Andrew McCarthy has spent greater than a decade combining his two loves — horses and the ocean — whereas placing a sleepy beachside city firmly on Queensland’s tourism map.
Thousands of individuals from “all over the world” have felt the waves splash over them at Rainbow Beach whereas driving bareback on one in all the stockman’s 20 beloved horses.
The path rides in the Gympie area had been a religious expertise for some, Mr McCarthy stated.
“There was one lady from Hollywood, she rode onto the beach and she started crying.
“I stated, ‘What’s unsuitable?’ Thinking we might executed one thing unsuitable.
“And she was just crying because the beauty of it.”
Rainbow Beach Horse Rides will host its remaining experience at the finish of October. (Supplied: Rainbow Beach Horse Rides)
But after 12 years of displaying guests the blue water and colored sands of Rainbow Beach — the self-titled “surfing stockman” is hanging up his reins.
“Last ride is the end of October this year,” Mr McCarthy stated.
“Twelve years is a long time putting people on a live animal, if you put them on tractor or motorbike or something, you can replace the part when it breaks.
“Horses have acquired a mind and nerve endings, so it’s only a lengthy time doing that.”
Busy from day one
Mr McCarthy said he could never have imagined how popular the trail rides would become when he started them.
“I used to be managing a cattle station in Western Australia, and I assumed I used to be by no means going to make it as knowledgeable surfer, so I assumed the subsequent most suitable choice was driving a horse up and down the seashore,” he stated.
“I had visions of doing not many horse rides and going browsing in-between … but that is by no means occurred.
“We’ve just been busy from day one, before we even opened we had people ringing, willing to do a ride.”
The nation pub experience has additionally been a preferred expertise. (Supplied: Rainbow Beach Horse Rides)
Mr McCarthy has additionally taught horse driving fans the artwork of horsemanship on his cattle farm at Goomboorian.
Australian nation music singer Tania Kernaghan was an enormous fan and frequently took half in the farm’s camps.
The nation pub experience has additionally been a preferred expertise, with folks allowed to drink a beer on horseback inside a brewery.
“Then you’ve got the beach full-moon rides, they are something special,” he stated.
“They go silent, it’s like it’s touching their souls — that moon rises over the ocean and the moon reflects straight onto them and their horse, and they have a moon shadow.
“Quite a few folks have stated that we have modified their life.”
Riders participating in a full-moon seashore experience at Rainbow Beach. (Supplied: Rainbow Beach Horse Rides)
Big footwear to fill
Visit Sunshine Coast chief executive Matt Stoeckel said Mr McCarthy had helped put the Rainbow Beach region on the map internationally.
“It is an expertise that has been cherished and appreciated by guests from all over the world,” hesaid.
“There’s little question that Rainbow Beach Horse Rides has been a catalyst for its repute as one in all Australia’s most laid-back vacation locations.
“Andrew McCarthy … has been an incredible ambassador for Rainbow Beach and the tourism industry.”
Matt Stoeckel says he hopes somebody will see Mr McCarthy’s departure as a possibility. (Supplied: Visit Sunshine Coast)
The tourism physique’s chief stated he was hopeful somebody would fill the hole in the market.
“We just hope that someone sees the potential of the experience and comes in to fill their shoes,” Mr Stoeckel stated.
Rising prices a problem
Mr McCarthy stated rising prices continued to be a problem for small enterprise house owners.
“Like every every single business, it’s hard —costs are up, absolutely,” he stated.
“We’ve not had a price rise in four and a half years.
“You go too excessive and it’s unaffordable, then you definitely’ve acquired no enterprise and you have no revenue.”
Mr McCarthy has not raised his costs in 4 years, but prices have elevated. (Supplied: Rainbow Beach Horse Rides)
Mr McCarthy said his next tough decision was working out which horses to keep.
“I am unable to hold 20-odd horses,” he stated.
“Trying to decide which horse to promote is fairly exhausting … I simply really feel like I owe them, they’ve executed lots for me.”
“So it’s going to be very exhausting to half with them.”
