Community
17 June, 2025
Trailblazer was unique
TOURISM legend Robbie Bastion has been remembered as a trailblazing promoter of the Far North.
The 69-year-old died last week after spending decades selling the region across the world.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive officer Mark Olsen said despite starting his career south of the border in 1979, Mr Bastion always had Queensland tourism in his blood and a great love of the Tropical North.
“Starting in the NSW travel centres, he made the leap to the Queensland Tourist and Travel Corporation in the 1980s in their Sydney travel centre and then took the Canberra office to number one in the QTTC network,” he said. “One of the original road warriors, Robbie always had the knack for selling the state and became famous (or infamous) in travel when he joined Quicksilver as general director of sales and hit the road.
“Anyone who knew Robbie knew his love of this region and of the travel industry and he never quit until he got the deal done.
“Some people reading this won’t have known Robbie, for you I can recommend ‘Revelations and Reflections with Ron Livingston and Robbie Bastion’ on Inside Downunder to hear the stories from Robbie himself.
“Robbie thought deeply about the industry and how to make this region thrive, winning countless awards for his outstanding contributions including the TTNQ Hall of Fame with Parker Travel Collection and an outstanding contribution of an individual in 2010.
“He has written the book on how to sell the tourism experiences of the Tropical North and while quick with a joke, he was always quick with some sage advice. When I arrived at TTNQ, on my desk was a Robbie Bastion tome, 21 pages of insights from Robbie. I read it twice and sat down for a coffee to hear it from Robbie directly – I got it with both barrels on what TTNQ was and wasn’t doing, according to Robbie, our own national icon like Tim Tams and RM Williams.
“Passionate, determined, pig-headed and virtually unstoppable, Robbie inspired an industry and lifted a region. Never have so many benefitted so much from one man’s mission.
“Thank you Robbie, passionate road warrior, preacher and great mate – your legacy lives on.”
A Queensland Tourism Industry Council spokeswoman said Mr Bastion’s legacy “spans decades of leadership in tourism sales and distribution, marked by his deep understanding of people, markets and place. From the early days of the Far North Queensland Promotion Bureau his influence was profound and enduring”.
Mr Bastion is survived by two children and five grandchildren. He was farewelled at his wake at the Trinity Beach Tavern yesterday.
