For more than 20 years, my wife Aviv and I visited Port Douglas every chance we got. Every trip made it harder to leave, and we always said that one day, this would be home. In 2023, we finally made it happen - we're now lucky enough to call this paradise our everyday life.
There was only one small problem... we suddenly had WAY more time to work on our golf game - and let's just say golf was working against us. Between the frustration of trying to shave a few strokes off our score and our lifelong habit of promoting Port Douglas as the best place in Australia, we knew we needed something more exciting to pour our energy into.
As a lifelong car enthusiast (petrolhead) I'd always dreamed of doing something involving motorbikes and tours here in Port Douglas. I grew up riding, competed at the highest level of off-road motorcycling, and still race cars whenever I can. The idea of sharing this passion with visitors always sat in the back of my mind.
Then one night, everything clicked.
Over a beer with my mate Laurie Philipsen(pictured here on the right) he told me he'd landed this unbelievable job - taking people on trike tours around Port Douglas... and getting paid for it. That conversation lit the spark. Fast forward to today, and Laurie is now one of our best tour guides - though I still can't believe I'm the one paying him.
And that's how Tropical Trike Tours was born: from a love of this town, a passion for all things with wheels, and a desire to show visitors exactly why Port Douglas has always been our favourite place in the world.
Reece Jones
