About Us
The Go West Story
Founded In September 2000
From humble beginnings, Go West Tours is the result of a passion for providing excellent customer service and providing guests with a memorable experience, not just a destination.
Founded in September 2000, by husband and wife duo Terry and Fiona Smit, the pair set out to change the way tours were delivered in Melbourne. After spending 3 years on a working holiday across Europe, Terry became a tour leader for one of the world’s largest tour operators where he gained expert experience as a tour guide.
Provide Guests With An Interactive Experience
In September 2000, not long after getting married, Terry and Fiona launched Go West Tours. With a single 21-seat bus and Terry as the driver-guide, they operated their first Great Ocean Road tour with a group of 5 guests.
Determined to exceed existing industry standards, their focus was to provide guests with an interactive experience which was affordable, safe, reliable, and unforgettable. As the business grew, Terry and Fiona focused on selecting and inducting tour guides who could engage with, inform, and entertain guests throughout the day. Today, Go West Tours still upholds this high standard when recruiting new team members.
In 2005, Go West Tours became the first tour operator to provide a fully mobile translation service for non-English-speaking guests and, to this day, innovation remains a strong area of focus. Today, all touring vehicles are fitted with complimentary Wi-Fi and Go West remains the only small bus operator in Melbourne to fit their buses with customised, upgraded seating, providing a safer and more comfortable journey for guests.
These innovative ideas, as well as their philosophy to provide guests with more than just a destination, saw them awarded their first Victorian Tourism Award in 2005. Go West backed up this win by winning their category again in 2006 and 2007, elevating them to the Victorian Tourism Awards Hall of Fame. In 2007, Go West also won the Australian Tourism Award in the category of Outstanding Tour & Transport Operator.
In the years since – rather than entering the awards – Terry has worked with the Tourism Awards team as both a mentor and a judge in an endeavour to give back to the tourism industry and to assist in the development of other tourism businesses.
Go West Tours remains a family-owned and operated business that has grown to a team of over 40 employees, operating unique itineraries that encapsulate the best parts of the Great Ocean Road, Grampians, Phillip Island, Mornington Peninsula, Wilsons Promontory, and the Yarra Valley. With 20 years in business, Go West Tours is still as committed to providing guests with an unforgettable experience as they were back in 2000.
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Melbourne Tour Operator
Our Touring Vehicles
We take pride in our fleet of highly maintained and state-certified touring vehicles.
- We are the only Melbourne tour operator that provides upgraded seatingin our vehicles!
- your comfort and safety is an essential part of the service!
- Take a look at photos of Our Touring Vehicles!
Excellent Customer Service
Providing Guests With A Memorable Experience
High-Quality Tour Operator
Tour Guides Who Could Engage With, Inform, And Entertain Guests
Share The Passion
Staff Testimonials
I worked at Go West as an office assistant. As such, I was involved in a variety of projects. Right from the beginning I was properly and throughly trained and always encouraged to ask questions which were answered clearly and with patience at all times. I experienced a great team spirit between all staff members at Go West. Everybody is constantly trying to contribute as best as possible to the success of the company… I highly recommend Go West tours as an employer who appreciates its staff and therefore provides a very good working environment.
Miriam Balt
From May to July 2013
I have been proud to represent your company over the past two years. As employers, you both have been excellent and your accessible, flexible, and caring style of management has been unparalleled within my working life thus far. You always made me feel an important part of the company and that is something I appreciated greatly.
Luke
Past employee
In my experience Go West was a very well-organised business and this made life as an employee very easy and far less demanding than in other tour companies that I have worked for. Upon commencement, an excellent level of training ws provided to ensure that guides: a) were knowledgeable on all areas before commencing work in a solo capacity, and b) understood any intricacies involved in driving individual vehicles. The tours themselves were very well planned and as a guide, I felt well-supported with an Operations Manager or Supervisor always available at the depot or on the phone to provide anaswers to questions and to provide any required support.
Tim Darke
October 2010- March 2011 and March 2012 – January 2013
