For a town the size and location of Bundaberg, it’s a name surprisingly well known by many Australians. But perhaps for those seeking a visit to the city, knowing what to do in Bundaberg might be something of a mystery.
We had the pleasure of spending 2 days in Bundaberg, getting to grips with the many fantastic things that Bundaberg has to offer. For visitors to Central Queensland, the city is a must do. There’s plenty to do, see and as most might expect, taste in Bundaberg.
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What to do in Bundaberg
#1 Visit the Bundaberg Rum Distillery
Perhaps the most well known export out of Bundaberg is the world-famous rum. Produced locally since the distillery’s inception, it’s going nowhere fast. And whilst you can enjoy a rum from just about any vantage point in the world, is there anything like experiencing it direct from the source? We’re big lovers of enjoying produce where it’s made, and the Bundaberg Rum Distillery is no different.
Not a rum fan? It’s still worth a visit in our opinion, if for nothing else than to add another ‘big thing’ to your list! The big Bundaberg Rum bottle stands proudly outside the distillery and is a big drawcard in it’s own right.
You can book your tour of the Bundaberg Rum distillery here. It’s worthwhile booking ahead as it does fill up in busy periods and weekends in particular.
Do you like big things and landmarks? Check out our list of some of the best Australian landmarks here.
#2 Bundaberg Brewed Drinks tour
We’re two things into ‘what to do in Bundaberg’, but we’re still very much in the drinks section! A surprise to many who visit the region, the Bundaberg distillery and soft drinks are not produced by the same business. Both are Bundaberg born and bred, but other than sharing a name, location and utilising much the same sugar, they are very much their own entities.
The Bundaberg Brewed Drinks tour was a real highlight for us. Both Kristen and I were brought up with fridges packed with the stocky brown bottles. And it was only on special occasions the ‘fancy’ soft drink came out to trump your regular array of soft drink products.
For me, my grandfather was and remains an avid ginger beer fan, and Bundaberg Ginger Beer was the pinnacle of all ginger beers. And I’d have to agree, it’s just a perfect brew.
The Bundaberg Brewed Drinks company now produce so much more now than just their original ginger beer. There’s a spiced Christmas version available during the festive season (or year round here). The Pineapple and Coconut is the liquid version of Queensland sunshine bottled. And the tropical mango sends you to a tropical island retreat.
No matter your taste, there will be a drink available to you here under the ‘Big Barrel’. Yes, another ‘big thing’ to tick off!
The 30 minute tasting and tour here is great fun. You’ll get to taste every Bundaberg Brewed Drinks product available and get to take home 6 bottles of your choosing afterwards. You can also purchase as much as you like post the tour at greatly reduced prices.
Be sure to book ahead to avoid disappointment – tickets are available here.
#3 Take a stroll in the Botanical Gardens
A moment aside from the drinks, the Botanical Gardens offer solitude and relief in Bundaberg. These stunning gardens are well worth your time and may require more than just your legs to get about. A sprawling garden which is home to more ibises than I’ve ever seen, you can actually drive around most of the gardens.
Maybe it’s a spot where you can take in the lush green gardens in the Bundaberg sunshine whilst polishing off a Ginger Beer? Just saying.
#4 Learn about Australia’s aviation legend, Bert Hinkler
Perhaps the greatest human export out of Bundaberg is Bert Hinkler. Hinkler was an aviation nut, long before aviation was a thing. Maybe it was like getting into crypto currency in the 2000s. He was just that far ahead of the curve.
Bert is born and bred in Bundaberg and successfully flew gliders in and around the area. The museum details some of Bert’s tremendous feats in the aviation space. To hear and see some of the things Bert was doing, it’s just mind blowing stuff. And perhaps a little scary. Australia and the broader aviation world owe Hinkler’s legacy a great deal.
The story of Bert Hinkler in 1928, flying in a plane into the main street of Bundaberg with over 11,000 people lining the streets (upon which he was going to land) beggars belief.
You won’t fly on a plane again and think the same after a visit to this museum, conveniently located on the Botanical Gardens grounds.
Tickets are available at entry, check hours in advance given limited opening times. More info on the Bert Hinkler Aviation Museum can be found here.
#5 Check out the sweet Fairymead House Sugar Museum
This museum is located just a short distance from the aviation museum. In sugar country like Bundaberg, you’ll get to see an amazing plantation house and better understand how sugar was cultivated back in the day. The property itself is quite stunning. Even if sugar history isn’t your thing, be sure to have a look around outside.
Opening hours here are quite limited to just 2 hours per day. As always, check times in advance to avoid disappointment.
#6 Explore more history at the Bundaberg and district historical museum
Also located on the sprawling Botanical Gardens is the Bundaberg and District Historical museum. The region has so much history, and this has been beautifully captured in this local museum. So if you’re not ‘museumed out’, be sure to check in here as well!
#7 Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery
In a smaller town, with so much sugar related produce, the last thing I expected to hear about was an art gallery. But the Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery (or the BRAG for short) is home to a host of exhibits from around the region, and some from further afield.
The exhibitions are constantly changing, so read ahead on their website to make sure you know what’s on display.
