A Park Bench, A Stranger, and the Start of Lonely Planet
In the latest episode of Inspired By with Isabella Taylor, Tony Wheeler, co-founder of Lonely Planet, recounts how a chance meeting on a park bench in London led to his lifelong partnership with Maureen Wheeler—and eventually to the creation of Lonely Planet. The story behind this chance encounter is as romantic as it is serendipitous.
The Birth of Lonely Planet
From that fateful moment on a park bench, Tony and Maureen travelled across Southeast Asia before settling in Melbourne. As people asked about their experiences, they realised there was a gap in the market for travel guides. That’s how it all began, filling a need for accessible, reliable travel information before the internet era.
From Humble Beginnings to Global Success
Today, Lonely Planet is one of the most recognised travel brands in the world, but it all started with two travellers, 27 cents, and a dream. For more on how Tony and Maureen Wheeler turned their love of travel into a global empire, listen to the full interview on Inspired By.
Topic time in podcast and video: 00:00 – 09:29
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More on Tony Wheeler AO
Tony Wheeler AO (born 20 December 1946) is an English-born Australian publishing entrepreneur, businessman, and travel writer. He co-founded the Lonely Planet guidebook company with his wife, Maureen Wheeler.
Born in England, Wheeler spent much of his childhood moving around the globe due to his father’s job as an airport manager with the British Overseas Airways Corporation. This upbringing saw him live in countries like Pakistan, the Bahamas, Canada, the United States, and England, rarely spending more than two years in the same school.
Wheeler holds an engineering degree from Warwick University and an MBA from the London Business School. Early in his career, he worked as an engineer for the Chrysler Corporation.
After travelling across Europe with Maureen, the couple arrived in Melbourne in 1972 and published their first book, Across Asia on the Cheap, in 1973. This marked the beginning of the Lonely Planet empire, a name inspired by a misheard lyric from a Joe Cocker song, which actually said “lovely planet.” They married and had two children, Tashi and Kieran.
In 1980, the release of a guidebook to India significantly expanded the company. By 2007, BBC Worldwide purchased 75% of the company, and in 2011, they acquired the remaining 25%, bringing the couple’s net worth to $190 million.
Following Lonely Planet, Wheeler authored books such as Bad Lands and Unlikely Destinations.
In 2014, Tony and Maureen Wheeler were both honoured as Officers of the Order of Australia (AO) for their contributions to publishing and their philanthropic efforts in the arts and aid organisations. As of a 2019 interview, Wheeler stated he maintains homes in both England and Melbourne.
