Lying on the banks of the Burnett River and surrounded by a patchwork of cane fields, fruit and vegetable crops, Bundaberg is the hub for one of Australia’s most productive food regions. The city’s name combines the local Kalki Aboriginal word ‘bunda’ meaning ‘important person or elder’ and the Saxon word for ‘berg’ meaning a town.
Sugar has been a key part of the region’s history since European settlement and Bundaberg is known not only for producing sugar but also the city’s iconic spirit – Bundaberg Rum. The history of the sugar industry is reflected in some of Bundaberg’s attractions including the Bundaberg Rum Distillery Bondstore and Fairymead House Museum. Other attractions include a museum devoted to the city’s most famous son, pioneer aviator Bert Hinkler who made the first solo flight between Britain and Australia in 1928.
Explore the region to discover the picturesque township of Childers with its heritage streetscapes or explore Cania Gorge National Park with its sandstone gorges that shelter stands of rainforest palms and tree ferns. Bundaberg is just a short drive from Bargara and the beaches of the Coral Coast. Offshore lie the southern anchors of the Great Barrier Reef in the coral cays of Lady Elliot and Lady Musgrave Islands. Lady Elliot has an eco-resort while day cruises are available to Lady Musgrave’s vast coral lagoon. Back on the mainland the beach and dunes at Mon Repos are the nesting grounds for green and loggerhead turtles during late spring and early summer. Visitors can join ranger guided night tours to experience this natural phenomenon.
Find out more about the Bundaberg Region
Begin your Journey with Queensland Explore Centres
There are a number Queensland Explore Centres throughout the Bundaberg Region who are the experts in their region.