#8 All aboard for the Bundaberg Railway museum
If you enjoyed the Hinkler Aviation Museum, there’s a fair chance you’ll enjoy the Bundaberg Railway museum. The museum is built out of Bundaberg’s first railway station, it’s home to a wide variety of railway paraphernalia. We didn’t get a chance to visit ourselves, but were assured train aficionados would find it a must visit.
#9 Get above Bundaberg at The Hummock lookout
One of the things you’ll notice about Bundaberg is the flatness of the city and surrounds. It is a wide open plain. The Hummock lookout is the highest vantage point in the area. With vistas out to sea as well as back towards town, it feels like you can take in all nature of views from up here.
The green of the sugar cane, the rich red earth, the deep blues of the sea and the city all present themselves in full 360 degree view.
And what better place to take it all in than an extinct volcano?
#10 Get friendly with the animals at Alexandra Park Zoo
The Alexandra Park Zoo is host to a wide range of animals including turtles, wallabies, snakes and dingoes amongst others. For anyone visiting with kids, it’s a great introduction to some wonderful Aussie wild life.
Aside from coming face to face with a range of animals, the best news is the zoo is free to visit.
#11 Enjoy the swamps at Baldwin Swamp Environment Park
The Environmental Park is home to wetlands and walkways where you can enjoy taking in the quiet surrounds. You’ll have plenty of time to spot an array of wildlife and seemingly endless number of bird species.
#12 More tasting to be had at Kalki Moon distilling
Our last drinks recommendation for what to do in Bundaberg – I promise! For those who do enjoy their spirits, Kalki Moon produce artisanal gin, rum and vodka.
It’s somewhat more boutique and if you don’t have time to visit in the flesh, you can also shop online.
#13 Enjoy the views of the Burnett River
The Burnett River runs right through Bundaberg. You can’t miss it. Some of the parks and bridges along the river are stunning. So if you’re looking for somewhere to picnic or put the feet up, you’ll find somewhere along the river to do so.
#14 Visit the sugar canefields
Maybe it’s listening to too much of Gangajang’s Sounds of Then, but the sugar canefields absolutely mesmerise me. This is sugar cane country and is the lifeblood of this city. A drive around them and through them as they sway in the breeze is iconically Australian.
It’s free, beautiful and pure Bundaberg.
#15 Check out the turtles at Mon Repos turtle centre
One of our regrettable misses on our visit to Bundaberg was not making it here. With that said, we’ve had the opportunity to see turtles up close in many places, but if you haven’t Mon Repos is definitely the place to do it!
Mon Repos is dedicated to the conservation of turtles. You’ll learn plenty here about the role they play in the ecosystem and see some turtles up close and personal. You can also book an encounter with the turtles which run nightly during the breeding season.
I love turtles, and if you do to, you’ll love Mon Repos Conservation Centre.
#16 Samples some nuts at Macadamias Australia
With all that awesome sugar around, what else to pair it with? Macadamias of course! A family business, Macadamias Australia sells macadamias and a host of products with macadamias in them. Chocolate coated macadamias? Yes please! Grown locally and sustainably, nut fans will rejoice visiting here.
#17 Savour the sweetness at Tinaberries
Tinaberries is a strawberry farm where you can pick your own strawberries (in season) and enjoy some sweet, sweet Tinaberries ice cream.
A chilled out farm, lovers of strawberries will enjoy the time out here. Make sure you slurp that ice cream nice and quick before the Bundaberg sun melts it!
#18 Hit the beach at Bargara
Not quite in Bundaberg – although you can see it from the Hummock lookout is Bargara. Set along the coast, this well looked after enclave is home to a host of restaurants, pubs and shops. The beach here is well protected too and incredibly well managed by the local area. It’s almost like a mini-Noosa for those in the know.
We had an enjoyable afternoon here with some great seafood from See Street Seafood and sitting on the beachfront.
Hot tip for parking: aim for the street back from the beach. Understandably the front gets full up, but a spot within nice walking distance shouldn’t be too far away a block back.
How long do you need to explore Bundaberg?
We had two days here, and as you’ve read, we didn’t get to do everything on our own list. If you can afford the time, 3 days would see you ticking off most of the above list. If you don’t, and you’re passing through, you can still accomplish much of the above. The must do’s for me though would be the Hinkler Museum and either the Bundaberg Rum or Bundaberg Brewed Drinks tours at a minimum.
Where to stay in Bundaberg?
For accommodation in Bundaberg, you have two considerations. Bundaberg Central or out on the coast at Bargara. In truth, we didn’t know much about Bargara before we visited, so we stayed in Bundaberg Central. This still worked well for us, but we weren’t aware of what else we could consider.
If we were staying longer and wanted some ‘lazy time’, we probably would have considered Bargara for it’s proximity to the beach.
Bundaberg has a range of affordable accommodation. We were happy with our visit (and smooth late night check in) at the Bundaberg Spanish Motor Inn. With two beds, a nice sized bathroom and kitchenette, it was a perfect pit stop for the three of us – 2 adults and a child.
Have you enjoyed our list of what to do in Bundaberg? We hope you enjoy it as much as we did. If we missed anything, please let us know so we can pop it on our list for next time!
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