Community
10 November, 2026
Tributes flow for Far Northern coach tour pioneer
TRIBUTES are flowing for the late tourism industry stalwart Gordon Dixon, who died on Sunday 1 November 2026.
He was the owner of Down Under Tours, a family business which he and his brother James built up with their families during the 1990s and later sold to AAT Kings.
A Tourism Tropical North Queensland statement said Mr Dixon (above) was a part of the region's industry at a time when many businesses were locally owned by people who were close friends “who hung out together, marketed together and were innovative together”.
“Thousands of backpackers saw some of the most isolated parts of Australia when Gordon and James came up with the idea to launch the innovative Desert Venturer tours from Cairns to Alice Springs and Darwin as part of Down Under Tours,” the statement said.
“The tours were unprecedented with Gordon building vehicles suited to the tough outback conditions.
“With James, Gordon also developed personalised five-star touring to the Daintree and Atherton Tablelands and charter operations to Alice Springs and Uluru.
“They built the business into a successful international operation that represented the values of what the destination was all about.
“Gordon was a tireless worker for Tropical North Queensland and a strong voice for the region’s transport issues at both a state and federal level.
“He was dedicated, tenacious and very good at what he did, remaining with the business after it sold until 2020.
“One of his greatest successes was his family and our thoughts are with his wife Helen, children Jesse, Charlie and Mollie, and his four grandchildren.”
