Bundaberg travel guide

Little Bundaberg sits beside the Burnett River amidst a sea of sugar cane. The city relies far more on agriculture than tourism to sustain it and as a result is usually absent from most travel agendas. Many refer to the town as ‘Bundy’, though this affectionate nickname is most often used to describe its famous tipple, rum, which has been faithfully distilled in Bundaberg since 1883. Not surprisingly, the wonderfully sweet-smelling distillery is the biggest tourist attraction, while others nearby include the southern reef islands of Lady Musgrave and Elliot, both of which offer excellent diving, and the fascinating seasonal action at the Mon Repos Turtle Rookery.

Before filling the nostrils with the sweet smell of molasses and titillating the taste buds with the dark nectar at the distillery, it is perhaps worth taking a quick, and sober, look at one or two of the historical buildings dominating the city centre. Most prominent is the 30-m clock tower of Post Office building, on the corner of Bourbong Street and Barolin Street,which has been in continuous operation since 1890. A few doors down is the 1891 Old National Australia Bank, with its distinctive colonnades and spacious verandahs embellished with cast iron balustrades.

An equally popular retreat is the city’s Botanical Gardens Complex (1 km north of the city centre, corner of Hinkler Av and Gin Gin Rd, T4152 0222, 0730-1700, $5, children $2, museums 1000-1600). Added to the obvious botanical attractions and landscaped ponds and gardens are the Fairymead House Sugar Museum, which documents the history of the region’s most important industry, and the Hinkler House Memorial Museum, (T4130 4400), which celebrates the life and times of courageous local pioneer aviator, Bert Hinkler. Born in Bundaberg in 1892, Hinkler was the first person to fly solo from Australia to England, in 1928. Sadly, after going on to break numerous other records, he then died attempting to break the record for the return journey in 1933. There is also a working steam train that clatters round the gardens on Sundays.

Although a relatively small operation, the Bundaberg Distillery (Avenue St, 4 km east of the city centre, head for the chimney stack, T4131 2999, http://www.bundabergrum.com.au, tours daily on the hour Mon-Fri 1000-1500, Sat-Sun 1000-1400, from $25, children $15), established in 1883, provides a fascinating insight into the distilling process. The one-hour tour begins with a short video celebrating the famous Bundy brand before you are taken to view the various aspects of the manufacturing process. First stop is a huge 5-million-litre well of sweet-smelling molasses, which is gradually drawn through a maze of steel pipes, fermenters, condensers and distillers, before ending up in mighty vats within the maturing warehouses. With one vat alone being worth $5 million ($3 million of which goes to government tax) it is hardly surprising to hear the solid click of lock and key and to be mildly aware of being counted on the way out! Then, with a discernibly quickening pace, you are taken to an authentic bar to sample the various end products. Generous distillers they are too, allowing four shots, which is just enough to keep you below the legal driving limit....read more