General News
8 November, 2023
Pioneers recall tourism wagon
COUNTRY towns and people have a knack of picking up major awards against big players. Rod and Isabell Dovey were no exception with their pioneering tourist enterprise back in the 1970s. The Colonial Way attracted hundreds of visitors from across...
COUNTRY towns and people have a knack of picking up major awards against big players.
Rod and Isabell Dovey were no exception with their pioneering tourist enterprise back in the 1970s.
The Colonial Way attracted hundreds of visitors from across Australia for a unique experience travelling roads and tracks around the Loddon River in wagons drawn by Clydesdale horses.
Their success and contribution to the Bridgewater community between 1977 and 2003 with the award-winning business was recognised as part of the history and memorabilia display for the town’s back-to and memorial hall centenary celebrations.
Rod and Isabell were among hundreds of people who returned for the weekend and renewed friendships, recalling the days when the Colonial Way received top tourist industry awards in Victoria and Australia. “When we won those awards in the early days, we were up against big competition.”
A chemical engineer by profession, Ron built the wagons in Bendigo with original plans to have one horse and a single wagon.
“Six months later we realised more would be needed. and there were inquiries coming in from around the world and we ended up running six wagons.
“All the women’s magazines came and did stories on our business.”
Rod said the tourism concept had allowed people to have an empathy with the bush, the region and horses.
“I didn’t think we would ever quit ... it was a good business and we met some really nice people,” he said.
Rod and Isabell also featured on tele-vision destination programs soon after starting the Colonial Way.
They had moved to Bridgewater a few years before opening the business, becoming part of the push to attract visitors to country Victoria beyond attractions in big regional cities.
Rod and Isabell retired and sold the business billed as “one of the most unconventional tourist operations you will find”, their wagons and horses later based at Rheola.