Questions and things we do at The Spire Visitor Information Centre in our role of servicing Visitors
Posted on February 10th, 2017
Questions and things we do at The Spire Visitor Information Centre in our role of servicing Visitors
(a list from our wonderful volunteers and VIC Supervisor)
Where are?: Mechanics (for specific makes and models of vehicles as well as general mechanics)
Doctors, Dentists, Bulk bill Doctors, Hospitals
Specialty shops
Where to get tyres, brakes etc
Caravan repairers and parts
Auto electricians
Directions to anywhere in Rockhampton
Calling taxis
Where to fish in the river
Are fishing permits needed and where to get them
Where are the boat ramps
Where is the best steak in the Beef Capital
What Old Time Dances are on
Where to see kangaroos in the wild
Are there stingers in the sea
What about crocodiles
What to do about stray dogs
Wild life carers and rescuers
Real Estate Information
Flood Information (where does it flood)
Laundries, Laundromats, Showers, Free Camps
Vet surgery
Doggy Day Care
Can you recommend a good dancing school for daughter
What is the name of that tree
Where is the sex shop
French tourists looking for a ‘breakage’ shop (car wreckers)
A distressed man, just resigned from his job and wanting to know how to get back to WA
A visitor wanting help with understanding her knitting pattern(fortunately that day there were volunteers in who were knitters)
Where is Gracemere Homestead, home of the Archers
An elderly gentleman looking for help with erectile dysfunction
French tourists (on foot), left their luggage as leaving on bus early the next day. As the day was extremely hot, volunteer drove them to the Gardens. They walked back by closing time and they and their luggage were transported to the bus pickup by the Supervisor.
A young couple came into the centre late one very warm afternoon, they were from France. Asked for directions to the YHA over in Little Musgrave Street, which I showed them. They were going to walk over, as I didn’t have my vehicle I couldn’t offer to drop them off. When the courtesy driver came to pick me up at the end of work I was telling him about the couple, we saw them on Gladstone Road. He pulled over and told me to get them and he would drop them off for me. We dropped them off at the YHA and then proceeded to pick up my vehicle. They were very happy that we would do that for them. (Volunteer)
The other afternoon on a very hot day we had a couple come in that were staying at the Southside Caravan Park and they were looking at wanting to walk down to the main CBD part of town. Proceeded to show them on a map and said that it was a good walk and as it was so hot they might find it a bit hard. I mentioned to them that I was happy to drop them off. We headed for downtown I took them down past the Great Western Hotel and along the river front stopping at the flood marker and explaining to them a bit about how the river changes when it floods. We then went up into East Street and turned to go down to Quay Street. After explaining some of the history of the area and what was available in East Street, I also showed them where the Taxi rank was so that they could catch a Taxi back to the caravan park. They came back into the information centre the next day to say how thankful they were for the help that we gave them and left their name and phone number and a small gift to show their appreciation. (Volunteer)
Helping two young ladies from Switzerland whose vehicle was broken into out the back and all of their passports, money etc was stolen. These young ladies were with us for almost a week and became friends to the Volunteers and Supervisor.
Having two young German lads who needed to sell their vehicle to wreckers, follow me to Gracemere to do so and then transporting them back to the YHA so they could catch a bus for further travel north (Supervisor)
European Visitors wanting to know did they need security travelling in the Outback
Advising a very distressed gentleman in a motorhome whose wife had been brought in by Aerial Ambulance from out west. Calling him a taxi to get him to the hospital as he would be unable to find a park for the motorhome. It was discovered after wards that the lights on the motorhome were left on. Doing some detective work to find someone to contact him to tell him. This was successful and they were very happy about it. They brought a lovely bunch of flowers into the VIC to say thank you before they continued on their journey.
Making numerous bookings for National Parks Queensland wide, bookings for Fraser Island, Whitsundays and also local accommodations and trips.
Rescuing a young man who became locked in the public toilet when the lock fell apart
Helping a mum whose child had locked herself in the disabled toilet
Taking photos of tourists outside when they need an extra set of hands
Local visitors who come in looking for information on other states as they are wanting to plan trips
Footnote: All the Staff at the VIC have worked on the gardens along the front of the building as it was very neglected and the watering system was broken. As nothing was being done to make it look nice, the Supervisor and Volunteers decided to do it themselves. All the plants have been donated and the watering and feeding is all done by the Staff.
