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 steadily grown to now include 4 tour guides (including Vicki) who are all professional guides with exceptional service and who care about YOU - the ones who matter most on this journey. Of course none of this would be possible without the additional support from many locals and industry contacts and you, our guests! Thank you everyone!
Background on Vicki - the business is an extension of Vicki, so by knowing her you get to know the business!
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 on a project in Winton I saw a need for good quality tours in the area, but it took me a couple of years to make that a reality.
I was told by a good friend and mentor in 2001 that I should start my own tour operation and have never forgotten this. 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!
Vicki is also a long time accredited tour guide with both Savannah Guides and EcoGuide. I 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.
The business has grown steadily since 2015 and has some legs now! In 2019, I added another small bus to the fleet, and gained my first employee. In 2021 I added another bus and then another in 2022. I've moved a few buses on, bought a few new buses and reduced down to 3 buses now for 2024 and 2025.
I prefer small group travel - I've been the driver guide on tours with big groups of 40+, but find the smaller groups much more personal. I believe you do too. So the main off-road buses we use are around the 18 to 20 passenger seats with one slightly larger 2wd bus of approx 24 passengers. I've tried a few different types of buses over the years but and have been refining what works best for the roads around Winton.
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 us show you around!
Vicki.
Background on Vicki - the business is an extension of Vicki, so by knowing her you get to know the business!
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 on a project in Winton I saw a need for good quality tours in the area, but it took me a couple of years to make that a reality.
I was told by a good friend and mentor in 2001 that I should start my own tour operation and have never forgotten this. 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!
Vicki is also a long time accredited tour guide with both Savannah Guides and EcoGuide. I 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.
The business has grown steadily since 2015 and has some legs now! In 2019, I added another small bus to the fleet, and gained my first employee. In 2021 I added another bus and then another in 2022. I've moved a few buses on, bought a few new buses and reduced down to 3 buses now for 2024 and 2025.
I prefer small group travel - I've been the driver guide on tours with big groups of 40+, but find the smaller groups much more personal. I believe you do too. So the main off-road buses we use are around the 18 to 20 passenger seats with one slightly larger 2wd bus of approx 24 passengers. I've tried a few different types of buses over the years but and have been refining what works best for the roads around Winton.
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 us show you around!
Vicki.
