About Red Dirt Tours
Red Dirt Tours is a locally owned and operated small business specialising in the natural and historical environments in and around Winton. Red Dirt Tours started as a one "man" show in 2015 (Vicki, a bus and the computer) but has grown to now include 4 buses and 4 driver guides (including Vicki). Of course none of this would be possible without the support from many locals and industry contacts and the most important part of the tour - you, our guests! Thank you everyone!
Background on Vicki - the business is an extension of Vicki so this way you get to know us!
I'm Vicki Jones. I had my first venture into the world of tour guiding when I was 22, working at the Lodge at Carnarvon Gorge. I then worked as a tour guide for the next 12 years in a number of ecotourism resorts and tour operations around outback Queensland, Northern Territory and Tasmania but then ventured into tour guide training and management roles. After a few more years doing project work for tourism organisations, I left the corporate world to move back into tour operation management and back into Outback Queensland. After working in Winton I saw a need to good tours in the area, but it took me a couple of years to make that a reality.
I am a long time accredited tour guide with both Savannah Guides and EcoGuide and believe that the professionalism associated with these organisations has stood me in good stead over the years. In 2015 Red Dirt Tours was accredited as a Savannah Guides Enterprise.
I was told by a good friend and mentor in 2001 that I should start my own tour operation and have never forgotten this advice. Despite what he could see, I never really felt I had the broad skills nor had earned enough stripes to own an operation of my own. But after many years of broad experience, finding a wonderful location and a couple of years of thinking and planning, in 2015 (instead of going on a holiday to Africa), I took the leap, took the risk, followed my heart, and did it; I bought a tour bus!
So welcome to my first venture into the world of owning a tour operation! I hope that I can use the skills I have gained over the years to be able to give you a memorable holiday experience.
Leave the car at home, just sit back, relax and let me us show you around!
Vicki.
Background on Vicki - the business is an extension of Vicki so this way you get to know us!
I'm Vicki Jones. I had my first venture into the world of tour guiding when I was 22, working at the Lodge at Carnarvon Gorge. I then worked as a tour guide for the next 12 years in a number of ecotourism resorts and tour operations around outback Queensland, Northern Territory and Tasmania but then ventured into tour guide training and management roles. After a few more years doing project work for tourism organisations, I left the corporate world to move back into tour operation management and back into Outback Queensland. After working in Winton I saw a need to good tours in the area, but it took me a couple of years to make that a reality.
I am a long time accredited tour guide with both Savannah Guides and EcoGuide and believe that the professionalism associated with these organisations has stood me in good stead over the years. In 2015 Red Dirt Tours was accredited as a Savannah Guides Enterprise.
I was told by a good friend and mentor in 2001 that I should start my own tour operation and have never forgotten this advice. Despite what he could see, I never really felt I had the broad skills nor had earned enough stripes to own an operation of my own. But after many years of broad experience, finding a wonderful location and a couple of years of thinking and planning, in 2015 (instead of going on a holiday to Africa), I took the leap, took the risk, followed my heart, and did it; I bought a tour bus!
So welcome to my first venture into the world of owning a tour operation! I hope that I can use the skills I have gained over the years to be able to give you a memorable holiday experience.
Leave the car at home, just sit back, relax and let me us show you around!
Vicki.
