Come cruising with us and David Venish the friendly owner of Luxury Bowral Transfers
We looooooove airports. There’s just something thrilling about the flurry of planes whisking off to exciting destinations. Plus, being at the airport usually means one thing, we’re off on a holiday adventure [yay!]. Also, airports seem to be the one place where it’s totally ok to sip a cheeky bevvie at 9 am on a random Tuesday or down a choccie bar for brekkie, good fun!
But one thing we’re not so crash hot on is getting ourselves to the airport. Whether it’s lugging awkward suitcases on public transport [that train trip from the Highlands!] or shelling out eleventy bajillion dollars for airport parking if we decide to drive, it’s not typically been our favourite part of the journey… until recently.
We got the pleasure of taking a cruise with David Venish, owner and driver at Luxury Bowral Transfers, a car transfer service in the Highlands getting locals to the airport, cruise terminal or other important destinations in comfort and ease.
We absolutely loved taking a spin with David in his Tesla Y Electric Vehicle and now think it might become our new favourite part of the airport visit! David told us all about his life in the Highlands, this super cool eco-friendly ride and how Luxury Bowral Transfers do their thing.
So, jump on in and let’s go for a cruise… don’t forget your seatbelt.
1 :: Hiya David. Can you tell us how you came to be in the Southern Highlands?
So, I’m originally from South Africa, Durban to be exact. Back there, I worked as a wedding photographer, capturing those beautiful moments in an area near Durban known as the Natal Midlands. It was stunning, much like the Highlands here – same elevation, weather systems, farming style, and charming villages. When we moved to Australia, we spent about 5 years in Sydney, but the moment we stumbled upon the Highlands, we just knew we had to make it our home. And well, here we are! We’ve been here for 20 years now, it’s the longest my wife and I have ever lived in a place and it’s very much home.
2 :: Love it! And when did you start Luxury Bowral Transfers?
I began the business back in 2018. As soon as it was up and running, we were going really well. Things kept going gangbusters until April 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. With travel restrictions and people staying put, the need for transfers slowed. As an AirBNB and real estate photographer, I shifted my focus during that time. But now, with everything back up and running, I’m thrilled to have the business going again.
3 :: So are we. What kinds of transfers do you offer?
We are popular for our door-to-door airport transfers to and from Sydney and Canberra airports. We always monitor flight arrival times using a real-time flight tracking app so that no one is left waiting at the arrivals gate.
We also provide cruise transfers to Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal in The Rocks and the White Bay Cruise Terminal.
We often get bookings from folks needing to zip into the city for appointments or meetings. It’s a breeze getting them there and back, hassle-free. The convenience of a smooth ride really makes a difference, especially when city trips can be a bit hectic.
Our cars are equipped with complimentary bottled water, WIFI and charging cables for most phones and laptops.
4 :: Can you tell us more about the cars you have?
I have both this Tesla Y Electric Vehicle and a Toyota SUV. I recently purchased the Tesla and think it is an incredible luxury vehicle to transfer in.
The idea of using an electric vehicle for my business resonated with me, not just from a business standpoint but also for the environment. I believe the Highlands community is environmentally conscious, so offering an eco-friendlier car transfer service is a positive choice for locals.
It has so many amazing features like a lovely sense of spaciousness with plenty of leg room, adaptive cruise control, it’s a very quiet and smooth drive and it has awesome climate control with front and rear heated seats.
I think the climate control feature is a huge plus for the Highlands. On chilly mornings, I can warm up the interior before picking someone up, ensuring a toasty welcome by the time I arrive. Similarly, on hot days, I can have a cool and fresh environment for a comfortable ride.
5 :: Woah that’s awesome! And how about the charging?
That’s something I get asked about a lot!
There are different types of chargers around. I usually charge up at Pheasant’s Nest or in Campbelltown and it’s really simple. The one in Campbelltown is a supercharger where you can put a 250 km range on in 15 minutes. It’s so simple, almost like charging a mobile phone. You will even get a notification on your phone when it’s around 5 mins from being charged.
6 :: Wow, we almost want one for ourselves now!
Haha, I can see why! Often people who are curious about what it’s like to ride in an electric vehicle or are considering purchasing one will book with me for their transfers so they can get a feel of what it’s like.
I enjoy talking to them about it as we drive and before we leave for the airport might get them to estimate how much battery they think it will use to get to the airport and then they can compare their estimate to the result.
Another really cool feature of the Tesla is when you punch in the directions of your route to the system it will give you an accurate idea of how much battery you will use to get there, it’s excellent for planning.
7 :: Okay, so how can we book?
Quotes and requests can be made online. It’s an easy and intuitive process. There are options for choosing your start and end location as well as your pick-up date and time and if you need a return transfer as well.
I focus on trying to get back to any requests as quickly as possible, usually within a couple of hours, provided I’m not driving ha-ha. I spoke to a few people who told me that they often found it frustrating when they would submit a request to book something and they wouldn’t hear a response for quite a while and I make sure that’s not the case with me.
8 :: And what’s on the cards next for Bowral Luxury Transfers?
Ideally, I would like to add a tow bar to the Tesla. They can surprisingly tow a fairly hefty load so I would love to add a trailer for more luggage space but I’m still in the process of getting that all organised.
9 :: Last, but not least, what do you love most about living in the Highlands?
I love the gorgeous country lifestyle. I love that part of my job is getting to drive around it every day. I love spending my weekends going fishing with my wife. It’s a wonderful way to switch off and relax.
Oh, and the people are so friendly and lovely and it’s the perfect place to have raised my two daughters.
Thanks, David we have had such an awesome time riding around the Highlands with you today and now have even more reason to be excited for our next holiday with a transfer from Luxury Bowral Transfers.
If you’re interested in booking your next transfer with David you can reach out to him online or over the phone on 0408 535 279.
Beep beep!
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