focus on the interactions and employing incredibly warm and humble people, and I think that really mirrors the general sentiment in Brisbane. Nationally and internationally, we are known as a warm and accommodating city.”
With the Brisbane 2032 Games on the horizon, Simon sees a city and a tourism sector on the rise.
“Brisbane has really come of age … there is so much opportunity and so many things we’d love to do in our own backyard and the people of Brisbane have always welcomed us with open arms,” he says.
Sustainability is also top of mind. From minimising food waste to resisting pressure to inflate prices, Anyday has avoided the fate of many venues that have closed their doors due to a challenging economic environment.
With new venues and concepts on the way, Anyday’s future is rooted in the same ethos that shaped its beginnings – warm service and pride in place.
Ned O’Reilly
Growing up surrounded by the natural beauty of Lamington National Park and his family’s long-running tourism business, Ned O’Reilly carries a deep sense of tradition with an exciting vision for the future.
After completing high school, O’Reilly, 21, took a gap year before deciding to continue the family legacy by becoming the fourth generation to join O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat.
The beloved eco-lodge, set among lush rainforest, native wildlife and sweeping mountain views, celebrates its 99th birthday this year.
O’Reilly feels a great sense of pride in his family’s conservation efforts and the emotional connections built across generations.
“It’s been such a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to truly appreciate the significance of O’Reilly’s,” he says.
“You can go back through the guest books, right back to 1926, and see how many people have come through from so many different places who’ve travelled here.”
As he learns the ropes of the business, O’Reilly is excited to help shape the next chapter by expanding their nature-based experiences and activities, such as the new
e-bike tours.
“It’s fast, it’s fun and it’s great for people of all ages, but people want to see things in different ways. Some people want to explore, to get to the highest peak, to the furthest waterfall, to see everything. And then some people are happy to stay nice and close, enjoy the views, see the birds and take it slow.
“Ultimately it’s about sharing what we have here and educating people so they don’t just get to enjoy it and have a nice holiday, but learn something and understand something about the environment too,” he says.
The future is in good hands.
Hailey Brown
Brisbane-based Vacayit is at the forefront of a tourism revolution, where digitisation and accessibility converge to create more inclusive travel experiences.
Founder Hailey Brown, 26, was inspired by her friend Henry who is blind, who wished to “walk down the street and listen to the stories and sounds of the world around me,” supported by accurate accessibility information to make informed travel choices.
This vision led to Vacayit’s immersive audio guide platform, designed to serve people with disabilities as well as people without disabilities, launched in 2022.
“There’s been a lot of misconceptions around for so long that people with disabilities don’t travel or they can’t travel,” she says.
“Audio storytelling takes you through a venue and allows you to actually experience what you’re doing instead of just taking photos of it.
“It really transforms how people experience a place because it creates a deeper emotional connection with it. It slows you down and it creates a more mindful and immersive experience because you’re listening to the history and the voices and the culture.”
Brown believes universal design, where accessibility is a standard feature across tourism and other industries, will soon become a reality.
“We’re going to see a lot more people with disabilities as the ageing population grows,” she says. “There’s also a huge family travel sector, people with prams and suitcases, looking for that kind of physical infrastructure.”
Brown sees digitisation playing a huge role in shaping the future of tourism for all.
“There’s going to be a lot more contactless journeys, we’re going to see major tourist hubs using data to manage crowds, protect the environment and improve safety, we’re going to see a huge digital nomad infrastructure, co-working friendly hotels, and there’s going to be a big ‘authenticity through tech’ movement, where people are going to be using technology to help travellers get more authentic experiences.”
A future where technology enhances, not replaces, the human side of travel?
Bring it on.
in partnership with the Queensland Government
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Originally published as ‘So many things to love in our own backyard’: Meet the state’s tourism trailblazers
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